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Hetty would merely be an innocent pawn in a very dangerous game.
Charlie galloped through the countryside toward the safe house. Although it was dark, he knew instinctively that he was heading in the right direction.
As long as his horse didn’t give out beneath him there was nothing going to stop him from getting to her. The thought of anything happening to Hetty brought his world to a halt. The entire focus of his being would be destroyed forever more.
He realised then just how much she had come to mean to him. He couldn’t live without her. Life would never be the same if he couldn’t have her by his side.
It took far too long to get to the safe house. His horse hadn’t even stopped running before he dismounted, and raced toward the door.
He burst into the kitchen, and glared at Wally, Simon and Joshua, who were all seated around the table playing cards.
“Where’s Hetty?” He demanded as he stalked through the kitchen toward the hallway.
“What? Why?” Simon asked, but Charlie didn’t wait around to explain.
“Hetty!” Charlie shouted as he ran through the house, bursting into each of the downstairs rooms as he went. “Hetty? Where are you? Hetty!”
Nothing but silence greeted him.
He tore up the stairs, and slammed into their bedroom. The sight of the empty bed, neatly made, brought forth a blistering curse that had him racing back downstairs.
Hugo was stalking down the corridor toward him by the time he got to the bottom of the stairs.
“When they last spoke to her, she was going out to the rose garden for some air. They thought she had gone back upstairs like she did earlier.”
“When?”
Hugo lo
oked at him.
“When?” Charlie demanded.
“Three hours ago.”
Charlie swore, and stalked toward the kitchen door.
“I thought she was back, Charlie,” Joshua snapped. “I heard the damned back door squeak. She said that she was going outside for ten minutes. I saw her in the rose garden, and kept an eye on the time. Ten minutes later, I heard the back door slam and just assumed it was her.”
“You didn’t speak to her?” Charlie growled. He physically trembled with rage at the thought that she had been taken. She must have been terrified.
Joshua scowled. “She looked as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. I just thought she needed some time to herself.”
“Meldrew has her,” Charlie bit out. He glared at Wally and Simon who both swore loudly and followed him to the door.
“Where?” Simon growled.
“We don’t know,” Hugo sighed. “Search the grounds.”
His order was meant for Joshua, but Simon and Wally nodded as well, and followed everyone outside.
Everyone searched the grounds, but came up empty. They soon congregated in the yard, where Simon was saddling up two more horses.
“There is no sign of her,” Joshua growled as he strode toward them. “God, I am sorry Charlie.”
“Where is he likely to have taken her?” Wally growled.
“Besides to Derby jail to await hanging?” Simon sighed and shook his head. “God knows.”
