AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But Leyton shook his head. He was looking smug again. “No, you won’t. Not if you want your father’s debts paid off.”
“What?”
“I know who promised to pay your father’s debts, and I know the condition attached to it. You want your father to be debt free? You must marry.”
Eleanor snorted. “I think even Father’s benefactor will object to you.”
Leyton sniggered. “And I know that he won’t. It’s all been sorted.”
He had got himself involved with the man agreeing to pay her father’s debts by becoming the prospective husband? Was this man the same one who wanted Nathan dead? It had to be. What had she been dragged into?
“Captain Reynolds will find me,” Eleanor said, lifting her chin at her captor. “He’ll make sure you pay for this.”
Leyton arched an eyebrow. He looked amused at her statement. Amused was not what Eleanor was going for. That just made her angrier.
“Captain Reynolds may find me. He’s a clever man, and I’m sure someone will have said something. But that’s what I’m counting on. If he finds us before we’re married, he’s not getting away alive.” He turned and opened the door. “Now, you need to be quiet. My servants are getting old and screams will make them cranky.”
Eleanor let out an angry cry, only for Leyton to leave the room and close the door behind him, the key turning in the lock.
* * *
Nathan could feel his heart racing as he and Simon travelled to Wandsworth Park. It was in a decent area, but everyone kept to themselves, which made it perfect for smuggling an unconscious woman in and out of a house. Leyton had to have known that.
The natural reaction for Nathan was to charge into the house, put his pistol between Leyton’s eyes, and pull the trigger. He had put his hands on Eleanor and harmed her. Forced her away. In his eyes, Leyton had to pay the price. But while that would give him momentarily satisfaction, it wouldn’t make Nathan feel better in the long run. He would have that hanging over his head throughout his marriage. Eleanor wouldn’t see it as a good thing, either.
Simon was right; killing Leyton wouldn’t get him anywhere. Nathan found it a struggle to kill the French during battle.
Then again, with Eleanor involved, he decided he could make an exception.
God only knew what Leyton was doing. He wanted Eleanor as his own, Nathan knew that much. Was he trying to force her to marry him? Hopefully, Eleanor would fight him the whole way. Nathan had seen the venom in her eyes whenever Leyton was mentioned. She despised the man. But what if Leyton had drugged her? Kept her compliant? Or what if she was…?
Nathan pushed that last thought away. Eleanor was not dead. He was going to find her and bring her home.
With him.
Leyton’s house was on the corner, right in front of what looked to be a maze of streets. If he got out of there, he had a multitude of options around him to escape. Nathan wasn’t about to let that happen. He alighted almost before the coach had stopped, Simon jumping out after him. The four burly footmen that his butler had picked out clambered down from the back of the carriage, falling into step behind Nathan as he took the front steps two at a time.
He used the door knocker, the sound echoing around the house inside and made his head vibrate. Nathan waited. There didn’t seem to be any answer. He tried again. After what seemed like an age, the door opened, and an old man who had to be in his seventies with snow-white hair and a trimmed beard looked out and up at Nathan with a scowl.
“Can I help you, sir? It’s very late for visitors.”
“We’re not here on a social call.” Nathan pushed him, almost knocking the man over as he strode into the foyer. “I’m Captain Reynolds, Earl of Brixton, and I’m going to talk to Mr. Leyton whether or not you say it’s permitted at this time of night.”
“Captain Reynolds?” The butler straightened up. “Mr. Leyton is expecting you. He said to let you in when you arrived.”
“Oh, he did, did he?”
“Yes.” The butler frowned at Simon and the footmen who filed in behind him. “But only you. These men can’t come in.”
“They’re coming into the foyer, and they’re going to wait.” Nathan gestured at Simon. “Take Knowles and Reeve around the back, just in case.”
“Right.”
Signalling two of the footmen to follow him, Simon headed through the house. The butler was looking more and more outraged.
“Mr. Leyton won’t allow this!”
“After what he’s done, he doesn’t get a chance to object.” Nathan turned to Stewart and Bailey, the last two footmen. “Stay here. If this man tries anything, deal with him.”
