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“I expect they are returning as Lord and Lady Carrington now,” Henry said. “As I’ve been abed for five days.”
“I imagine you have been,” Sesily retorted from her place by the door.
Duchess slid a look at Sesily before saying, “They are not, in fact, returning.”
Adelaide stilled, concern rioting through her. “What happened?”
“They are missing.” She clapped her hands together once, firmly. “I think you ought to be properly dressed for this.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The last time Henry had been in the kitchens of the house, Adelaide had knocked him out. Standing there again, surrounded by a collection of women he’d always thought fearless and now knew also to be fearsome, he was not certain unconsciousness was not a possibility once more.
It did not escape him that Adelaide had been ready to run from the room on numerous occasions since opening the puzzle box, and he knew without question that the trio of women who’d arrived would not hesitate for a moment to help her leave him if she asked.
Indeed, in the ten minutes it had taken him to dress and make his way down the stairs to the kitchens, her crew had situated themselves to protect her—she was at the far end of the room, by the stove, with the Duchess. Between there and the door, Lady Imogen and Lady Sesily sat at the large table. At his entrance, the women turned like a battalion of warriors protecting a prize. Shield-maidens, ready to thin the battlefield.
Adelaide might not understand the message they sent, might not believe it was on her behalf, but Henry did: If he wanted anywhere near her, he would have to go through them.
Which he would.
But first, he would be grateful that she had them by her side.
That, and he had questions that needed answers.
Addressing the foursome, he said, “Where is my brother?”
“It is not the first time you have misplaced him, is it?” the Duchess of Trevescan said, her icy blue gaze on his. “Nor is it the first time he’s gone missing with Lady Helene in tow.”
“Duchess—” Adelaide said, her tone sharp with warning. “Need I remind you that Henry was unconscious for the last four days and does not deserve your censure?”
“What of you then, Adelaide?” Duchess retorted. “Do you deserve my censure? After all, it was you who let the girl go to stay behind and protectHenry...”
Adelaide narrowed her gaze on the other woman. “I thought they were safe. It was an error in judgment.”
Well. Henry didn’t like that.
“You do not make errors in judgment,” the Duchess replied, her cool words setting Henry on edge.
“Don’t speak to her that way,” he said.
Silence fell, and all four women looked to him, a range of emotions in their gazes.
Finally, the Duchess said, “Do not mistake me, Duke. Adelaide chose to stay back and keep you alive. My question is this: Are you worth it?”
“Likely not,” he said, raising a brow in the direction of the woman all of London worshipped. “And yet, here I am.”
“So we return to Adelaide’s error in judgment.” She paused, then added, “Dammit, this is what happens when we let men in.”
He should have been annoyed. Instead, Henry rather imagined he was being initiated. And that wasn’t annoying at all.
“That’s enough, Duchess,” Adelaide said, sending a searing look at her friend, who did not flinch.
“My brother is many things,” Henry said, unable to keep the frustration from his tone. “He’s a halfwaydecent fighter, absolutely terrible at cards, and far too trusting of the world at large. Lord knows he’s made a fair number of mistakes, but he lacks artifice, and if he was headed to Gretna with the lady, he was headed to Gretna for marriage. Are you saying that they never arrived?”
“They arrived,” Duchess said. “We’ve a half-dozen witnesses that say so, including the blacksmith who married them himself. Your brother and his bride spent the night at the inn there, only to begin their return journey the following morning, three days ago. They changed horses and had luncheon not five miles from here, and then... disappeared.”
Henry’s heart began to pound. Jack had been five miles away, under threat, and Henry had not been able to help. He’d failed to protect him.
