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“Consideration for what?”
Lady L waved a hand in the air. “Oh, nothing for you to concern yourself over. Your only concern is if you are presentable enough for Lord Ravencroft. There must be a garment in Lady Ravencroft’s wardrobe you wish to change into to please him.”
Warmth washed over Noel. She didn’t need to glance in the mirror to know she blushed a fiery red. “The lady owns nothing I wish to wear.”
Lady L smiled at the girl’s discomfort and found immense pleasure in watching her squirm. She opened the wardrobe and pushed the garments around. She knew what Lady Ravencroft kept for clothing and wanted to embarrass the chit. “Are you sure?” Her eyebrows lifted. “Lord Ravencroft finds pleasure in such decadence. I only thought you would want to please him.”
Noel’s gaze narrowed. “Lord Ravencroft is none of your concern.”
Lady L threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, you are feistier than I imagined, too. Very unpredictable from your usual behavior. Has Ravencroft ever seen this side of your character? If so, I do not believe he would’ve continued with the engagement. Your behavior is quite the opposite of what he wishes for in a wife, considering he prefers a lady who is placid. Well, it is better this is coming to light before you share wedding vows with him.”
“You seem under the impression you know my betrothed quite well. My question is, how well?” Noel asked.
“A question you must ask Ravencroft. A lady does not . . . well . . . how should I phrase this? Kiss and tell? No. That is too tame of a description for what Ravencroft and I share.”
Noel held herself still. Tiny pricks of tears stabbed at her eyes, begging to fall. Noel took a deep breath to keep her doubts at bay. She held enough suspicions of his involvement with the lady, but she refused to believe they held an intimate connection with one another. She decided to follow her mother’s advice on staying silent when another person provoked you to attack. To do so only gave them the power over your unstable emotions.
“Will Lord Ravencroft pay a visit today?” Noel asked.
“No, my dear, he will not. However, you shall see him soon. Now if you will follow me, we must move you to new accommodations while you stay in our care. This is no longer a safe environment for your visit. Before long, your brother and his friends will attempt to infiltrate my domain and rescue you. And I cannot allow that to happen until Ravencroft provides me with the information I need. Once I receive what I require, you may return home.” Lady L moved toward the door and turned, motioning for Noel to follow her.
Noel followed as instructed. She didn’t understand why they had to move her but hoped it gave her a chance to escape. She had found a sewing kit in Lady Ravencroft’s chest and sewed a pocket inside her pants to hold the knife Ravencroft gave her. Her shirt billowed around her, hiding the slight bulge.
“Oh, and do not attempt to escape during this transfer. It will only bring about your demise,” Lady L threatened.
Noel gulped. The lady might as well add mind reading to her nefarious traits. However, she would follow the lady’s order and bide her time to escape after she learned more about her new destination. She only hoped it was possible.
Lady L handed her a blindfold. “Cover your eyes and do not cause trouble for my guards. We will meet again soon.” Lady L paused and added with a chuckle, “Give Ravencroft my love.”
Noel glared at the lady as she covered her eyes, but it only earned her more of the lady’s amusement on her behalf. The guard grabbed Noel by the arm and dragged her outside. The warmth of the air washed over her skin. Noel crinkled her nose when the stench of the Thames invaded her senses. Wherever they took her, she hoped it held better accommodations. The guard tossed her into the back of the carriage, and before she could rip off the blindfold, he tied her hands together in front of her. She snarled her displeasure, ready to scream, when they shoved a rag into her mouth.
They made sure she stayed silent and unable to see where they took her. By moving her, they showed how they feared her family’s wrath. Before long, Lady L would meet her demise. In the meantime, Noel must remain patient instead of irritated at becoming Lady L’s victim.
~~~~~
RAVENCROFT SHOULD HAVEfollowed his instinct and raided Lady L’s hideout last night. Instead, he had allowed Worth to convince him to follow along with Lady L’s plan to make it appear as if she had him cornered. His role was to secure Noel’s safety by visiting her each day and drawing out the plans for the townhome, while everyone else followed his trip and learned the layout of Lady L’s hideout. Once they had a plan in place, they would attempt to rescue Noel. Key emphasis on attempt because it would amount to no more. They didn’t understand the magnitude of secrecy at Lady Langdale’s disposal. Her network extended further than they even imagined. They refused to believe what he and Dracott told them.
It didn’t surprise him when the carriage took a different route to the hideout. The carriage traveled without delay along the quietness of the countryside, and Ravencroft realized they were taking him to a new destination, leaving him to wonder if Noel would join him or if Lady L had concocted a new plan for her revenge. Either way, the plan they had devised last night wouldn’t come to fruition.
Ravencroft sat back in the seat and didn’t break the bond around his wrists. It wouldn’t do any good because wherever they traveled, they prepared for the unexpected. No sense wearing out his strength until he needed to. He understood what played out because of the part he played in the past when the position was reversed. He would use his knowledge to his advantage and draw upon his patience until he could escape. A trait he had learned to excel at while under Lady L’s thumb.
Soon, the carriage came to a stop, and the guard dragged him out. Once his feet landed on the ground, they ripped off his blindfold. The sun blinded him, and he squinted his eyes to look around at his surroundings. When he stood still, the guard shoved at him to keep moving. A cottage was nestled amongst the trees and hidden from the road, with no other homes nearby. They delivered him to an isolated location where he couldn’t escape.
He followed the guard into a one-room cottage. There was a bed nestled in one corner. The other corner appeared to be a kitchen area, holding a table and chairs. The rest of the cottage comprised of a sofa, two chairs, and an end table by the fireplace. From the looks of his surroundings, Ravencroft realized they wouldn’t allow him to return home. Would they also bring Noel to the cottage?
The guard stepped forward and ripped his knife through Ravencroft’s binds. “Do not attempt an escape.”
Ravencroft rubbed his wrists. “I would not even dream of doing so.”
Before the guard reacted to his sarcastic reply, he wandered away, inspecting the cottage. Besides the door, the only other means of escape was a window facing the road. After settling on a chair, he questioned the guard, “Will you reveal the reason for my arrival in this piece of paradise or must I wait for an explanation?”
The guard sneered. “Still think you are above us, do you?”
Ravencroft lifted his shoulders in indifference. “I do not have to think about what I already know.”
The guard growled and advanced toward Ravencroft, but he stopped in his tracks when the door opened. His employer issued commands behind him, and he retreated to Lady L’s side. Ravencroft leapt to his feet as they led Noel into the cottage. When he saw how they had trussed her up and gagged her, his wrath exploded. He tore to her side, pulled the rag out, and gently tugged on her restraints, but she only cried out in pain.
“What in the hell is this?” Ravencroft roared.
