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Before Dracott responded, Falcone scoffed. “His source? More like his accomplice. For years, Dracott and Ravencroft belonged to Lady L’s pack of degenerates. They have made fools out of your family since you allowed them into your fold.”
Worth stood up and pulled his suit coat on. “Lord Falcone, will you please see my sister home? I have urgent business that needs taken care of.”
“But . . .” Falcone sputtered.
“We can finish this conversation after I have brought my sister home from that evil woman’s clutches. I ask for your discretion until then.”
“Are you taking his word over mine? He bloody well is drawing you into their trap,” Falcone growled.
Worth pulled his sleeves down over his cuffs. His patience was wearing thin. “A chance I will take to find my sister. Now, please guarantee Eden’s protection and escort her home. Then I can rescue Noel with peace of mind. Do you think you can protect Eden from coming to any harm?” The last of his order held a sliver of a threat behind it.
Falcone glared at Worth, but Worth never wavered from his stance. When he received no response, he turned his glare on Ralston, who stood next to his partner in agreement. Then at Dracott, who propped himself against the wall without a care in the world. Or at least that was the impression Falcone held. He refused to glance at Lady Eden and the smirk she wore. They invoked his rage by ignoring his warnings about Dracott. He stalked out the door, not offering the lady his arm. Instead, he waited by his carriage for her to exit.
Eden hated leaving. She wanted to help but understood Worth’s need to see her safely at home with the rest of their family. She would grant him this, but after Noel returned home, she wouldn’t sit by and idly wait for Worth or Ralston to hand her assignments. Eden wanted to help capture Lady Langdale and bring her to justice.
She kissed her brother on the cheek. “Bring them home. Alive.” She continued on to show the same affection to Dracott. “Watch over him.”
She walked outdoors to find a disgruntled gentleman pacing by his carriage. Eden shook her head at having to deal with his fury, but she would do so to protect her family. Part of her wanted to gloat at how Worth had set Falcone in his place, but the other part of her worried if he would destroy their family with his knowledge.
“Shall we?” Eden nodded at him to open the door.
Falcone landed his glare on her, and she held her head high, refusing to flinch. His presence might invoke fear in others, but she only found it disturbingly annoying. She climbed into the carriage and prepared herself for the longest ride ever in the shortest distance traveled.
~~~~~
“WHERE ARE THEY?” WORTHdemanded.
“Do either of you own a cottage in the countryside?” Dracott asked.
Worth and Ralston exchanged a glance. They hadn’t used the cottage during the past couple of years due to them expanding their business into a new building.
The glance his employers shared gave Dracott his answer. “Lady L holds them hostage there. I have no other information, only a sense of urgency that we must rescue them this evening.”
“We will take my carriage to my parents’ estate. Then we can sneak through the forest of trees to reach them. Do you think Noel remembers the secret entrance leading to the forest?” Ralston asked.
Worth opened the drawer and pulled out his pistol. “Yes. Noel remembers everything.”
“Why are we traveling to your parents’ estate?” Dracott asked.
“Because the cottage sits at the edge of my parents’ estate. It used to be an old caretaker’s home, and we converted it into an office when we first started our business,” Ralston explained.
“We will head home and get Reese. You inform Kincaid of our plans, and we will meet at the road leading out of town in two hours. Keep this quiet from your wife. I do not want the ladies upset or hopeful that Noel is coming home until we have her,” Worth ordered.
Ralston nodded. “And I will send a word of warning to Colebourne about Falcone. He will take care of keeping the gentleman silent.”
Dracott held no clue how the Duke of Colebourne held the power to keep Lord Falcone silent from revealing his and Ravencroft’s identity. But Maggie had taught him to place his trust in people he respected. And with family. Most families only wanted to love and protect you from harm. Dracott would place his trust with these gentlemen because Maggie did. He only hoped he didn’t misplace it.
For his sake, as well as Ravencroft’s.
