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“Very well. Have some refreshments sent.”
The butler nodded and Patrick rose from his chair, ready to greet the gentleman. Quite why the man had arrived, Patrick did not know, and he was a little frustrated at being so interrupted. It was somewhat rude to arrive at the house of someone you had never met!
He did not have time to ponder this for long, for within one minute of the butler’s departure, he returned again and stepped into Patrick’s study.
“Lord Kingston, my Lord.”
The butler inclined his head towards Patrick, then turned and gestured towards him, expecting Lord Kingston to step inside. Patrick studied the man who walked into the room and felt no sudden flicker of recognition. He did not know this gentleman at all.
“My most humble apologies for calling upon you in such a fashion, Lord Addenbrook.” Lord Kingston stopped and bowed low, his dark hair falling forward over his eyes. “I know that we have never been acquainted but I have reason to call upon you without introduction.”
“I see.” Patrick gestured to the empty chairs near the fireplace and waited until Lord Kingston had sat down before he followed suit, sitting opposite the gentleman. “And what might those reasons be?” He did not wait for refreshments to arrive, did not engage in small, meaningless conversation but drove straight to the point of Lord Kingston’s arrival. “What was it that you had to say to me that simply could not wait?”
Lord Kingston’s eyes flared in surprise, but he did not protest.
“I have heard, Lord Addenbrook, that you have recently lost a brother.” His mouth tugged to one side as he shook his head. “That is, I do not mean to say that you have had need to arrange a funeral, but rather that the man has disappeared from your sight.” Patrick nodded slowly, frowning as he did so. It was, of course, to be known amongst society that Dutton had not been seen for some time and, given the way the town gossips would have clung to such news, it made sense that a great number of thetonwould have heard of it. “You do not like to speak of such news, I am sure.”
“No, I do not.” His words were clipped, his voice low. “It is a difficult situation.”
Lord Kingston nodded, opening his mouth to ask something more – only for the maid to tap at the door and then bring in a tray of refreshments. Patrick saw Lord Kingston’s eyes widen at the selection brought to him and a tiny nudge of satisfaction pushed itself into his heart. Waiting until the maid had left the room, Patrick then gestured to the trays.
“Please, do help yourself.”
Lord Kingston nodded, his eyes still a little wide.
“As I was saying, such a situation is very painful one and it is not something that I have any particular interest in discussing.” Patrick cleared his throat, rose to his feet, and made his way across the room so that he might pour a measure of brandy for them both. “However, I must surmise that you have some particular reason to come here and begin to talk to me about this.” One eyebrow lifted as he handed Lord Kingston back his glass. “Might I enquire as to what it is?”
The man took a sip of his brandy first before he replied, forcing Patrick to wait for a few moments longer, irritating him. Choosing not to return to his seat, Patrick wandered across the room and stood by the window, glancing down to see Miss Trean and Henry beginning to meander towards the house again. It seemed as though Henry’s time to be out of doors was over for another day.
“I come to you, Lord Addenbrook, because there has come a very similar disappearance within my own sphere.”
Patrick turned sharply, looking back at Lord Kingston with wide eyes.
“Indeed?”
The fellow nodded gravely, bringing his brandy to his lips again.
“I was about to become betrothed. The arrangements had been made between myself and her father and I was certain that the lady would accept me.” Turning back to face the window, Patrick allowed Lord Kingston to keep speaking without interruption, choosing to watch Miss Trean as she walked back to the house. One hand was wrapped around Henry’s shoulders and the boy leaned against her skirts, clearly exhausted. Patrick smiled. “However, the day that I was to propose, the lady was nowhere to be found! I received a frantically written note from her mother begging me to come to the house and aid them in their search – but thus far, they have never been able to discover her.”
Miss Trean and Henry stepped inside, and Patrick let out a slow breath, quickly realizing that Lord Kingston had stopped speaking. Turning back towards him, he gave the man his full attention.
“You say your betrothed has gone from her parents’ house?”
“Yes, that is it precisely!” Lord Kingston exclaimed. “But who has taken her, we cannot say. There is no trace of her anywhere in London – although we have been discreet with our inquiries, of course – and then when I heard that your brother had also been lost, I thought to come to see if you had any hint of where he might now be.”
“In the hope that this would also lead to your betrothed?”
Nodding fervently, Lord Kingston closed his eyes tightly, perhaps fighting back the emotion that must now swamp him.
“That is exactly so. As I have said, there is no sign of her anywhere in London and I now fear what might have happened to her.”
Patrick bit his lip. He did not want to sound cruel, but there was an obvious explanation that could be given.
“Might it be that the lady has eloped?” He saw the flash of anger in Lord Kingston’s eyes and held up both hands. “I do not mean to upset you but if there was another –”
“There was not.” Lord Kingston’s voice was low, his eyes hard. “Lady Albina had no interest in any other gentleman. Besides which, news of an elopement would be sent to the parents of such an unfortunate person before their return to society and, as yet, such news has not been received.”
“And you would expect it to be?” Patrick tilted his head. “Is there a chance that the lady has not managed to wed the gentleman she hoped and has now found herself lost and alone in Scotland, waiting for someone to come to find her?”
