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The sound of voices led him to a sitting room, where O’Brien, Allison, Ness, and his wife Jocelyn were having predinner drinks.
“Good evening,” Drake said stiffly as he entered the room, feeling very out of place. He knew that the two couples were bosom friends, and although he liked both men very much, he didn’t think they trusted him. This was certainly the first time he’d ever been a guest in Ness’s house, and he hadn’t actually been invited. He’d pretty much forced his way in.
“Good evening,” Ness said, standing and striding over to the sideboard. His host was a tall, dark-haired man with blue eyes and a rugged face. His wife was a stunning redhead, who gave him a welcoming smile. “Would you like a drink?”
“I’d love one,” Drake admitted, glad to have something to take the edge off. “Does anyone know how Miss Fields is doing?”
Allison gave him an unreadable look but then smiled. “She’ll be fine, but she’s still sleeping.”
Relief poured through him, and he gratefully accepted the drink that Ness handed him. He drank deeply, glad for the burn that traveled through his system, chasing away some of the chill he’d felt ever since those bastards had taken him. He prayed he never had to feel that helpless again.
“I’ve got men stationed all around the house, even one on the roof, but they haven’t seen anything suspicious,” Ness told him. We also still haven’t been able to locate either your coach or your driver.”
Drake sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Edgar’s fate weighed upon him heavily, but he’d had so much on his shoulders, he hadn’t had much time to devote to worrying about his long-time driver. “Thank you.”
“I sent someone to check out the address you gave me, but there was no one there,” Ness continued, his expression grave.
“They must have cleared out as soon as they realized we’d escaped,” Drake replied, wishing he’d knocked down that door when he’d had a chance. This could all be over now if he had.
“We did some checking, and the building you were being held in is an old warehouse that has been being used by the Citizens Committee,” Ness informed him. “We’re still trying to get more information.”
Even before the group’s leader had made himself known, Heather had guessed the reading material in the cellar might be a clue about who had taken them. Drake was somewhat surprised and embarrassed that he’d spent so much time thinking it was his brother. He sat down next to O’Brien. “Has there been any news of Danbury?”
“He’s going about his business as usual,” Ness said darkly. “I’ve had a man on him day and night for weeks.”
“Good.” Drake thought about what he could tell Danbury about why he hadn’t been home for days, then wondered if his brother even noticed his comings and goings. He’d certainly never appeared to. Their father’s townhouse was so large he and his brother had often gone days without running into each other. In any event, he’d have to track Danbury down tomorrow and make up an excuse for why he was staying gone. Perhaps he’d claim to have a new mistress.
The thought made him pause, gazing down into the liquor swirling in the bottom of his glass. He had a lovely little house in Belgravia, not far from O’Brien’s actually, where he’d kept his mistresses in the past. Perhaps he could take Heather there to keep her safe. Since his job required the utmost discretion, he’d always been careful to keep the place a secret.
But it seemed wrong somehow, to take her there. He wasn’t quite certain exactly what he felt for her, but it was more than he’d felt for the other women who’d occupied the house. There had been a total of four in the last eight years, but none of them had held his interest for more than a few months. The women who sought such positions tended to be shallow and conniving. All along, he’d been aware that Heather wasn’t like that. She wasn’t someone he could just tup and forget. But she also wasn’t the type of woman he could marry.
Marry? It startled him that the thought had even crossed his mind. He’d always been so certain that marriage and a family were not things he wanted. But the thought of being able to come home every night to Heather’s welcoming warmth and beautiful smile stirred something deep within him.
It would be scandalous if he were to wed someone like her, but what other choice did he have? Especially when she could very well be carrying his child.
Strangely, the thought of that didn’t terrify him as much as it would have in the past.
“Blackstone?” Ness called, obviously not for the first time.
Drake looked up to find them all staring at him expectantly, and he realized he’d completely lost track of the conversation.
He cleared his throat in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. You caught me woolgathering, I’m afraid.”
Ness frowned, looking as though he knew exactly where his mind had been, but didn’t comment on it. “I was just asking what the plan is going forward. Much as Jocelyn and I enjoy having you all here, we can’t live together forever.”
“Yes, of course,” Drake replied, taking another drink to cover his unease. “We must apprehend whoever was behind the kidnappings. Once we have whoever runs the Citizens Committee behind bars, we should all be safe. In fact, I was just thinking of moving myself and Miss Fields to a house I own in Belgravia so that we won’t impose on you any longer. We’ll be safe there. No one knows that I own it, and I’ve always been careful to keep my comings and goings private.”
“What about Allison?” O’Brien asked. “We still don’t know if those bastards meant to take her instead of Miss Fields.”
“You can remain here for the time being. I’d just feel more comfortable in my own home.” Though he and Ness were friendly, the inspector’s earlier comment proved that he really didn’t want his superior living with him, and Drake couldn’t say he blamed him.
“Heather is not yours to protect!” Allison interjected, her lovely face flushed. “She belongs with us! We will keep her safe. I don’t know what happened between the two of you when you were in that cellar together, Blackstone, but if I were a man, I believe I’d call you out!”
O’Brien put a calming hand on his wife’s arm but he appeared just as incensed. “You’ve been treating her with far too much familiarity, Blackstone. It doesn’t look good.”
All four of them were staring at him now with varying degrees of suspicion. Ness was the only one who didn’t look as though he wanted to murder him where he stood. The amount of concern that Heather’s employers and friends had for her wellbeing still surprised him, but he was glad they were so fiercely loyal.
“Miss Fields and I went through a very frightening situation together,” he said carefully. “That created a bond between us that I cannot explain. I want to make sure those bastards don’t get their hands on her again. That’s all.”
