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When she found herself in the center of Covent Garden, she knew exactly where to go. Hurrying between the crowds and the street performers that were vying for people’s attention, she headed through the square and toward Chloe’s shop. Reaching the door, she tried to push it open, only to find it was locked.
What? It should be open at this time.
Rosaline tried again before moving to the window and looking inside. All was quite dark in the shop, and there was no one behind the counter. The shop was tidy, and there was no sketchbook on the counter either, suggesting Chloe was not present.
She should be here.
Confused, Rosaline attempted to knock, but no one came to answer the door. Stepping back from the shop front, she soon hurried around the back, trying her best to look in at the windows, to see if there was any sign of life in the second floor windows. Once she reached a back alley, she found a rear door that led to the shop’s back rooms and knocked heartily.
Still, there was no answer. Once again, Rosaline stepped back, looking to the windows to see if a face would appear, but there was no one.
“Think, think, where would she be.” Soon enough, Rosaline took off again. She started her search at a teahouse she knew Chloe loved, but Chloe was not there, then she even went to Hyde Park, searching the faces, yet Chloe was not amongst the people promenading.
Growing desperate, Rosaline even ended up at various merchants’ shops, those she knew Chloe did business with, asking if they’d seen Chloe.
“That harlot?” one of the merchants said in rebuke with a laugh. “As if I would do business with her again.”
“You believed the gossip?” Rosaline was horrified to discover. “It was not true. It was all a lie.”
“That’s not what most people say.”
Rosaline backed out of the cloth merchant’s shop, cursing under her breath, realizing the great damage her father had done. Chloe needed to learn of this. She had to know who was responsible for her downfall.
Unsure where else to search for Chloe, Rosaline knew of only one other place. She remembered the gentleman who had called every day for Chloe.
Lord Felton.
One time, Chloe had told her where he lived. Waving down a cart, she paid to be taken to that part of London. The building was not so easy to find, but once Rosaline located it, she hurried inside, practically taking the steps two at a time in her haste to find the right door. She got lost at one point, before a passing stranger was able to point her in the right direction, to the very top of the stairs.
Once Rosaline reached the door, she practically fell against it knocking. Soon enough the door was answered, but not by Chloe, by the Duchess.
“Your Grace!” Rosaline said in surprise and hurried to curtsy.
“Miss Baker, what are you doing here?” the Duchess spoke in equal shock.
“I’ve come looking for Chloe,” Rosaline explained, trying to look behind Maeve. “Is she here?”
“No, she’s not.” Another voice joined them. Rosaline stepped back as Lord Felton appeared in the doorway. His face instantly betrayed concern, with the skin in his jaw taut, and his eyes pinned on her. “You thought she would be here?”
“Not exactly, I just didn’t know where else to look.” Rosaline began to realize how bad this was. She had been to all of the places Chloe frequented, and yet Chloe was at none of them. Rosaline paced on the landing for a second, aware that the Duchess and her brother were looking at one another with curious glances before they turned back to face Rosaline.
“Miss Baker, what is happening?” Lord Felton asked.
“I’m not sure.” Rosaline halted her pacing. “I have searched for her, for Chloe, in her rooms, at her shop, and all of her favorite places, even here, but she’s not anywhere. I fear that Chloe may be missing.”
Chapter 25
Leo
“It’s been two days. Two damn days and no sign of her!” Leo knew well enough he was speaking too loudly. His mistake was emphasized by the way Maeve looked at him and grabbed his arm as they walked through Covent Garden. “Are you going to tell me to be calm again?”
“I was thinking of it,” Maeve said rather wryly. “Leo, you and I both know that losing our tempers and venting our frustrations is not going to help find Chloe.”
“It helps me to cope.” Leo released his arm from Maeve. He was extra careful not to bump into anyone as he walked through the square e. Two days ago, when he’d heard of Chloe’s disappearance, he had hurried to her shop so fast that he had knocked over two entertainers in his clumsiness. He had to hastily pull them back to their feet again. When he arrived at the shop, he’d found it just as Miss Baker had described, empty and dark. “She must be somewhere. Why wouldn’t she tell us where she was going before she left? This is madness!”
“I am hardly surprised,” Maeve said quietly as they stepped out of the main square to a side road.
“What?” Leo questioned, spinning back around sharply to look at his sister, who shrugged, appearing rather uncomfortable. He could tell Chloe’s disappearance was taking its toll on Maeve too. She was pale and fiddled with the ribbons of her bonnet so much that she had tangled them into knots. Still, she wasn’t quite as out of her mind with worry as Leo. He was well aware that his tailcoat was unbuttoned, his waistcoat misaligned, and he was a little scruffy with hair growing on his chin. He’d neglected to shave that morning in his haste to search for Chloe once again. “Maeve, what did you mean by that?”
