AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Alex ran his fingers through his hair. “I had no idea she would go this far. To hold Annalise and turn her over to Natalie once Miss Walsh and I are married is beyond the pale.”
“That’s outrageous”. Rayne said.
“And illegal, I might add,” Sterling said.
After several moments of no one saying anything, Alex’s lips tightened, and he looked over at Rayne. “Will you see that Natalie gets some rest?” He turned to leave, and Rayne asked, “Where are you going?”
“You read the missive. I’m going to make the necessary arrangements to get Annalise back.”
* * *
Natalie was stunned.Her daughter had been kidnapped and the only way to get her back was for her to give up the man she loved and with whom she planned to take that dangerous step into matrimony.
She turned to Rayne. “I guess Miss Walsh wins after all.”
Sterling handed Natalie a glass of sherry. “Have faith in St. John, Natalie.”
“I don’t feel as though there is anything he can do. Of course he would never put Annalise in danger, and Miss Walsh has made herself clear. Annalise for a wedding ring.”
She downed the rest of her sherry. “If you will excuse me, I think I will retire to my bedchamber now.”
She crawled into her bed and sat there, thinking about her daughter, Alex, and the life she had planned. The life that was to be no more. After about fifteen minutes of self-pity, she wandered across the hall to Annalise’s bedchamber.
The room even smelled like her little girl. She climbed into Annalise’s bed and hugged the doll she kept on her pillow so she could cuddle with it every night. Slowly tears dripped down her face. Was her little girl frightened? Was she being fed? She cursed Miss Walsh and her vile plans. How could one take an innocent child and hold her hostage to get what one wants?
The multiple sherries took their toll, and she must have dozed off because she heard Rayne calling her, obviously not knowing she wasn’t in her bedchamber. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked to the door. “I’m in here, Rayne.”
Rayne held out a sealed note toward her. “This just arrived from St. John.”
Frowning, Natalie took the missive from her sister’s hand, afraid to open it, knowing it was him offering his apology, but he would do anything to keep Annalise safe. No doubt he was telling her the arrangements had been made and she would have her daughter soon.
Taking a deep breath, she opened it and read the words.
* * *
Mildred climbedinto her family carriage and told the driver to proceed to Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House. He looked as though he was about to remind her that young ladies did not travel alone at night, but she put a quick stop to that by reminding him he worked for her family.
Gerard would be waiting there for her. She would give him the information and be back home before either her mother or father knew she’d left the house. Her father was out doing whatever it was he did every night when he left her mother alone.
Mother was in her bedchamber, as usual, after having asked her lady’s maid to bring her the nerve medicine that she needed to sleep. Mildred knew it was laudanum and had at one time spoken to her father about it. She was certain her mother was addicted to it, but Father shrugged it off with a ‘don’t stir up trouble’ response.
She instructed her driver to wait for her across the street at the Parade Grounds. Gerard was waiting inside at a table in the rear of the restaurant and stood as she reached his table. After ordering tea and dessert, she leaned forward and lowered her voice even though she hadn’t recognized any of the other diners.
Most of the people who she considered to be in her circle of friends were out attending balls, routs, and musicales. Things she could no longer do until she got rid of this mess she was in.
“I received a message from St. John. Our wedding will take place at his townhouse tomorrow morning at eleven.” She smiled as she gave the good news to him. As soon as she’d received the note from St. John, she immediately sent one to Gerard to meet her at Sally Lunn’s.
“Nice and fast. That’s how I like it. I am already tired of listening to that brat cry and scream about her mama.”
Mildred looked around him as if the girl was hiding behind Gerard’s chair. “Where is she now?”
Gerard shrugged. “I left her in my flat. Tied her to a chair and told her not to leave because if she did someone would kill her.”
Mildred sighed. “I just want this over with. I dare not tell my parents because they would insist on a big wedding, and the only way I’m getting St. John to marry me is to hold his sweetheart’s brat hostage.” She laughed. “I don’t think my parents would be happy to see my wedding under those circumstances. Once I show them my marriage certificate, they will be happy.”
“I wonder if your father will make good on the ten thousand pounds he promised St. John to marry you.”
Mildred thanked the server who brought her tea and various sweets she’d ordered that she continually craved and made her gowns so tight she would have to have new ones made when she was out in the country awaiting the birth of this nuisance. Hopefully, there would be a decent seamstress there. “Father will be so relieved to be rid of my problem that he probably would.”
