AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But before he could confront him, the man picked up his pace, walking quickly towards him. Now, Alexander noticed he had a note clutched in his hand.
“Fletcher,” said the gentleman, looking a bit shocked but also relieved. “Are you here to find her as well?”
Alexander frowned. “What do you mean?”
Langley sighed. “I received this note about Olivia,” he said, indicating the note in his hand. “It says that I must come to this address.”
Alexander’s jaw dropped. “Why would the kidnappers contact you?”
He shrugged, but his face was grave. “I simply have no idea. I received this note saying she was taken and that I must go to this address.” He took his hat off, looking strained. “What is going on? Do you know?”
Alexander shook his head. He did not understand why Langley was here but the longer they talked the more time was wasted. He needed to get inside this hovel now. “No. But I am about to find out.”
He rapped sharply on the door, then rapped again. There was no sound of footsteps inside. Alexander pounded on the door, over and over. After five minutes, he knew it was hopeless. No one was going to answer.
“Stand aside,” he said to Langley, in a grim voice, backing up.
He kicked the door with all his might, splintering the thin wood. The door sprung open. He rushed inside, not bothering to see if the man was following him. All he could think about was Olivia. He must find her. Where was she?
The house was dark and dusty. He coughed, running from room to room. There was no one here and it looked like it had been deserted for quite a while. He saw spindly pieces of furniture in every room, but they were covered in dust and cobwebs.
He ran up the rickety staircase, almost stepping through one of the stairs. On the top floor he hesitated. There were three doors leading off it, all closed. Frustration got the better of him.
“Olivia!” he cried. “Olivia!”
There was silence. He was panting hard. And then, he heard a faint sound, from behind the last door. A woman’s cry.
It was her. He knew it was her.
He ran to it, kicking the door in. And there she was, standing in the middle of the room. Her gown was dirty, and she had dust smeared over her face. Her dark curls were hanging limply down her back. There was also a nasty looking lump on her forehead. But otherwise, she was whole. She was alive.
He swore underneath his breath, rushing to her. She let out a cry of distress, running to him as well. He was just about to pull her into his arms when he felt a sharp, intense pain in his head. He reeled around, staggering. Just in time to see Langley standing there, a rock in his hand, and with murder in his eyes before he keeled over, falling to the ground.
***
Olivia screamed. It had all happened so quickly she could not make sense of things. Alexander had come for her. But Bertie was also here, and he had just whacked her husband across the head with a large metal frying pan.
“What are you doing?” she cried, running to Alexander, who was lying in a crumpled heap upon the floor. “How could you?’
Gently, she turned her husband over. There was a nasty gash on his head, and he was not responding to her. She whimpered, kissing him on the cheek, before turning her eyes on the man who had done this to him.
“Why?” she cried. “Why are you even here?”
Bertie smiled grimly. “It is better that he is contained.” He stared at her with contempt in his eyes. “Do not worry, Olivia. He shall live. More is the pity.”
At that moment, the large man who had kidnapped her walked into the room, picking up Alexander like he was a sack of potatoes, hauling him over his shoulder. He took him to the bed, laying him down, before binding his hands with rope. Her husband did not stir. He was as white as chalk and his eyes were firmly closed. The gash on his forehead was bleeding, the bright red blood contrasting with the pallor of his skin as it trickled down his face.
“You can leave now,” said Bertie curtly to the man. “I have this under control. Head back to the pub.”
The man left the room without another word. She heard his heavy footsteps going down a staircase and then the bang of a door.
Olivia watched as if through the film of a dream. Slowly, the truth was dawning upon her. Bertie was here because he had done this to her.
Bertie had abducted her. He had orchestrated the whole thing.
She wanted to fly at him, scratch out his eyes with her fingernails. She did not think she had ever hated someone so much as she hated him in this moment. She was almost incandescent with rage.
But Bertie simply gazed at her. His eyes were cold.
“You are wondering why you are here,” he said slowly. “You are wondering why I have done this. And now, I am about to tell you.”
