A License to Wed: Rebellious Brides (19 page)

Determined to find the secret door that led to them, Will tread silently along the parquet floors, examining the wall inch by inch. He moved onto the gothic, glass-fronted bookcases that were built into the wall and located the secret door behind the stacks he’d been searching for.

He focused in on the only sparse shelf. While the others were full of leather-bound books, this one was almost bare, save a vase and a couple of ledgers. He tugged on the shelf and it moved. Excitement shot up his spine as he slid the wooden shelf out of its grooves and the entire stack of shelves moved. He pulled it open to reveal a dark tunnel. He turned around and grabbed a lantern, before stepping into the tunnel and pulling the shelves shut behind him. Let Duret and his men puzzle out how he’d escaped.

The tip of his boot rammed a narrow staircase. His heart beat faster. Elle had taken Duret to one of the above stairs bedchambers. He could reach her from here. He prayed he’d make it in time; otherwise he’d never forgive himself. How could he ever have thought her flighty and inconstant when she was willing to sacrifice herself for him and their daughter? Elle had grown into an admirably brave and determined woman. His enduring love for her had not been misplaced. And he was determined to tell her so.

Reaching the top of the stairs, he rounded a narrow corner and bumped straight into a soft womanly form that smelled of violets. It couldn’t be.

“Will?” she whispered.

“Elle!” He wrapped her in his tight embrace with his free arm, relief and elation shooting through his veins. He went still when he recalled what she’d just been through. Releasing his hold on her, he stepped back and peered into her face through the dim light provided by the lantern. “Are you well? Did he…harm you?”

Her answering grin gleamed in the dark. “Duret is no doubt wondering how I escaped from my father’s dressing room.”

“How did you manage that?” he asked in a low voice, even though he suspected he already knew the answer.

“It’s no coincidence that I took him to my father’s bedchamber.”

He peered beyond her in the darkness but could make out little. “You led him there because the marquess’s private quarters open onto this passageway.”

“His dressing room,” she said in a triumphant whisper. “I distracted Duret with an elaborate dance that involved the removal of some clothing.”

He realized she was in her shift. His gut wrenched. “Did he—?”

“No, no. I swear it,” she said quickly. “Once Duret was convinced I intended to provide enthusiastic sensual entertainment, he became most agreeable, especially when I asked him to remove his clothing and take his leisure on the bed while I went into the dressing room to remove mine.”

He set the lantern on the floor and straightened to shrug out of his tailcoat. “And while he was disrobing, you made your escape,” he said as he placed his coat over her shoulders to cover and warm her.

“Exactly.” She tugged his coat around her, her tone sobering. “But what of Susanna? Where could they be holding her?”

He stooped to pick up the lantern. “I gather all of the secret tunnels and passageways are somehow connected.”

She nodded. “Almost every chamber is accessible by a secret cupboard, false floor, or hidden door.”

“We must search the manor house as best we can before we take our investigations beyond these walls.”

A creak sounded behind them. And he whirled around, ready to defend Elle until his last breath.

But there was no one there. At least, no one he could decipher until someone tugged on his breeches. Someone quite small.

“Mr. Naismith,” said the quiet little voice that made his heart turn over. “Is that really you?”

He dropped down on his haunches and held up the lantern to illuminate the golden green gaze that mirrored his own. How had he never realized it before? “Yes, my child.” His voice caught as emotion filled his throat. “It is I.”

Susanna?
Elle couldn’t breathe. She dropped to her knees beside Will, hungry to see her child in the flesh, the sudden movement causing his jacket to slide off her narrow shoulders. Tears filled her eyes. What a little beauty her daughter was.

“What are you doing here, Mr. Naismith?” the girl asked Will, her lower lip trembling. “Have you come to save Grandpapa and me from the bad people?”

“Yes, Susanna.” Wonder filled Will’s voice. He took her in as though he was seeing the child for the first time. “I will never allow anyone to hurt or scare you ever again. I swear it.”

Something in Elle’s heart gave flight. She couldn’t take her eyes off the girl, standing there bravely in a white muslin gown with the frilled voile of her cotton pantaloons peeking from beneath its hem. Her eyes were light, although in the dark passageway, she couldn’t discern their exact shade and her hair…she put her hand over Will’s to direct the lantern closer to the child for a better look. Her curls were a rich honey blond.

Unthinking, she reached out to touch one soft curl. “You have my hair color.”

Susanna blinked at her and her eyes widened. “Are you my mother? A nice man said my mother is not in heaven as Grandpapa told me, but that she is coming home to me soon.”

Elle’s thoughts were a muddle. Who would know such a thing? “What is this nice man’s name?”

“They locked me in the nursery, but they don’t know about the secret passageways. Uncle Cosmo says they are our secret and we should never tell outsiders.” Her eyes glittered with an exuberant delight unique to children. “So after I was sure they’d gone, I went to Grandpapa’s chambers to see if he was there and then—”

“Susanna.” Will’s firm, calm voice interrupted the girl’s chatter. “Do you know where all of the servants are?”

“Toby and Sarah have the day off,” she said, referring to the maid and manservant of all work. “But I don’t know where Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey are.”

Elle could hardly believe she was finally in the presence of her beloved daughter. She couldn’t take her eyes off the girl. “You said a nice man told you about your mama. Who is that nice man? Do you know his name?”

“Susanna.” A quiet masculine voice with urgent undertones sounded from somewhere in the dark behind the little girl. “Where are you?”

Beside her, Will pushed to his feet as the man’s face came into view. “Ham?”

The new arrival squinted in the dim light. “Naismith?”

“Moineau?”
Elle said when she realized who it was standing in the narrow space behind her daughter.

“Well, well.” A wide grin broke open across Hamilton Sparrow’s amused features. “Imagine running into the both of you here.”

“Sparrow, what the devil are you doing here?” Will asked.

“Uncle Cosmo says a gentleman should not curse in the presence of ladies,” Susanna piped in with all of the certainty of a child’s sense of right and wrong.

Will appeared chagrined. “I do beg your pardon, Lady Susanna.”

She slipped her pudgy little fingers into Elle’s hand. “You must beg Mama’s pardon as well. She is a lady, too.”

Elle’s heart swelled at the feel of Susanna’s soft hand in hers. It was the first time anyone had ever called her Mama. She’d never heard a more beautiful word.

Will’s face softened and he held Elle’s gaze. “She certainly is, the finest, in fact.”

“Are we here for etiquette lessons”—Sparrow’s question was peppered with amusement—“or are we going to take care of the matter at hand?”

“Where have you been?” Will asked him.

“Duret assigned one of his agents to the task of taking care of little Lady Susanna.” He darted a careful glance at the girl, who watched him expectantly. “Once I assured Duret’s agent was…shall we say…indisposed, I made it my business to take on his assignment. It took some time and I was not at liberty to send an immediate communiqué.”

“Where is my father?” Elle asked. “Is he hurt?”

“He is well enough,” Sparrow said. “They locked him away in the attic servant’s quarters.”

Elle turned in the direction of the upper floors. “We must go to him.”

“He’s no longer there. I found the servants—the housekeeper and butler—locked away in the larder and instructed them to go to Aldridge and escort him to the beach. They should be there by now.”

“How can we be certain they weren’t caught?” Will inquired.

Elle exhaled with relief. “These passageways lead to a cave near the shore. Smugglers used it to avoid detection when they unloaded clandestine goods from the boats that delivered them.” Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey had been with her family for as long as Elle could remember, and she trusted the couple to look after the marquess.

The popping sounds of gunshots ripped through the air. Will tensed, looking in the direction of the commotion. “What is that?”

Ham’s wide grin gleamed in the darkness. “It appears the cavalry has arrived.”

“The cavalry?” Will repeated.

“Ogilvie was visiting in the neighboring county and I sent word of trouble when I raced over here, determined to reach Aldridge and Susanna before Duret and his henchmen arrived.”

“Ogilvie?” Elle asked. “Who is that?”

“Our superior at the Home Office.” Sparrow cocked his head. “No doubt he’s arrived with the local magistrate and some armed men.”

Will handed the lantern to Sparrow. “Take these ladies to the beach, if you please.”

Ham held the flame high as he peered into Will’s face. “What about you?”

His eyes were cold. “I have matters to settle with Duret.”

“No!” Elle clutched his arm. “He didn’t touch me. I swear it.”

Sparrow’s forehead lifted, and his expression grew somber when he registered Elle’s state of dishabille for the first time. “The bastard,” he growled under his breath.

“You must come with us,” Elle pleaded with Will. “You cannot go back there and confront him. It isn’t safe.”

“As long as Duret lives, none of us are safe from him.” He gently disengaged her hand from his arm. “The general is a danger to my family, and I intend to remove that threat.”

“Where is your family, Mr. Naismith?” Susanna piped in, her curiosity apparent. “Are they here at Langtry as well?”

He smiled down at her, and the tender expression that crossed his face caused Elle’s heart to contract. “Yes, indeed, and they mean more to me than I can say.” He gently tugged one of the girl’s soft honey curls between his thumb and forefinger. “So, you understand, I must protect them.” His attention shifted to Sparrow. “I trust you’ll escort them to the beach and watch over them until I can join you.”

Confusion turned to comprehension on Sparrow’s face. His gaze darted to Elle and then to Susanna before traveling back to Will. “They will be safe with me. You may depend upon it.” He took Susanna’s hand to guide her away.

“Will, please don’t leave us.” Elle’s voice rose in panic. “It isn’t worth it. Please.”

“I did not start this.” He touched her cheek, his hand warm and gentle. “But I must finish it for all of our sakes. Now go. I won’t be long.”

The gunshots went quiet as Will made his way through the secret corridor back to the library, where he encountered Ogilvie helping himself to a generous portion of Aldridge’s brandy.

“Naismith,” he said when he spotted Will. “There you are. We’d begun to wonder what had become of you.”

“Where is Duret?”

“My men are still looking for him.” He jerked his chin in the direction of the door. “But we’ve taken care of his men.”

Will strode across the room and out into the corridor. Duret’s shadow, Jean Paul, lay in a lifeless heap on the floor next to the burly character who had helped tie Will to the chair in the library.

Ogilvie came up behind him. “There are three more of them in the entry hall. And they’re just as lively.” He chuckled at his own humor before taking a large swallow of brandy. “My men are still searching out Aldridge and the rest of the family.”

“They are safe and on their way to the beach with Sparrow.” Will bent down to retrieve the pistol laying near Jean Paul’s hand. “But we have to find Duret.”

“We will. He can’t go far. We’re reasonably certain he’s on his own now. The rest of his men have met the business end of either a dagger or bullet.”

Will ran to the steps, taking them two at a time, heading for Aldridge’s chamber, the last place Duret had been seen. He found the chamber empty when he reached it but the sight of the mussed bedclothes made his blood freeze in his veins. Duret had thought to bed Elle there. He’d seen the hungry way the general looked at her. She wouldn’t be safe as long as Duret lived.

Making his way into the dressing room, he halted by a small set of built-in shelves that weren’t quite flush with the wall. He pulled on it, and the secret door opened, revealing a hidden passageway. A chill ran through him. Duret had found a way out. A way that led to the beach. To Elle and Susanna.

He darted into the hidden passage, running through the darkness, righting himself when he stumbled, his weapon heavy in one hand, his other feeling its way along the wall. His heart beating hard against his ribs, he prayed he wasn’t too late. If Duret had a boat waiting at the beach, he could have Elle and Susanna on their way to France within minutes.

The scent of salt sea air reached him and he stumbled into what appeared to be a damp, musty cave. Light flickered from around one of the curved walls.

“Ah, Mr. Naismith.” The baritone voice spoke in French. “So good of you to join us.”

Will tightened his hold on his weapon as he came around the corner to find Duret standing with a pistol trained at the Marquess of Aldridge’s head. Elle’s father wore breeches with boots and a white linen shirt absent a cravat, as though he’d been interrupted from a day of leisure at home.

“Tell me where she is,” Duret said to Will. “Or I kill Monsieur Marquess.”

Aldridge stared hard at Will. “Do not do it. I would easily give my life to protect Elinor and Susanna.”

A wave of fondness for the older man passed over Will. The marquess had always been kind, welcoming him on the many university holidays when he’d preferred to avoid his own father.

“Let him go, Duret. This is between us.”

“Is it?” Cynical amusement twisted the Frenchman’s scowl. “Tell me then exactly what it is you are fighting for? Is it for the Mother Country or for the mother of your child?”

“I will protect Lady Elinor at any cost. And my daughter as well.”

Shock stamped the heavy lines of Aldridge’s lived-in face. “Your daughter?”

Duret chuckled at the older man’s obvious surprise. “This is a surprise for you,
n’est-ce pas
? Mr. Naismith not only lay with your daughter, but he got her with child as well. And then he abandoned them both.”

“Will?” Puzzlement and disbelief sounded in Aldridge’s voice. “How can this be true?”

Shame heated Will’s face. The marquess had welcomed him into his home, offering a respite from Will’s despotic father, and he’d returned the kindness by making free with Aldridge’s beloved only daughter. “Let him go, Duret.”

“Throw down your weapon and I will allow him to leave.”

“Don’t do it, Will,” Aldridge said urgently. “He’ll kill you.”

“Death would be too final,” Duret returned. “Mr. Naismith is in possession of intelligence that would be very helpful to France.”

“Allow Aldridge to go free and I’ll accompany you back to Paris. I trust you have a boat waiting just off shore.”

“How can I believe you will do as promised once I release the marquess?”

“You have my word as a gentleman. I shall accompany you without causing any trouble as long as you leave his lordship, and Ladies Elinor and Susanna behind unharmed.”

Duret laughed derisively. “You English gentlemen. Your sense of honor is everything to you. Very well. Toss your weapon away and we shall leave your mistress’s father behind while we go rendezvous with the boat.”

Will knelt in a slow motion before tossing his pistol on the ground away from Duret. Standing, he said. “Now let him go.”

Duret transferred his aim to Will and gestured toward a dark passage with the pistol he now had trained on him. “You first, monsieur.”

Will stepped ahead of Duret and walked down the narrow space, leaving Aldridge behind. At least Elle would still have her father and Susanna her grandfather. The swooshing sounds of waves echoed through the confined space, the dank odor of moisture and darkness saturating the air.

“Tell me, Naismith,” Duret said. “Did you really think I would allow Madame Laurent to make a fool of me?”

The hair on the back of Will’s neck tingled. “Beg pardon. Is it difficult to hear, what with the racket from the waves.”

Duret drew closer. “If my superiors learn that Madame Laurent knows the secrets of the messages, I will be ruined. My career destroyed. My only regress is to take her with us.”

Will’s muscles tightened. “That was not our agreement.”

“And your brat goes with us as well.”

A powerful need to protect his daughter, to eviscerate any threat to her, pounded through his veins. His paternal instincts were suddenly sharp and alert within him, as though they’d been lying in wait all these years. He realized a father loved his child not only with all of his heart, but also with his gut and everything else within him. It was the most visceral emotion he’d ever experienced. “Why take Susanna? She knows nothing.”

“To keep her mother in line of course. Elinor will be all obedience if she comprehends her daughter’s well-being is at stake.” When Will reflexively tensed and halted, Duret jabbed the gun into his back from his close position right behind. “Keep going. We wouldn’t want to miss our boat.”

Will gritted his teeth. “You gave me your word you would leave Elinor and Susanna behind if I came with you.”

“My word.” Duret laughed and brought his lips nearer to Will’s ear so he could be certain to hear him. “What is that good for? You forget, monsieur, that I am no English gentleman.”

“You also forget,” Will said softly. Alert to Duret’s breathy exhalations behind him, he could feel his own blood coursing hard through his veins, could hear the rapid beat of his heart.