Time for Love (28 page)

Damn, but the man looked good.

She looked away before she became too obvious and started drooling. She focused instead on a delicate white flower that bloomed on the potted plant beside her. She leaned forward to inhale its sweet fragrance.

A hand roughly grabbed her elbow, interrupting her thoughts. She made to jerk her arm away, but the grip tightened. “Excuse me!” She put as much disdain into her voice as she could as she turned to face her detainer.

Her mind went blank as she stared into the face of a stranger, a face she suddenly realized she had seen before, a long time ago. His face triggered memories her mind had blocked, and she relived the day fifteen years ago when a happy ten-year-old’s life had been ripped asunder.

“Alexandra, I’m scared,” Charlotte whispered.

Alexandra groped about in the dark until she found Charlotte’s cold, clammy hand and gripped it tightly.

She couldn’t see Charlotte in the pitch dark, but it wasn’t hard to imagine the look she would see on her sister’s face. It would mirror hers exactly. Usually nothing alike, in this instance she imagined their thoughts were as identical as their looks.

Most people assumed this was the case all the time, a fact which never failed to annoy them. Only their mother seemed to realize that just because they looked alike didn’t mean they thought alike. They were ten years old and had very distinct personalities. She wished her mother were there right now. She would know what to do.

Charlotte’s admission of fear scared Alexandra even more. Charlotte was the brave one. Always trying new things and looking for adventures, while Alexandra tagged along pretending to enjoy herself.

She took a deep breath. She was used to putting on a brave face. Charlotte needed her to do that now. “Don’t worry, it will be all right. Mother and Father will—”

“Shhh!” Charlotte’s grip tightened. “He’s coming back.”

Light flared at the front of the cave, bouncing off the sharply jutting rocks and slowly moving toward them. Voices echoed off the high ceiling.

“They’re back here, your lordship.”

Alexandra recognized the voice. The scrawny little man with bloodshot eyes; a long, straight nose; and cruel, thin mouth had grabbed them from their garden earlier that day. His whiny, high-pitched voice surrounded them in the dark. A deeper voice answered, but he spoke so quietly she couldn’t hear what he said.

“No, no problem nabbin ’em. They was playin’ in their garden, just as ye said they would.”

As the men came closer, she was finally able to hear the second man.

“Very good. I believe they have served their purpose. They mustn’t be found.”

She wrinkled her nose. She had heard that voice before, but where?

It came to her in a flash—her father’s study just the other day. She’d been looking for Charlotte when she’d heard them arguing. She’d turned away before either of them saw her. She hadn’t wanted her father to think she was eavesdropping.

Then she realized what he was saying. He was going to kill them! They had to get away now!

In the meager light shed from the approaching lantern, she could see Charlotte, who pointed to the back of the cave. Alexandra looked, then nodded, and the two of them started inching their way quietly to the deep black of the small opening visible because of the approaching torchlight glinting off either side.

They slipped through the crack moments before the men came into view. They stopped, clutching each other for support, afraid the men might hear them moving clumsily in the tiny dark space.

A cry of rage burst from the larger of the two men. The flickering light of the lantern played across a face twisted with fury and even their captor shrank back in fear from the tall intimidating figure.

“Where are they?” he shouted, turning on the cowering little man.

“I left ’em right here! They didn’t have no light; they couldn’t have gotten away!” He looked around wildly and finally spotted their opening. “There, they must have gone through there.”

Alexandra didn’t wait to hear more. She turned and fled down the narrow path in the pitch black, close behind Charlotte.

Charlotte’s hand ripped from Alexandra’s grasp. Her scream pierced Alexandra’s ears as the path ended, and she pitched forward. Agonizing pain seared her skull. The last thing she heard before everything went black was the large man’s roar echoing off the walls of the cavern.

Chapter Twenty-One

May 28 (1 Day Remaining)

Alex felt the blood drain from her face as memories washed over her. She stood staring at the older man, whom she guessed was around sixty, with steely-gray hair and muddy-brown eyes. He’d probably been an attractive man once upon a time, but seen close up, his features were weathered and somewhat slack, as though he had recently lost a significant amount of weight. Bloodshot eyes gave Alex the impression he had gone days without sleep. The cold look in his eyes sent fear coursing through her veins.

Looks like her plan worked. What the hell had she been thinking?

His grip on her elbow tightened, and she winced in pain. “How did you get away?” He clenched his teeth in a mockery of a smile as he scanned the room.

“I beg your pardon. Let go of me!” Alex demanded. She needn’t have bothered. The moment she spoke, he dropped her arm to stare at her, a look of shock on his face.

“You! The other one. You will come with me.” He reached out to grab her arm again, but Alex stepped back and avoided his grasp.

“I don’t think so. Take another step toward me, and I’ll scream.” She looked around desperately for Nicholas but couldn’t find him. Their position next to the patio door which she had thought would be highly visible, instead left them oddly alone in a room crowded full of people. A stand of flowers to her right gave them a wall of privacy she had treasured when standing with Nicholas but regretted with her current companion.

She sought a way out, but he blocked her path. A cool breeze came in through the French doors propped open on her left. He must have entered that way. He stood so closely he not only blocked the doors, but the ballroom as well. She couldn’t get past without touching him.

No help for it. “If you’ll excuse me.” She stepped closer to the plant, its leaves scratching her arm and catching on her shawl.

His chilling voice stopped her before she could go any further. “Don’t you wish to see your sister? She is under my care at the moment and is quite well—A situation that can change rapidly should you choose not to cooperate.”

Alex quailed at the confident smile now plastered on his face.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” she asked. “She could be safe and sound for all I know.”

“You dare imply that I am lying!”

Alex could have laughed at the insulted look on the man’s face, if the situation weren’t so serious. “I’m not all that worried about hurting your oh so delicate sensibilities, you ass. Now tell me why I should believe you.”

His face reddened, but he reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace, showing it to her quickly before stashing it away again. That brief glimpse was enough to sink her heart to her toes. A brilliant emerald hung from the base of a heart-shaped pendant exactly like the one hanging around her neck.

“What have you done with her, you bastard?” She wanted to scream and hit him but her arms froze to her sides and her voice was barely audible.

“She is safe, as I said.” He smirked. “You may remember the place, but I can assure you, she won’t be making a miraculous escape this time.”

The cave, Alex thought. “Who are you?”

“Forgive my poor manners. I am Lord Stone,” he said with a small courtly bow, his composure regained, sure now he had the upper hand. “I do not wish to be seen over long in your presence; you will join me in my carriage around the corner at midnight.” He waited for her nod before continuing, “You will come alone and will not tell anyone about me, or your sister will pay the price.”

Alex fought to keep her expression neutral as she stared at his retreating back, wishing she had a knife.

****

A moment later, Nicholas returned, a glass of champagne in each hand, a frustrated expression on his face. “I have been trying to make my way back to you for two bells.” He blew out a breath as he glanced around and handed a glass to Alex. “I don’t know half these people, yet they approach me as if we are long lost friends.”

She smiled tremulously, still trying to come to grips with what had just happened. “They must find you as fascinating as I do.”

He smiled, but it faded quickly and changed to concern as he got a good look at her face. “Is something amiss?”

“No. I’m fine.” She took a sip of the champagne. “Mary told me it would get warm, but I didn’t realize how warm. And I have to admit, I’m really starting to miss things like deodorant.” She wrinkled her nose. The flowers next to her smelled lovely, but they couldn’t mask the smell that had continued to worsen as more and more people joined in the energetic dancing throughout the room.

“Deodorant?”

“Never mind.” She shook her head. “I’m feeling better already. This champagne is delicious.” She took another sip. She couldn’t afford to drink too much; she had to have her wits about her when she met up with Lord Stone later that night. But how was she going to get rid of Nicholas?

“Why don’t we step outside and get some fresh air?” He placed a hand at the small of her back and guided her out the patio doors.

Lanterns flickered along the path, reminding her forcefully of the light reflected off that cave wall long ago. She fought back a wave of panic. Her grip on Nicholas’s arm tightened and his warm, steadfast strength gave her courage. With him at her side, the lights flickered like a thousand Christmas tree lights rather than wavered like those long ago torches.

She hadn’t lied about being overheated. The cool air soothed her skin. His presence, her spirit.

As they stepped out of view of the open patio doors, he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. “Finally, a moment alone,” he whispered before his mouth captured hers.

She melted into him, opening her mouth and meeting the thrust of his tongue with her own. Her arms circled around him, and she buried her right hand in the hair at the nape of his neck. He met her moan of longing with one of his own, and several minutes passed before they broke apart, both a bit breathless.

“I couldn’t resist you another moment.” He stepped back with a sigh. “We should return to the ballroom before we are missed.” With a cocky grin, he asked, “Feeling better?”

“Definitely,” she said, her answering grin as wide as his. They walked back up the path, her hand resting gently on his arm. She had almost forgotten about Lord Stone, but her anxiety returned full force as they entered the ballroom, and she saw him standing across the floor talking to her father. Her hand clenched Nicholas’s arm involuntarily.

His eyes narrowed as he observed her tension. “Do you see someone you recognize?”

“Don’t look now, but who is that man talking to my father?”

She wanted to tell Nicholas everything, but he would never allow her to make that meeting with Lord Stone. She couldn’t take that chance.

But it would be extremely foolish to go without letting anyone know where she had gone. Her gut clenched as she tried to figure out what to do. For now she would make Nicholas a little suspicious of Lord Stone, without calling any particular attention to him.

They continued walking along the edge of the dance floor while Nicholas glanced casually at Lord Stone. “I don’t know. I have spent so little time among the
ton
. We can ask your father about him later. Do you remember him? Could he be your kidnapper?”

“I don’t know. He looks a little familiar, but we ran into so many people while we were out shopping the other day. It’s possible I just met him then.” She shrugged. “Let’s not make him suspicious though by paying any special attention. If he knows my father, he shouldn’t be hard to find later on.”

Nicholas nodded. “I’ll speak with your father, and we can investigate him later.” He gave her hand a light squeeze. “So how do you—who the bloody hell is this?” he asked.

Alex followed the direction of his gaze and stared at the gorgeous blond man striding across the dance floor, his gaze intent on someone near them. She looked around but couldn’t quite figure out who rated such intensity.

If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought he was headed straight for her. But he didn’t look familiar, and she would definitely have remembered meeting him.

He was just a little shorter than Nicholas, his long hair tied neatly back in a queue. A slight five o’clock shadow dusted his square jaw. Even at this distance, she could feel the intensity of his gaze and tell that his eyes were a light, piercing color.

The stranger marched up to her and looked straight into her eyes, his hands twitching slightly as though he fought hard against reaching for her. She saw the anger and concern in his gaze change quickly to confusion. He took a step back. “Excuse me, I’m terribly sorry to disturb you. I thought you were someone else.”

“Do you mean Charlotte?” she asked, her voice squeaking slightly at the end. That would explain the way he looked at her as if he knew her.

“Yes. I thought you…” he trailed off, looking even more confused.

The tight set of Nicholas’s shoulders relaxed the tiniest bit. She hadn’t realized how tense he had been as the man approached.

“I believe this conversation would benefit from a smaller audience. We shall gather your father on our way.” He had a hand at Alex’s back, prepared to lead her to another room. He turned his gaze to the other man. “Would you come with us, please?”

The man nodded and followed quickly as they gathered Lord Downing and headed upstairs to find a room with some privacy.

****

Nicholas kept a surreptitious eye on Alex as they entered a small drawing room. Something bothered her, but he was damned if he knew what. She had been acting strangely since he left her to procure a glass of champagne. His heart felt heavy as he realized she did not trust him enough to speak of what bothered her. He had no idea how he could gain her trust.