Chapter Twelve
“Miss Eloise sent me for her post and any packages,” Edward said as he thrummed his fingers against the village public room’s bar counter.
The barkeep nodded and wiped his hands on a clean cloth. “I’ll see if anything came for her.”
Edward nodded and took out his pocket watch. If he hurried, he could be back at the school within forty-five minutes. He tapped his foot. Usually, he was the epitome of patience, but when it involved ensuring that Pen was safe, his patience had taken an extended holiday.
After five minutes, the barkeep finally returned and placed a packet of letters and other posts on the worn wooden counter. “This is it. There are no packages.”
“I’ll inform Miss Eloise.” Edward nodded and gave the man a coin. “Thank you for the courtesy.”
When he exited the building, the sun practically blinded him.
Before he could put a hand over his eyes to help himself become acclimated, a figure approached. “Mr. Edward Thornton?”
“Yes.” Edward put a hand on his forehead to block the sun’s rays. It also helped the figure come into focus.
Immediately, Edward took a step back. “You,” he snarled.
It was the man who had been following Penelope since the posting inn where they’d first spent the night together.
He took a step forward, straightened to his full height, and then towered over the man.
“What do you want? You’ve been following Lady Penelope for over three weeks. Don’t deny it.”
“I will deny it,” the man said as he wiped his brow.
“I want you. You’re the one I’ve been following.
I couldn’t say anything sooner, but now that I’ve been in contact with London, I’ve been permitted to proceed.
” He cleared his throat and straightened his coat.
“I’m Mr. Adam Hawksworth, the personal solicitor of the Duke of Archer. ”
“How is that any of my business?”
“You are now the heir apparent to the duke after your uncle, the Marquess of Henley, and your father passed away. You are the next in line for the dukedom.” He grabbed Edward’s arm.
“We cannot tarry with idle chatter. The duke has been ill for some time. Now that I’ve verified your identity, we must hurry.
” He motioned toward an impressive black coach.
“I’ll send word we’re on our way. I have an outrider ready to travel ahead and inform the duke of our imminent arrival. ”
As the man continued to pull him forward, Edward dug in his heels. “I refuse to go anywhere with you. The last time I saw you, I asked you to identify yourself. You ran away like a frightened cat.”
The man let out an exasperated sigh. “I should have started with this.” He whipped out a letter from his worn leather portfolio. “A letter of introduction from the Duke of Archer.” He extended the sealed piece of foolscap toward Edward.
Without taking his eyes off the man, Edward ripped the wax seal and unfolded the letter. Only then did he train his gaze on the words.
My dearest Edward,
Forgive an old man before he meets his maker. I have more than enough to atone for, but at least, this effort will be finished before I take my last breath. You, dear grandson, are the one and only heir to my dukedom.”
Edward stopped abruptly. The words grandson, dukedom, and only heir tangled together. But when Edward put his own name in the mix, it didn’t mesh well, particularly when the heir was referring to him.
“There must be some mistake.”
“No, mistake,” Hawksworth said as he tugged him along. “Please continue to read.”
Your father was my second son. After my eldest son, Henley, died from a fever, I had Mr. Hawksworth find your father.
We had been estranged for the last twenty-five years after he eloped with your mother.
As you might surmise, I foolishly thought your mother beneath Gawain’s status and, therefore, an unsuitable wife.
What a bloody fool I was. Because only then did I discover that your father had also passed away, and you were my only grandson. I curse myself every day for missing the opportunity to see you grow into a man and to make amends with your father.
Please let me make it up to you. Come to London, and I will tell you all. The doctor says I have a couple of weeks left. My heart is broken both literally and figuratively.
I vow to stay alive until we meet in person. I beg of you to hurry.
Yours,
Archer
Edward took a step back. “I can’t leave now. Lady Penelope needs me.”
“If you’d be so kind as to explain? How does she need you?” Hawksworth asked sincerely as he took off his spectacles and cleaned them. “Even though I’ll be traveling with you to London, perhaps there’s some way I can assist.”
Edward stared at the countryside before him. Somehow, they’d walked quite a distance from the village public house and now stood beside the large black lacquered coach bearing the Duke of Archer’s crest on the door. The matching pairs of black horses pawed the ground, anxious to get moving.
Edward’s thoughts scattered like autumn leaves battered by a north wind. Though his mind accepted that there seemed to be no danger from the stranger before him, Edward still didn’t like the man’s plan.
“I will not leave her. She is the Duke of Kenbrooks’s sister. He isn’t here, and there is no one to look after her.” He could imagine what Kenbrooks would say if Edward left Penelope at Miss Eloise’s without any protection. They’d already sent Joshua and William home with her carriage.
“You could always leave her a note.”
Edward was already shaking his head. “I must return to her and ask if she’d like to accompany us. I wouldn’t feel at ease traveling otherwise.”
Clearly contrite, Hawksworth’s mouth turned down. “I do apologize, sir, but I’m afraid time is of the essence. His Grace is expecting me to deliver you to him.” Hawksworth snapped his fingers and took a step back. “And I never disappoint the duke.”
Before Edward could protest, two burly men approached and surrounded him.
“What is the meaning of this?” he asked as he attempted to take a step back.
“This is your future,” Hawksworth said with a chiding tone as he took Miss Eloise’s letters. “I’ll see that these are delivered.”
One man threw a hood over Edward’s head, then held his arms, while the other tied his arms around his back with twine. Edward wasn’t a small man, but the way these two handled him, he could have been a sack of potatoes.
As he twisted his body to escape, the men lifted him off his feet and unceremoniously tossed him into the carriage. It was completely dark because of the hood. He sank into a velvet coach bench. He tried to shout, but the hood’s thick fabric muffled his voice.
“Now there, Mr. Thornton,” Hawksworth tutted as his voice came nearer and the carriage dipped slightly. “We’ll be on the way to London. You tell me what to say in the letter to Lady Penelope, and I’ll ensure that it’s delivered to her posthaste. His Grace is most anxious to meet you.”
With a snap of the reins, the horses jerked the carriage into motion. Edward struggled to breathe, but all he cared about was Penelope.
What would she think when he wasn’t there to greet her after she finished her lesson?
He struggled against his ties. He had to reach her.
“My dear man, you’re going to make your wrists bloody if you continue this behavior,” Hawksworth drawled.
The sound of a quill scratching a piece of parchment filled the air.
“I’ve composed this on your behalf for Lady Penelope.
” He cleared his throat. “My dear lady, I’ve been summoned to London on an urgent matter. Will write more when I can.”
“That doesn’t sound a bit like me,” Edward yelled.
He chuckled. “Of course, it doesn’t. I’ve signed my name to the letter. I’m the one who wrote it. I’m the solicitor, after all.” He deepened his voice. “On behalf of Mr. Edward Thornton, the heir to the Duke of Archer, Mr. Adam Hawksworth, Senior Solicitor to the Duke of Archer.”
How could Edward explain any of this to Penelope if he didn’t understand it himself?
The most logical conclusion?
It was either a cruel joke or the work of Lord Draven to keep Edward from Penelope’s side. Such a thought tore a scream from Edward’s throat.
How could he protect Penelope when he was the one being kidnapped?