Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
“ G regory,” Michael said, forcing a smile as he held out his hand in greeting. Was there a chance that Lord Gregory wasn’t aware of his knowledge of the counterfeit scheme? He figured he had to feign ignorance in case. “Good to see you.”
“And you,” Gregory said with a smirk that nearly solidified he was well aware of Michael’s investigation.
It hit Michael suddenly that if Gregory knew where he was, Jack likely knew too – and Adelaide was here with him.
He was torn between wanting to go after her to ensure she was safe and distracting Gregory so he wouldn’t become aware of her presence.
“I have to see to a couple of things,” he said, taking a few steps backward. “Anderson, can you see Lord Gregory into the drawing room? I shall be there momentarily.”
He turned to walk away when he heard the tell-tale click of a pistol.
“I do not think you will be going anywhere. We will both go into the drawing room for a little visit.”
“My lord?”
Michael turned around to see Anderson staring wide-eyed at him.
“It’s all right, Anderson,” he said. “Keep the servants away from the room, please.”
He tried to incline his head toward the front door in a silent plea for Anderson to take a look for Adelaide, but he couldn’t be sure whether the servant understood his request.
Michael walked stiffly into the drawing room, Gregory following with the pistol trained on him.
How good was Gregory with a weapon? The man had no military training but then, neither did Michael.
That had been Edward, of course, who had gone off to save the world.
“Would you like to explain, Gregory?” he asked, maintaining his nonchalant attitude, hoping he could still fake his way through this.
“Are you trying to pretend you don’t know anything?” Gregory asked, motioning for Michael to sit as he took the chair across from him, his back to the foyer, but open to the library beyond. Michael prayed that Adelaide wouldn’t walk in through the library doors and that the staff would be able to notify her of what was happening in time.
“About what?” Michael said, doing exactly that.
“Jack told me everything,” Gregory said. “I am well aware of what you and his sister have been up to. And it all makes sense now – why you were so eager to return to The Red Lion and win money off me at the card table at my brother’s masquerade.”
“I wouldn’t call that money ,” Michael said, deciding that he had no choice but to have a candid conversation. “Listen, Gregory, I have no issue with you. We were trying to discover evidence to convince Jack to release Adelaide from any ties to this. He is threatening to bring her down with him, but the truth is, we do not care what happens to him. We just want him to let her go.”
“Why do you care about this tavern wench so much?” Gregory said, ignoring his words and peering more closely at Michael.
“Do not call her that.”
Gregory’s eyebrows rose as he let out a shocked laugh and sat back in his seat. “You do care about her.”
“What I feel for her is of no consequence.”
“Oh, but it is,” Gregory countered, shaking his head, the smile on his face growing. “For it means that you will do anything to keep her safe. Anything at all.” His smile creepily remained stuck to his cheeks. “Where is the money?”
“The counterfeit?”
“Whatever you would like to call it.”
“I left it in London,” Michael said with a shrug, telling the truth. “It seemed safer there.”
“You have no way to tie it to me.”
“Do I not?” Michael said, raising a brow. “Many people saw me win the bag off you, where the counterfeit currently sits. I also have a copy of the note Jack wrote you. It might not make sense if someone happened upon it without context, but with some background, it just might be enough to prove what you are up to. Then there is the plate from the printer’s shop. If Rawlins goes down, don’t think he will not turn on you. It all comes back to you, Lord Gregory. The three of you are caught in a whirlwind, one that will be very hard to claw your way out of. Unless you let Adelaide go.”
Lord Gregory shrugged and sat back in the chair. “I care nothing for this Adelaide, although Jack certainly does.”
“Where is he?’ Michael asked, allowing his concern to get the better of him and come floating out of his mouth. It might give Lord Gregory an advantage, yet he couldn’t help but ask.
“Does it matter?”
“It matters,” was all he said, and Gregory smirked.
“Once I have what I need from you, I will tell you what you want to know about your precious tavern wench.”
“I told you to stop calling her that.”
“Or what?”
Michael leaned forward, about to spring toward him, but Gregory rose and buried the pistol in his chest, right over his heart.
“I’d rethink that if I were you,” he murmured. “Now tell me where I can find all of this evidence, and don’t lie, or else your woman will pay for it.”
Michael looked around, trying to find an escape. Surely Anderson would have tried to rally the servants or gone for help? He knew none of them overly cared about him, but hopefully they would feel enough loyalty to Edward to save his brother.
“Will you convince Jack to leave Adelaide out of this? To allow her to leave London and do as she wishes?”
“I’ll ask nicely.”
It was no promise, but Michael knew it was likely as good as he would ever get from a man like Gregory.
“Very well.” He nodded. “It’s in a safe in Edward’s London house. I will have to ask him to release it.”
“I will ask him myself. You will be… otherwise occupied.”
Michael’s stomach dipped at the gleam in Gregory’s eyes, and he realized there was likely little chance he would leave here alive. While he wasn’t sure he would have played much of a role in Adelaide’s life, the thought of never seeing Mabel grow up, not having the opportunity to prove himself to Adelaide, to know that he would have failed in her eyes, was all nearly too much for him.
“Just let me go, Gregory,” he said, trying to sound persuasive. “Don’t add murder to your list of crimes.”
“If you are not here to present evidence against me, then there will be no crimes to atone for. Now, out the door,” he said. “We wouldn’t want to leave a mess for your brother to clean up.”
Michael dragged his feet as they walked out of the house, intent on finding an escape. So what if he failed? It would be of no worse consequence, although Gregory was right. They wouldn’t want to leave Edward and Dot a reminder of what had happened here.
He took the front door route, hoping they could avoid Adelaide’s path. He wondered where she was and whether she realized that danger threatened. He only hoped she could find a way to hide until Gregory had left.
And prayed that Gregory had come alone.
He blinked when he saw dust across the drive, wondering whether that meant an additional threat remained.
“Let’s walk to the other side of the gardens,” he suggested, hoping that he could take Gregory past the fountain. It might provide him the opportunity to trip him up and gain the upper hand.
“This is far enough,” Gregory said, thwarting his plan. “Turn around.”
Michael took a breath, closing his eyes for a moment, ready to pounce as he turned. At least Gregory had the decency not to shoot him in the back.
He turned, prepared to jump – when a shot rang out, and he stiffened, waiting for the pain to engulf him.
But none came.
Instead, he heard a cry of pain, and he turned, shocked, to find Gregory lying on the ground, blood seeping out of a wound on his arm, the pistol lying next to his outstretched fingers.
He raised his head to determine what had happened, relief pouring through him when he saw his brother standing there, hand outstretched, pistol smoking in his palm.
“Edward!” he called out in surprised delight. “Good shot, man!”
Edward lowered his arm. “I have been trained in such things,” he said, as though it was no bother, that he did this routinely.
Michael supposed he had, for a time.
He reached down, picking up the pistol and leaving a moaning Gregory on the ground. For goodness’ sake, it was his arm, not his lung, although Michael was aware that such wounds could fester and kill a man.
“Have you seen Adelaide?” he asked Edward hurriedly, to which Edward shook his head.
“We only just arrived. We saw Lord Gregory’s carriage in the drive and decided to circle around the back. Anderson met us and told us what was happening. I am sorry to hear that Adelaide isn’t with you. Where is Mabel?”
“With Adelaide,” he said. “We were walking out of doors before I returned to the house and Lord Gregory arrived. My greatest hope is that her walk took her away from the house and she will soon return without knowing what happened. Will you deal with Gregory while I go look for her?”
“Of course,” Edward said. “Was he alone?”
“I hope so,” Michael said grimly, about to take off into the grounds beyond when Dot came running from the house.
“Michael!” she called out, her gown flying behind her. She clenched a piece of paper in her hand, and Michael’s heart stopped at the thought of what the letter could contain. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, yes, fine,” he said, hurrying her along. “What does the letter say?”
“I found it in Adelaide’s room, right in the middle of her bed, when I went looking for her,” she said, placing her other hand on her chest as she was breathing rather heavily. Michael reached out a hand, concerned about her, but of course, Edward was there to ensure she was well. She passed it over to Michael, and he opened it with trembling fingers.
Michael,
I have taken time to think about us. I have enjoyed all you have given me and appreciate your care for Mabel and me. However, our lives are too different, and it is time to part. It was too hard to say goodbye in person. I wish you well.
Sincerely,
Adelaide
“She left me,” was all he could manage, lifting his eyes to look at Dot.
“Are you certain?” Dot asked as she leaned on Edward, who had wrapped his arm around her protectively.
“That’s what the note says.”
“Are you sure she wrote it of her own accord and not under duress?” Dot asked, her brow furrowing.
“Was anyone with Gregory? Did the servants see anything?” he asked, caught between wanting Adelaide to be safe and also wanting to know that she hadn’t chosen to leave him.
“Anderson directed all of the servants to the servants’ quarters to keep them safe before seeking out Adelaide and Mabel, but they were nowhere to be found. He didn’t see anyone else. I’m sorry, Michael. I wish I knew.”
“How would she even have left?”
“One of the carriages is gone, and Jones, the driver, has also disappeared. She could have asked him to take her somewhere. I cannot see him disagreeing with her if she told him you knew of her plans.”
Michael was shaking his head, hands on his hips.
“It just doesn’t seem right. This isn’t Adelaide. She likes to plan, to save. She came here so willingly, and we were enjoying ourselves. She was looking forward to seeing you, Dot. She wouldn’t just up and leave.”
Maybe he was being a fool, but he had to follow his heart and instincts.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I suppose I will follow along and see if I can find her,” he said, his jaw tightening. “I have to try. I have to believe that she wouldn’t do this to me.”
“Why don’t we ask our friend, Lord Gregory, over here?” Edward said, walking over to where the man lay on the ground, trying to regain his footing despite his grimace of pain.
Michael felt the fool for not thinking of that sooner, but he had been so preoccupied with this damn note.
Edward stood beside Michael’s former friend, pushing him back down to the ground.
“Lord Gregory, do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“Not to you,” Gregory snarled, and Michael’s mouth fell open when his normally docile, mild-mannered brother reached over and stepped down on the gunshot wound on Gregory’s arm.
Lord Gregory cried out in pain, and Edward crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down at him.
“Do you have anything to say now?”
“Fine!” Gregory bit out. “Yes, Jack was here. He came with me.”
“How?”
“We rode horses,” he said. “It was close enough that we were able to make good time. The horses should be in the stables.”
“What did he intend to do with Adelaide?”
“Take her with him,” Gregory said, panting. “He had some escape plan and said that he needed her for it. I believe he has this strange sense that she belongs to him.”
“Where were they going?”
“That, I don’t know.”
Edward stepped down harder and Gregory shouted.
“I honestly do not know! I swear I would tell you. I have nothing good to say about Jack Tate. He is a scoundrel who I never should have involved myself with.”
“I think you are just as much a scoundrel as he,” Edward said, reaching down and roughly helping Gregory to his feet. “You have betrayed your country, and you should be ashamed of yourself. You deserve whatever is coming to you.”
“I do not deserve to be hanged!”
“Why not? You knew the penalty when you began this scheme.”
“This is all well and good, but I need to find Adelaide,” Michael said, and Dot nodded.
“Go.”
Michael rounded the house and was nearing the stables when he could have sworn he heard a cry. He stopped, tilting his head to listen again. There it was. A muffled shout.
He peered around the trees next to the outbuildings, hoping to find Adelaide waiting for him, but instead, it was the driver, his hands, feet, and mouth tied as he was propped with his back against a tree.
“Jones!” he called out, rushing over and loosening the tie around the man’s mouth before moving to his hands.
“Mr. Redgrave!” he huffed out, taking deep breaths, his face red.
“What happened? Was this Jack Tate?”
“Miss Adelaide and the baby,” he breathed out.
“Yes?” he said, dread growing in his stomach.
“A man with a pistol came in, leading Adelaide in front of him. I was the only one there, and I didn’t want to risk their lives.”
“It’s fine, Jones, no one is blaming you,” Edward said as he approached; he must have been following Michael. “He took them?”
“Yes. He loaded them into the carriage, made me prepare the horses, and drove them away,” he said. “Miss Adelaide was angry as you can imagine, but she wouldn’t do anything, not when the baby was threatened.”
“Which way did they go?” Michael asked.
“South.”
“I’m going to go saddle a horse. Are any of them ready?”
“Take Patience,” Jones said, pushing himself up.
“Michael, we need to think this through—” Edward began, but Michael shook him off.
“Edward, I need to go find them. And I need to go now.”
“I will come with you.”
“No,” Michael said, shaking his head. “You cannot. You need to stay with Dot. You cannot leave her alone, especially in her condition. And then there is Lord Gregory to deal with. Where is he?”
“With Anderson, and of course, you are right,” Edward said before stepping toward Michael and placing his hands on his shoulders. “Take care of yourself and your family, Michael, all right? Do not do anything reckless.”
Michael had spent so much time resenting Edward in the past few years that sometimes he forgot how close they had been at one point, how much they meant to one another.
“Thank you, Edward,” he said. “You take care of yourself too, you hear me?”
“I always do.”
At that, Michael took off running toward the stables..
He needed to get to Adelaide.
And he needed to get to her now.