Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Giles slept through the entire night and late into the morning.
He still woke feeling as if he’d drunk himself to sleep, even though he hadn’t.
Perhaps it was just lingering from the night before.
But it wasn’t alcohol that had his head aching all day.
It was guilt. Like it or not, he was a husband now.
A bloody lousy one. That was going to change, but he needed one night of something he loved first. One night at his club to feed his soul.
Then he would step up and do what was needed to right his many wrongs.
With a frustrated huff, he pulled his tie open and started over.
His knots were never as neat as Thistle’s.
One more person he needed to apologize to.
He took the man’s presence for granted. And not just for his expertise with ties.
This house was still and empty without him.
It wasn’t actually empty. Mrs. Riley was always there, but she kept to herself and was so quiet, he only knew she was around because his house was clean, and tea was made if he requested it.
He paused with a realization. “I’m a spoiled brat.” How had he never seen that before? He’d always thought himself a nice, affable guy.
He was. Or at least, he had been before Christina. She’d never known him as anything but a bully. He would make up for that somehow. Starting tomorrow.
He donned his jacket and trotted down the stairs. Some time at The Raven’s Den would do him good.
He opened the front door and his heart leapt into a sprint. He hadn’t expected a man to be standing there. “Thomas?” Winnie stood at the bottom of the steps, but he still didn’t see Christina.
“Mr. Henderson.”
Giles waited, but the man didn’t say anything else. “Why are you on my doorstep?”
Thomas swallowed nervously, his hands fidgeting.
“Mrs. Henderson wished to go shopping in Mayfair, with her friend, Miss Taylor. Afterward, we accompanied her to Miss Taylor’s residence.
She said she wanted to have a cup of tea before we returned home.
It would seem…” He paused for a moment. “It would seem she left through the rear door.”
“You lost my wife?”
Winnie hurried up the steps. “I’m sorry, sir. I shouldn’t have let her out of my sight.”
“It’s my fault, sir. You were trusting me to make sure she was safe.”
Giles shook his head. It would be so easy to blame them for it, but it was time for him to take responsibility for once. “The onus is mine. It’s me she’s running from, after all. How long has she been missing?”
“About two hours.”
“And she’s alone?”
“Yes, sir.”
Ice filled his chest. Alone, for two hours, and it had been dark for at least half of that. Where would she go? Her father’s perhaps?
A young lad appeared at the bottom of the steps. “I have a note for a Mr. Henderson.”
Giles hurried down. “Give it here.” It was from her father, demanding payment, or he was going to sell her virginity to Lord Chilton.
He unleashed a string of curses, and vowed to kill the man.
But then he stopped and took a breath. He couldn’t be rash this time.
It would put her safety at risk. For once, he was going to be man enough to put her needs ahead of his own.
“She’s with her father,” he said to Thomas and Winnie. “You two stay here and wait for me to return, just in case she comes back.”
He dropped a coin into the delivery boy’s hand and climbed into the waiting cab, anger boiling in his veins.
The club wasn’t open yet, but he found Allister on the balcony watching everything be prepared for the night.
“I know I’m not your favorite person right now, Allister, but I need your help. My wife may be in danger.”
He turned. “Tell me what you need.”
“Just you. Her father is holding her for ransom, and I’m afraid if I go on my own, I’ll muck it up somehow.”
He gave a quick nod and headed for the door.
“I have a cab waiting at the end of the back alleyway,” Giles called after him.
“I’ll be right behind you.”
It was barely two minutes before Allister climbed in beside him. Giles had already given the driver the address, so they immediately started moving.
“Thank you, Allister.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Giles. I work for you, remember?”
“Are you sure that’s still true?”
He nodded. “It’s been made very clear to me that you are no less of a partner.”
That was hard for him to believe. He lowered his forehead into his palms and rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyes. “I’ve been an utter failure in a lot of things recently. But none more than with my wife.”
“Are you sure you only want me? I can have a whole team put together in just a few minutes.”
“You’ll be more than sufficient. I could probably handle it on my own but…” He wasn’t sure what to say.
“But you’re emotionally involved.”
“I would have said incompetent, but we’ll stick with yours.”
“Do you know what we’re walking into?”
“Not exactly. I assume it will just be her father. But I don’t know yet if Christina is a willing participant or a victim.”
Allister raised his brow. “If she is a participant, will she be safe with you?”
The question was like a punch to the gut. “Yes. I know I’ve been a wretched husband, but I would never abuse her. You have my word on that, Allister.”
Allister assessed him for a moment and nodded.
When the butler opened the door to Mr. Pelham's townhouse, Allister yanked him outside. They stepped through and locked it behind them.
They found Christina's father sitting behind his desk, a mostly empty glass in his hand.
“Where is she?” Giles demanded.
The man stood and sneered, braver than he ought to be. “I’m surprised you turned up. She says you’ve been nothing but horrible to her. I wasn’t sure you’d even want her back.”
“She’s my wife,” he growled.
The man had the audacity to chuckle. “If you had actually made her your wife, you wouldn’t be in this predicament right now, would you? But if you want her back, give me the money I asked for, and I’ll tell you where you can find her.”
“I told you before, I will not pay your debts again.”
“You will if you want her back.”
“I know you think I’m just a mollycoddle, and perhaps I am, but I have friends.” Giles stepped to the side allowing Allister into the room.
In barely a second, Allister had the man on his knees with a yelp, a razor against his throat. “Mr. Henderson asked you a question,” he said quietly. “If you don’t answer it within five seconds, I will remove your left ear. One, two, three.”
“She’s upstairs,” he said in a panic. “She’s in her bed. She’s safe, I swear!”
“She’d better be,” Giles said as he turned for the hall.
She was asleep, looking perfectly peaceful. Thank God. He rubbed the back of his fingers over her cheek. “Christina. Wake up.” But she didn’t. He shook her shoulder, gently, but still nothing. The bastard must have sedated her.
Giles threw back the blankets and scooped her up. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, even though she couldn’t hear him. He carried her down the stairs and into the study.
“What did you drug her with, you son of a bitch?”
Allister pulled the man’s head back a bit more. “It was just laudanum,” he said frantically. “She’ll wake in a few hours and be fine. I swear.”
“If she isn’t, God help you.”
He looked at Allister. “Will you get your own cab?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything here.”
“Don’t kill him yet. But a permanent reminder wouldn’t go amiss. A reminder that she’s my wife, and she is protected.”
“I wasn't going to hurt her! I wouldn’t really have sold her virginity to Chilton.”
Giles strode for the front door. The butler was standing outside looking utterly lost. A scream sounded from inside the house. “I wouldn’t go back in there just yet, if I were you.”
A short time later, he carried Christina through his front door. Winnie and Thomas both looked horrified as he climbed the stairs. They hovered outside the door to his bedroom until he gestured to the bed. “Will one of you pull back the blankets? I’d rather not just stand here holding her.”
They collided as they both tried to rush through at the same time. Giles closed his eyes. It wasn’t them he was angry with.
He settled her onto the mattress and pulled the covers over her. How had he let this happen?
“Is there something we can get for you, sir?” Thomas asked, wringing his hands. “Should I send for a doctor?”
“No, thank you.”
“Would you like me to watch over her?” Winnie asked.
He shook his head. “I’ll sit with her.” He caressed the side of her face with the back of his fingers. “It’s the least I can do.”
“Thomas, send word so that the rest of the household doesn’t worry when you don’t return.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And then, the two of you will stay here tonight. Just in case I require your help.”
He closed the door and stood over the bed. She looked peaceful. He’d only ever seen her afraid or angry or hurt. “I know you can’t hear me, and I know it’s not nearly enough, but I am sorry, Christina.”
Christina’s head ached and she didn’t want to open her eyes, but something felt off.
It didn’t smell right. Panic spurred her heart into a gallop as she looked around the room.
Two lamps were lit, allowing her to see her surroundings, but nothing about the space was familiar.
But then her eyes landed on her husband, seated in a chair beside the bed. She gasped and moved away from him.
“Easy,” he said quietly. “You’re safe.”
“Where am I? What’s happening?” Fear made her breathing erratic.
“You’re in my bed.”
“Why am I in your bed? What are you going to do to me?” She moved back to the far edge.
“Careful.” He reached for her, and she recoiled, tumbling off the side. She didn’t understand what was happening or how she got there. Tangled in the blankets, she thrashed but couldn’t get away from him as he came around the bed.
“Please,” she begged. What was he going to do to her?
He pressed her down by her shoulders. “Stop, before you hurt yourself.”
“And what about you hurting me?”