Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Your hunch was right,” Godric said, throwing a leather portfolio down onto the pub’s roughhewn table.
Cedric looked up as his friend slid into the seat across from him, and Godric grimaced.
“Jesus, man, you look terrible,” Godric grumbled.
Cedric had no energy for his usual wit and only reached for the portfolio Godric had brought him.
He had spent the last few days doing his best to console Adeline, and it had been no easy feat to accomplish.
Deborah had kept her promise to visit daily, but they were brief, and Adeline’s sadness only deepened further every time Deborah left the house all over again.
What was worse was that on her last visit, Deborah had somehow managed to acquire annulment papers.
They’d lain untouched and ignored on his desk, but their very existence threatened the end of his happiness.
Which was why he’d had Godric meet him in the small, common pub far away from London, where neither had been before.
Adeline’s strife had caused the poor girl to suffer another episode the night Deborah had left, and another when he announced he had to take the long journey to Prittlewell.
It was for this reason that Cedric felt he had no choice but to bring Adeline with him, and she was now anxiously waiting for him to return to their rented rooms with Kathy.
Then there was his own sadness. A deep well with teeth that threatened to consume him at every possible moment.
It sat like a gape-mouthed demon over his shoulder at all times, even as he searched for clues of Hester’s whereabouts.
Even when he finally found her. Cedric knew it was not until Deborah’s troubles- all of them- were finally settled that the demon would finally go away.
“So, Sylvester’s not responsible for the auction I met Deborah at then?” Cedric asked, his eyes flitting over the reports.
“Not only that, but apparently he’s made quite a few enemies of the place,” Godric explained, nodding toward the papers. “He is suspected of poaching a few women from there for his own auction as we once suspected, but he’s made so many enemies in London that he must have given up.”
Cedric remained quiet as he listened to Godric and took in the information on Sylvester from the files.
Sylvester was an awful person, according to the reports.
Dozens of illegitimate children. A report on a kidnapping that never reached the magistrate.
Attempts at extortion. Deep financial stress as well.
Disgusted by it all, Cedric curled his lips back into a snarl as he shut the portfolio and shoved it away.
“This is enough, Cedric,” Godric stated, tapping his finger on the portfolio. “We release this proof to the papers, and Sylvester is done for. Deborah can rest, and she will come home. I am sure of it.”
Cedric chewed on the inside of his cheek until the pain became a decent enough distraction from his longing to have Deborah back by his side.
“It is almost enough,” Cedric replied after a long moment. “There is one more piece of the puzzle I must obtain before I can take this all to Deborah.”
Godric’s dark brow rose slowly in intrigue.
“And is that why you had me ride all the way out here to this rather common little pub?” He asked.
Cedric nodded as he looked over the public house. It truly was common. No theme, no music, no attempts to lure in the higher society. It was a place for the common folk, which was why he and Godric, despite minding their own business, were receiving so many stares.
Especially from one particular barmaid. One that had brilliant copper locks and vivid green eyes that were all too familiar to him. Cedric had noted her from the moment he had walked in.
Hester. As lovely as her sister, but instead of rage and confidence shining in green eyes, there was fear and apprehension.
He had waited at the table he now sat at, silently willing her to be the one who came around the bar and took his order.
All he needed was a second, a chance to speak Deborah’s name and hope that would be enough to give her pause.
She never did, though. As if knowing she was a target of some sort, Hester had stayed behind the bar, using it as a barrier between her and the finely dressed man she suspected would hurt her.
Not that he blamed her. After everything she had been through, how could she trust a nobleman? Still, Cedric needed to speak with her. He just had to figure out how. The last thing he needed was for her to run again before he had the chance to explain himself.
“If that is who I think it is, there is no way she’s going to approach us,” Godric said in a low tone.
“After all she’s been through, I would wager that she would not allow a nobleman to come within a broom’s length of her.
That is probably why she works here. No one of our caliber would deem it good enough to set foot in. ”
“I know,” Cedric said, his eyes still locked on Hester, “But I cannot leave here without her. Deborah needs to know she has been found.”
“And how do we convince her to listen to us?” Godric asked.
Cedric slowly turned his gaze from Hester to Godric as an idea formed in his head.
“We cannot convince her,” Cedric agreed, “But perhaps Adeline can.”