Chapter 2
Chapter Two
“We will begin making inquiries immediately, Lady Wynten,” he said. “Road checkpoints have already been alerted.”
The last of the authorities finally departed a little after midnight. Jane stood in the entrance hall with her mother beside her as the senior investigator gathered his hat and gloves.
Jane folded her arms tightly across her chest. “And if someone saw where they took him?”
“We shall find them.”
It was not an answer. She could tell from his expression that he knew it as well. The man offered a stiff bow.
“If we learn anything, you will be informed at once,” he said. Then he and his companions left.
The front door closed behind them with a heavy thud. Silence descended over Wynten House again.
Jane stared at the closed door.
“They’re not going to find him quickly, are they?” Her mother sounded small and frail.
Jane looked over at her mother. Lady Wynten had dark circles beneath her eyes, and she had not stopped trembling.
“We don’t know that,” Jane said.
Her mother attempted a smile. “Oh, Jane.” The tears returned instantly. “What if he’s frightened?”
The question struck directly at Jane’s own fears.
She had spent the last hour forcing herself not to imagine Colin alone somewhere, bound and injured. The worst images suddenly flooded her mind, and she couldn’t drive them away. Instead, she slipped her arm around her mother’s shoulders.
“We will find him,” she said again.
Lady Wynten nodded weakly, though neither of them sounded convinced.
A maid appeared at the foot of the staircase. “My lady?”
Lady Wynten sighed. “I think I should retire.”
Jane squeezed her hand. “That’s probably best.”
Her mother hesitated. “I don’t wish to sleep.”
“I know, but you need rest,” Jane said as gently as she could.
“What if news arrives?” Lady Wynten fretted.
“I’ll wake you immediately,” Jane promised.
Lady Wynten searched her face, then finally nodded. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
Her mother kissed her forehead—a gesture that suddenly made Jane feel twelve years old again. Then Lady Wynten allowed the maid to escort her upstairs.
Jane remained in the hall until she’d disappeared. The moment her mother was gone, the carefully maintained composure she’d been holding together all evening began to crack. Her shoulders sagged, and she leaned back against the wall.
There was no way that she would sleep tonight.
Slowly, she made her way toward the parlor.
The house seemed almost deserted now. Most of the servants had retired after cleaning the aftermath of the engagement party.
Only a few lamps remained lit. Their warm glow did little to chase away the darkness.
Once inside the parlor, Jane crossed to the bell pull and rang.
A maid appeared moments later. “My lady?”
“Tea, please.”
“Of course.”
The maid disappeared.
Jane sank onto the sofa. The room smelled faintly of roses and beeswax polish. Usually, she found it comforting. Tonight, it only reminded her of how swiftly the evening had changed from ordinary to chaotic. Hours ago she had been engaged. Now she was not.
Oddly, she still felt almost nothing about Lord Maltby. Perhaps she should, but every time she tried to think about the broken engagement, her thoughts returned to Colin.
Colin mattered.
Maltby did not.
The tea arrived shortly thereafter. Jane wrapped both hands around the warm cup. The heat seeped into her cold fingers.
Outside, summer rain had begun tapping softly against the windows. Her father always used to say that June storms arrived when least expected. The memory made her heart ache. She missed him terribly. Especially now.
Her father would know what to do about this situation. He had always known what to do. Without him, Colin had taken over that role. Now…who would?
Jane had lost track of time. Her tea had gone lukewarm when a knock sounded at the door.
She looked up.
“Come in,” Jane called, her voice hoarse with emotion.
The butler entered. His expression was unusually uncertain.
“My lady,” he said.
Jane frowned immediately. “What is it?”
The older man hesitated. “You have a visitor.”
Jane blinked. “A visitor?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“At this hour?” Jane asked. It had to be nearly one o’clock in the morning. “Who?”
Before the butler could answer, another figure appeared in the doorway.
Jane’s breath caught. For a moment, she simply stared. The man was tall—exceptionally so—with powerful, broad shoulders, his dark coat hugging the muscles of his arms perfectly.
Rain glistened upon his dark hair. The shadows in the room sharpened the strong lines of his face and highlighted his piercing eyes. His jaw looked like it had been carved from stone. He was the most striking man Jane had ever seen.
She set down her teacup. “What are you doing in my house?”
The question came out sharper than she intended.
The stranger remained completely unbothered.
His gaze met hers, steadily. “I apologize for the hour.”
His voice was deep. It was the sort of voice people listened to.
“Who are you?” Jane demanded. At this hour of the day, niceties were not foremost in her mind.
The man inclined his head. “Hector Lockwood.” A brief pause. “Duke of Sunderford.”
Jane blinked. A duke. Standing in her parlor. At one o’clock in the morning. For several seconds, she could think of absolutely nothing intelligent to say.
The Duke of Sunderford. Everyone had heard of him. One of the most powerful men in England. Notorious for being private. Rarely seen in society except when necessary. And currently standing, uninvited, in her house.
Jane cleared her throat. “Pardon my directness, Your Grace… but what are you doing in my house in the middle of the night?”
The duke stepped fully into the room. “I came because our situations may be connected.”
Jane frowned. “What do you mean?”
“My brother disappeared.”
The statement instantly captured her attention. She sat straighter.
The duke continued. “Several days ago.”
Jane stared. “I’m sorry… I hadn’t heard.”
“Most people haven’t.” His expression remained unreadable. “Unlike your brother’s disappearance, my brother’s attracted little attention.”
“What does that have to do with Colin?”
The duke regarded her carefully. “I would like to discuss that.”
“Oh. Well, Your Grace, you can call tomorrow morning, when my mother is awake. It isn’t proper for us—”
“Lady Jane,” he cut her off, “this is a serious matter. Far more serious than propriety.”
Jane gulped. Yes, this was a man, standing alone with her in the parlor. Yes, this would cause a big scandal if it came out.
But Colin was missing. Her engagement had been broken.
Jane needed something, anything to help with this situation. Even if it came in the form of this dark stranger.
After a moment, Jane gestured toward a chair. “Very well.”
He sat.
Though, somehow, it felt less like a guest accepting hospitality and more like a commander occupying territory.
Jane looked toward the butler. “Please, bring His Grace some tea.”
The duke immediately shook his head. “No tea.”
Jane arched a brow. “No tea?”
“No.” Silence stretched. Then he added, “I would prefer total privacy.”
Jane nearly laughed. “Total privacy?”
The duke didn’t blink. “Yes.”
“At one o’clock in the morning.”
“Correct.”
“In my house.”
“Also correct.”
Jane stared at him.
He stared back.
The audacity was remarkable. “You cannot seriously expect me to dismiss my butler.”
“I only intend to speak to you.”
“That is hardly the point,” Jane said. She felt like she might be delirious from lack of sleep and the shock of the evening.
A flicker of amusement appeared in his eyes. It vanished almost immediately. “I assure you, Lady Jane, your reputation is safe.”
“My reputation stopped being safe the moment armed men shot up my engagement party,” she said.
The duke inclined his head, as though he was conceding the point. “Fair.”
Jane glanced between him and the butler. Then she sighed. “Very well.”
The butler looked scandalized. “My lady…” he began.
“I’ll be fine,” Jane insisted.
Reluctantly, he bowed and withdrew. The door shut behind him. Immediately, the room felt smaller and more intimate. Jane disliked that sensation. She folded her hands tightly in her lap.
“You are risking my reputation further by being here.”
The duke nodded. “I came through the servants’ entrance.”
Jane blinked. “You what?”
“No one important saw me.”
She almost smiled despite herself. “That’s hardly reassuring.”
The duke spoke quietly. “I was discreet.”
She pursed her lips. “I imagine every man caught sneaking into a lady’s house claims the same.”
That earned the faintest twitch of his mouth.
Jane studied him. “What exactly makes you believe our brothers’ disappearances are connected?”
The duke leaned back slightly. “Lord Wynten and my brother were well acquainted.”
Jane snorted softly. “That’s a generous way to describe it.”
The duke’s gaze sharpened. “They argued.”
“Frequently,” Jane said.
“They disliked one another.”
Jane nodded. “Exactly.”
The duke remained silent for a moment before speaking again. “I want to know about your brother.”
Jane frowned. “What about him?”
“His routine.”
The question caught her off guard. “His routine?”
“Where he went. What he did. Who he met. That sort of thing,” the duke said. “What time does your brother rise in the morning? Does he frequently leave London? Who handles estate matters?”
“That’s quite a lot that you are enquiring about, Your Grace,” Jane said.
The duke didn’t seem to hear her, for he continued, “Does your brother have any gambling debts? Mistresses? Business partners? Any secret investments that he might have confided to you?”
The duke leaned forward. “Does he keep personal ledgers?”
Jane’s patience snapped slightly. “Of course.”
“I should like to see them.”
She stared. “You would like to what?”
“The ledgers.”
The audacity of the request left her speechless. “I’ve already given those to the authorities.”
His jaw tightened. “I see.”
“And even if I hadn’t… Pardon me, Your Grace, but they are not yours to inspect.”
The duke regarded her steadily. “Was there anything unusual in them?”