“She fears the man might hurt the boy?” The easiest way to get one’s hands on an inheritance was to kill the true heir, he thought, and he knew it happened more often than people knew.
“She does, but I cannot see any gain in that for him. Not yet.”
“Perhaps not, but there will be at some time during the next few years if he can gain control of all the boy holds. So, I suppose it behooves us to put a stop to this thievery.”
“Aye, since the one being stolen, and will be stolen from, is one of ours.”
“You do seem very sure of that.”
“I am.” Giles smiled and shrugged. “No use asking why, either.” He slapped his hand over his heart. “The knowledge rests here and that is enough for me.”
“Enough for me as well. Let us go and tell her of her great good fortune in gaining us as allies.” He smiled when Giles laughed and they both walked over to Lady Catryn.
Catryn watched the man and boy approach. They shared a look. No one who gazed upon the pair together for long could ever mistake just whose son Giles was. Although she found just a bit unsettling the way Giles too often seemed more adult than child, she had to admire the way Sir Orion treated the boy with respect, not like some errant child or one who had not yet faced all the hardships life had to offer. There was a sharp mind in that child’s head and it was good to see that his father respected that.
“I need to tend to my horse, have a little of that food you and Giles were enjoying, and then we shall be on our way,” Sir Orion said.
“I cannot return to London,” Catryn said, trying desperately to keep the panic out of her voice. “That would allow Morris to succeed in getting away with Alwyn. I need to stay close on his trail or I may never find him.”
“You will not be returning to London. Giles and I have decided that we shall lend you our assistance in retrieving your child.”
Catryn opened her mouth to thank the man kindly but refuse the offered help and found herself staring at his back as he walked away to tend to his horse. She was not sure what to say anyway. The offer of help was extremely tempting. Caught up in chasing Morris, she had given little thought to the fact that she was a woman alone on the road. Any woman traveling alone faced a great many dangers. It was not a lack of ability to handle the matter of travel that had women dragging men with them everywhere they went, but a simple acknowledgement of the need for one to keep the many potential dangers at bay. Yet she did not know this man, and for all she knew, he could be one of those dangers.
She looked at Giles, who just smiled that cocky little grin he so often did. He had won her trust quickly, for there were no shadows in him. Giles did not hide behind a pretty face and practiced words; she wondered if he had the wit to know if his father did. A boy who had just found a family, been claimed by his father, might be blind to the man’s faults. Children did not wear masks but grown men did. Sir Orion had a very pretty mask, one that could easily beguile a woman, but there could be something ugly lurking behind it. Catryn wished she was better at seeing through such pretense. Her choice of husband had definitely revealed a weakness in that area.
“I am not certain it is wise for you and your father to assist me,” she said.
“You cannot be traveling alone,” Giles said in a tone that would have done a dictatorial father proud. “Women should never do that. I am no true protection, although I am very good at slipping away and hiding. My father can protect you as we look for your boy.”
“He must have other business to attend to.”
“I do,” said Orion as he walked past her and Giles and sat down to help himself to some of the food. “It is nothing that cannot wait, however.”
Catryn moved to sit facing him. “This is my battle. You do not even know who I am or if my story is true.”
“As it happens, I do know that the story you told me is true. I met a colleague on my way here and his brother is a solicitor in the firm that your brother-in-law has hired. Seems your brother-in-law is considered a very troublesome client.”
“Society is an annoyingly small word full of gossip,” she grumbled, hating the idea that everyone knew of her fight with Morris, even if he was the one considered the villain in the tale.
“It certainly is. You, I do not know, and I believe I neglected to properly introduce myself when I arrived. I am Sir Orion Wherlocke, the father of this boy you ran off with.”
“I truly did not know he was in the carriage.” She frowned at Giles. “And he made no sound, did not cry out at all.”
“I was curious about what you were about,” said Giles when both adults looked at him. “Knew you were no threat to me.”
“How could you be so certain of that?”
“I know things.”
Catryn wanted to ask what he meant by that but decided it was not what was important now. Her son had been with Morris for hours. She could only imagine how scared her little boy was. The only thing she needed to think about was how quickly she could get to him.
“I really must be going,” she said and began to stand up.
“Sit,” ordered Sir Orion.
She sat and then scowled at him, blaming him for her immediate obedience. Catryn knew that if she did not leave soon she would be accepting his offer of help. She did not wish to weaken and do so. The problem she faced was hers; it concerned her family, and her son. She should deal with it herself, and she knew this man was about to skillfully show her all the reasons she could not do so.
“There is very little daylight left,” she protested. “If you are concerned about your carriage . . .”
“Your father will compensate me,” he finished for her. “I am not offering to help you because I am bored or have nothing else to do. I am offering because someone has stolen your child, because the theft has to do with a man wanting everything that child holds a rightful claim to. Those are crimes I cannot ignore. My family is very firm on the need to protect children—primarily our own, but I believe any one of my family would be ready and eager to assist you. As Giles said, it is only honorable and right to do so.”
There was such a wry tone to his last words that Catryn had to smile. “And you always do as your son says?”
“Not at all. If I did, we would have an elephant in the back garden.”
“Oh dear.” She glanced at a grinning Giles and then laughed.
“Quite. No, in this he is utterly correct. A man has stolen your child, a man who covets all that belongs to the boy, and we both know how dangerous that is.” He nodded when she paled. “There is no proof that he means the boy harm, but even if he does not, he could gain guardianship of the boy and bleed your son’s inheritance dry.”
“He might try, but there are strict rules and . . .” Her words faded away when he and his son shook their heads.
“Rules can be circumvented. My cousin Penelope, now the Viscountess of Radmoor, nearly lost every penny of her inheritance through the machinations of her stepfather and then her stepsiblings. Her half brothers did, too. If this Morris gains control, and he may be able to do so now that he actually holds the child, he will steal all he can. Do not doubt that.”
She could not. It had been a worry from the first moment Morris had taken them to court. She knew that if Morris gained complete control of Alwyn, he would leave the boy with nothing. What should have been a blessing, a tidy inheritance so that Alwyn did not have to worry about his future, had become a curse.
“No, I do not doubt that,” she admitted softly.
“If Giles and I leave you to carry on by yourself, I foresee only disaster. Even if you caught up with Morris and could deal with him on your own, I sincerely doubt Morris is alone. Then there are all the other reasons women do not travel unattended by a male, family or servant. The least that could happen to you is that you would have my carriage taken from you and be left on foot.”
“I have a pistol.”
“Which means, if you know how to use it with any accuracy, you could take down one man. After that you must depend upon your own strength to fight off the others, and there would be others.” He nodded when she scowled at him. “You could be well-versed in fisticuffs, but you are still a small woman who could be, if not easily, at least eventually overpowered.”
“This could take days, you realize,” she said after a moment of silence that even she recognized as sulking.
Sir Orion shrugged as he packed up the remainder of the food. “I have nothing planned and nowhere to go. I must simply send a note to Penelope to let her know that Giles will arrive later and not today. I can do that when we stop for the night. And we will be stopping for the night,” he said firmly when she opened her mouth to argue that plan. “So will Morris. The chances of catching him today are very slim. As you said, this could take a few days.” He held out his hand.
With a sigh of resignation she took it and he helped her to her feet. “I should have come home earlier,” she muttered.
“Would that have made a difference?”
She sighed. “In truth, I doubt it. Morris stormed into the house and had a hired brute, as my father called him, with him. They fought with my father, knocked him about, and took Alwyn. I suspect they would have just knocked me about as well. Morris must have known it was the servants’ day off and that there would be no help from that quarter.”
“So you already knew he had hired ruffians with him when you set out after him all on your own.”
“He has my child.”
“Of course.” Sir Orion moved to hitch the team to the carriage.
Catryn was surprised that there was no note of condescension or mockery in his words. The man simply accepted that she had no choice, that the fact that Morris had her child was explanation enough for her risky behavior. It could be that he told the truth when he expressed his whole family’s belief in the need to protect children.
Her next thought was that she was about to ride around the countryside with a man who was not her kin, fiancé, or husband. Racing over the roads, driving a carriage, and traveling unattended had been bad enough. Traveling with a very handsome single gentleman would truly cause a lot of gossip. If anyone they knew saw them, her name would be blackened within society in mere days.
She hastily pushed aside that thought as she watched him hitch his mount to the rear of the carriage. If it happened, it happened, and she would accept the consequences of her actions. Alwyn was in danger. Whatever it cost her to get him home and safe again was worth it. The fact that they were trying to save her son would be enough to keep her closest friends at her side, she hoped.
When Sir Orion held out his hand to help her into the carriage, she took it and nearly yanked it back a heartbeat later. Neither of them was wearing gloves, having removed them to eat. The first time their skin had touched as he had helped her stand, her mind had been so preoccupied she had barely noticed the brief brush of his skin against hers. This time her whole body responded to it. That had never happened to her before and it unsettled her, but she forced her mind back to the problem of hunting for Morris and getting her son back.
“Should I not ride up on the box?” she asked, hesitating to get into the carriage.
“If you think the sight of you racing down the road driving a carriage with all that bright hair flying about your face was enough to cause talk, then just consider what talk will ensue if you are seen riding up there with me as we race down the road.”
Catryn got into the carriage. He was right. Again. It was very annoying. Giles sat across from her and smiled.
At least someone is enjoying the adventure
, she mused. The boy’s insistence that he and his father help her save Alwyn did surprise her a little.
“You truly believe this is what you and your father should do?” she asked as the carriage began to move.
“I do,” Giles replied. “Your son is just a wee lad and has not had the rough life I have had. I have skills. Had to learn them, aye? He has none. He is very scared, I am thinking, and it is only right that we men ride to help him.”
“It might not be so simple. We have to find Morris first.”
“Oh, my father can do that. Finding people and things is one thing he is very, very good at.”
There was no point in arguing about that, so Catryn looked out the window. Her whole body was weary and ached right down to the bone. It was nice to have someone else driving the carriage, but she swore she would not allow herself to depend upon Sir Orion too much. She had depended on her husband, only to find out within months that there was little in the man anyone could depend upon. She had depended on her grandfather and father, and that had not turned out well, either, although her father had had the excuse of being lost in his own grief for a while. For now, however, she would savor the rest from driving the carriage and pray that they found her son soon.
Chapter Four
The rapidly encroaching dark settled Orion’s uncertainty about stopping or continuing on just a little farther. He comforted himself with the knowledge that the man he was pursuing could not continue for much longer, either. There was no doubt in his mind that he would find the man, no matter where Morris tried to hide, but he would rather not have to leave the country to accomplish it.
Yet again he wondered what would be the right thing to do when he found Morris. The man would have guards, servants, or some hired brutes with him. Orion had just himself, a little redheaded lady, and a boy of eight. That did not make for good odds.
As the carriage crested a small rise, he saw lights and knew they were drawing close to a village. It had been a long time since he had traveled this way, but he was confident that this village had a comfortable inn. A good meal and a clean bed would be welcome. Sharing that bed with a lush little redhead would be even more so, but Orion pushed aside that temptation. Lady Catryn Gryffin de Warrenne was not some adventurous widow. Not only was she trying to get her stolen child back but she reeked of innocence and was most certainly a complete romantic at heart. Giving in to the temptation to bed her, even for one glorious night, could get him entangled in something he had long avoided: a relationship that was not the simple, enjoyable giving and taking of pleasure.
No, Lady Catryn was not a woman a man got sweaty with, kissed on the cheek in the morning, and then walked away from. Since that was the way he planned to live his life, Orion knew he had to keep his hands off her. He just wished his body agreed with his decision. It might be time to reach out to a few of his kin. Not only could they help him find Morris and save the boy, but they would act as a bulwark between him and the woman his body craved so badly.
The innyard was busy but not so busy that Orion feared he would find there was no room available for them. It was a large inn, rooms added as the traffic to and from London had increased over the years. The man who had built it had chosen his spot well, halfway between London and Portsmouth. He leapt from the box as soon as a tall, strapping young man wearing the inn’s colors grabbed control of the team. Orion quickly sent a small lad into the inn to make certain he could have two rooms for the night and a private place to enjoy a meal. He hoped he would not have to argue with Lady Catryn about stopping, and reached for the handle on the carriage door.
Catryn blinked, slowly waking up when the carriage stopped. Giles grinned at her and then laughed softly when his stomach loudly protested its emptiness. She leaned toward the carriage door to open it, only to have it opened for her and find herself staring into Sir Orion’s face.
He looked like a man who had just spent many an hour on a horse and then more time driving a carriage. Dust coated his fine clothes and his black hair was badly windblown. A few trickles of sweat had left trails through the light coating of dust on his face. Despite all of that, he was still the most handsome man she had ever seen. It annoyed her, for she was certain she looked as if she had been dragged through a hedgerow backward.
“Why have we stopped?” she asked as he helped her out of the carriage.
“If you look about you might notice that night has arrived,” he replied, easily catching Giles as the boy flung himself out of the carriage and then setting the boy on his feet.
“But Morris . . .”
“Cannot drive through the night any more than we can. I told you that before we left that clearing.”
That was a truth she could not deny, even though she desperately wished she could. Some would travel the road no matter what the conditions, changing horses as they needed them, but she could not see Morris doing that. He liked his comforts far too much. Long hours spent in a carriage were not what anyone would call comfort. He also lacked the coin for such a thing and he certainly would not trust his precious horses into the long-term care of some stable boy at an inn. From what little she had ferreted out concerning Morris’s financial state, Catryn was not sure that he had the money needed to spend many nights at an inn, either.
“I am also tired, hungry, and in need of a good wash,” he said as he collected her bags, shoved them into her arms, and then got a small one of his own from beneath the carriage seat. “And it does not matter how the man travels or where he goes. I
will
find him.”
Before she could argue with that arrogant statement, he was striding toward the inn, Giles at his side. Catryn hurried to keep pace with him. Giles had told her that his father could find anyone and anything, but she had thought that was just a boy’s bragging about his sire. It appeared that Sir Orion also believed it. It was an odd thing for a man to boast about.
Once inside the inn, Catryn was impressed by Sir Orion’s ability to get people to do his bidding. He gave orders in a way that made them sound more like requests. People obeyed without hesitation or argument, just as she had back at the clearing when he had told her to sit. They were all in their rooms with a hearty meal being readied for them before she even had time to consider what she might want to eat.
She frowned as she quickly shed her travel-worn clothing, washed up, and donned a fresh gown. The man was obviously accustomed to being obeyed. Considering his excellent skills at command, that was no surprise, but Catryn was going to have to remind him that she was a grown woman, a widow, and a mother. She was more than capable of making up her own mind. The first thing she intended to do was request that a bath be readied for her so that she could have a long soak in hot water after her meal. The second was to make certain Sir Orion understood that she could pay her own way. She might have need of a man to rescue her son, an admission that still irked her, but she did not need one to lead her about like some helpless child.
Her husband had tried that, she thought as she made her way down to the private parlor where she, Sir Orion, and Giles would dine. Old resentments she thought she had conquered rose up and she struggled against the anger they brought with them. Sir Orion did not deserve being stung by that bitterness.
She paused to request her bath, asking that her travel clothes be cleaned as well, and paid for it, which further soothed her rising temper. When she entered the parlor she found Giles and Sir Orion seated at a table before a warm fire, slathering butter on large hunks of bread. They immediately rose and Sir Orion held a chair out for her.
“My apologies,” she said as she sat down and they retook their seats. “I tried to be quick.”
“You were remarkably quick,” said Orion as he served her some bread and nudged a small crock of butter toward her. “I told the maid not to bring the rest of the food in until she saw you come downstairs. Did not wish it to sit there tempting us and getting cold until you arrived.”
She started to ask why he would think she would take so long that their meal would grow cold when the maid and two young boys brought in the food and drink. Catryn was tempted to have some of the wine but chose cider instead, for she wanted to be certain she woke in the morning with a clear head. As the scent of roasted chicken and a nice array of potatoes and vegetables hit her nose, it made her all too aware of just how hungry she was. Catryn knew she was about to break one of the rules ladies were all taught to follow. She was not going to eat sparingly.
And was that not a silly thing to be concerned about, she thought and nearly laughed. She was at an inn and was traveling with a man who was no relation to her and not her husband. Even a widow would raise eyebrows by doing so. It did not matter that the man she was with had his son with him, either. Anyone who recognized her, unless they were the closest, dearest of friends, would be utterly scandalized. How much she ate was the least of her concerns.
“I want you to tell me everything you can about your brother-in-law,” Orion said.
“What good will that do?” she asked. “You already know what he has done and why.”
“Everything can be useful. It will help me judge what route he may take, what decisions he might make along the way, and perhaps even what sort of place he would stop at.”
“Well, he is much like a spoiled child, to tell the truth. He wants what he wants when he wants it but has never had the character to even stick to the fight needed to get it. It is why I was so surprised that he would keep at us in the courts. That was very unlike him. It would have been much more like him to try and destroy something that had been left to Alwyn, such as trying to burn the manor house down or the like.”
“Despite the fact that he wants it?”
“That would not occur to him until he calmed down. And even then, he would find satisfaction in the fact that, since he could not have it, now neither could Alwyn. As I said, much like a spoiled child.”
“Do you think that sort of behavior is why your husband did not name him your son’s guardian?”
Catryn grimaced and ate a piece of delicious herb-seasoned chicken as she thought over her answer. “Henry did not like Morris, did not trust him. Morris felt much the same about Henry. I often wondered if Morris disliked his brother just because he was born first, actually faulted him for that. In most other ways, they were very much alike in their habits and vices, so one would have thought they would have been close. Yet, though my husband did love to gamble, he most often won and never approached that cliff where just one more ill-advised bet will beggar you. Morris was never so careful.”
Orion nodded and sipped at his wine. “So your husband was certain that all he had clung to would be lost if Morris was in control.”
“Yes. Morris cannot seem to resist a bet, a chance to rake in huge winnings. He always thinks he has found the perfect way to fill his purse without working. He is prone to believing anyone who promises him a massive return on an investment. My husband was forever covering his losses, at least covering them enough so that Morris did not end up in prison or worse.”
“Did Morris stay with you very often?”
“No. They could not abide each other’s company much, and that suited me. I do not like or trust Morris and never have. The fact that Henry felt the same was a relief. I was sad that my son had no fond uncle to turn to from time to time, especially since my husband had so little to do with him, but it was just a brief, occasional sadness caused by watching other uncles with their nieces and nephews. Another man to teach Alwyn how to go on would have been nice. My father does what he can, but he should not be having to raise another child.”
“And how does Morris treat you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Does he treat you with courtesy and the respect due his brother’s wife, or is he dismissive, scornful, and reveals resentment that you gave his brother a child?”
“Oh, he was always polite as he should be, but no more than that.”
Orion had the feeling that was not all, but he did not press her on the matter. “How did your husband die?”
“Stabbed. He had been at one of his clubs, so he said, and was attacked on the way home. Robbed and stabbed several times. The wounds became infected and he died.” She smiled faintly when his lovely blue eyes narrowed. “I, too, wondered if Morris had something to do with it, but the men were caught and confessed. They had simply seen a fine gent strolling home and saw a chance for some gain. He fought and they fought back. They won. For the moment. Their victory and new wealth was short-lived. They were hanged a year later, and even when facing that gruesome end, they said nothing about anyone having hired them or even told them where Henry would be. I do think Henry died wondering if his brother had had anything to do with it, for he ranted about his brother while fevered.”
Orion turned his attention to finishing his meal as he thought over all she had told him. Despite what the men who had killed her husband had said, there was always the chance that Morris had had a hand in her husband’s death. It was possible to arrange a person’s death without actively taking part in the planning. Simply talking loud enough about the person’s plans, wealth, and direction within the hearing of known thieves could be enough. It was something to consider. He doubted Morris grieved his loss.
Glancing quickly at Catryn, he thought on how little grief there had been in her telling of the tale. Not a hint of loss or sorrow had been evident in her words. She could have been speaking of someone she had only known in passing. There had been a few other hints that her marriage had not been a happy one, something all too common amongst the
ton
. It was not just his family that suffered from broken or dismal unions, but few of the ones outside of his clan suffered as much desertion as his.
It was too bad she was such a good woman, he mused. She was a widow ripe for seduction. A bad marriage often left a woman yearning for something more, some passion and pleasure. Orion knew he could give her that. He had left behind enough satisfied women to have confidence in his skills in the bedchamber. Unfortunately, Lady Catryn was too good a woman, despite her recklessness in chasing after her child, something he could not help but admire.
“Giles said you worry about how Morris will treat the boy if he hears young Alwyn talking to people who are not there,” he said, and almost smiled when she gave Giles an accusatory look and the boy just shrugged.
“It is just a child’s game, but yes, I am worried that Morris will have no patience with it,” she replied. “I have tried my best to make Alwyn understand that his little game can upset some people, but he is, after all, only five, and sometimes forgets. I just fear that Morris is one of those who will find it very upsetting. He is a very superstitious fellow.”
“Is he now. That will help.”
“How so?”
The serving girl entered with some stewed apples, small cakes, and cream, so Catryn had to wait for her question to be answered. She took the time to think about every instance where she had noted Morris’s superstitious nature. Although she did not know how such information could help Sir Orion, she wished to give him as much as she had. By the time the maid left and they had each helped themselves to some of the treats set before them, she was a little surprised to discover that her memories revealed that Morris was actually very superstitious, very concerned about all those shadows in the dark that others ignored once they left childhood.