Tom grimaced. “Thing is, I don't know exactly which room is Tess's or where the aunts sleep.” He brightened. “Know I'm on the right floor.”
Nick groaned, not liking the idea of searching through a dozen bedrooms. “I thought,” he growled, “that you were familiar with the damned place!”
The baron looked shocked. “Not the ladies' bedchambers!”
Suppressing an urge to throttle his friend, Nicolas said grimly, “Very well, then, we'll have to split up and check every room on this floor.”
A quick glance revealed several wall sconces. Nick grabbed the candles from a pair of them, lit them, and thrust them into the hands of his cohorts. “Be quiet, for God's sake, and if you find them, don't alarm the ladiesâparticularly, don't let them scream!”
As luck would have it, they didn't have to search far. The second door Nick tried he found locked. Certain the storm would cover him, with one powerful movement, he kicked open the door. Entering the room, he found two very frightened ladies huddled together in a large, silk-hung bed. Placing his fingers to his lips, he said softly, “Please, not a sound. I mean you no harm. Lord Rockwell and his brother are with me, and they are greatly concerned for your safety.”
The younger of the two, her big violet eyes fixed painfully on his face, let out a shaky breath. “Oh, thank God! Thank God! Tess reached London. We have been worried sick.”
A frown darkened Nicolas's brow. The niece, Tess, had reached London? It was the first he'd heard of it. Motioning the ladies to remain where they were, he hurriedly found the two men.
Hustling them down the hallway toward the room where he had discovered the women, Nicolas said, “I think, gentlemen, that we have another problem. Come along and see for yourselves.”
The ladies had left the bed and had put on their wrappers by the time the three men returned. At the sight of the younger of the two women, Alexander, his handsome face full of relief, thrust his candle into the baron's hand and then strode swiftly toward her. Heedless of the others, he swept her into his arms and crushed her to him. His mouth buried in her tousled fair hair, he had exclaimed, “Oh, Hetty, my little love! Don't
ever
terrify me like this again! I have been most anxious about you! When we were denied entrance to the house today, I just knew that something was dangerously amiss. You're not hurt?”
Even in the faint candlelight, the blush on Hetty's pretty face was obvious. “Alexander! I knew you would come! And you were right to be worriedâAvery has made us virtual prisoners in our own home. He has gone to London and left that monstrous Lowell and that unspeakably nasty valet of his in charge of the entire household. It has been utterly ghastly! We have been confined to this room since Wednesday. Not even our maids have been allowed to serve us. I have never been so furious or frightened in my life!”
Nicolas had watched the scene between the pair of them with interest. Sits the wind that direction, hmm? he mused. Then, jerking his thoughts away from further speculation about the state of Alexander's heart, he asked quietly, “You said earlier that âTess had reached London.' What did you mean?”
Alarm shone in Hetty's eyes. She gazed up at Alexander. “Tess didn't find you? She didn't send you?”
Alexander's chiseled jaw dropped. “She isn't with you? Tess ain't here at Mandeville?”
It was the older of the two ladies who spoke. “Oh, dear! I knew it was dangerous for her to try to reach you in London by herself, but we had no choice. Avery would have dishonored her without compunction. She
had
to leave.” Her gentle blue eyes filled with tears. “We were so certain she would make it to you. She is such a valiant child.” A look of horror crossed her face. “You don't suppose that she has fallen into Avery's clutches? That he has her hidden away somewhere and is even now forcing her to submit to his beastly demands?”
“What the devil are you talking about? We never saw Tess in London! We thought she was with
you
!” Baron Rockwell blurted out, anxiety sharpening his handsome face.
There was a shattering silence, and then Nicolas spoke, his features grim. “I think it's obvious that Tess did not reach London. Something must have happened to her on her journey, but we dare not tarry here discussing it. We must be off before we are discovered.” He sent the two women a reassuring smile. “Don't worry. We'll find her. Safe and sound. There is no doubt a simple explanation for her delay in reaching London, but for now, getting the pair of you out of here is our first priority. Gather up a minimum of your clothing and let us be off before Lowell or Coleman come looking for us.”
The two women obeyed hastily, and in a scant few minutes the five of them were creeping down the wide hallways of Mandeville Manor. Huddled in their hastily donned cloaks, pillowcases of haphazardly selected clothing clutched to their bosoms, Hetty and Meg were ushered swiftly from the house and to the carriage. Seconds later they were safely inside the coach, and with Nicolas driving and Thomas and Alexander acting as outriders, the ladies were borne away. The rescue was complete.
Nicolas should have felt a degree of satisfaction, but he was aware of a feeling of deep,
deep
unease. The fact that the blasted niece was missing disturbed him immensely, but even more than the disappearance of a young lady he had never met before was the unsettling feeling that he had stepped off into a dark, fathomless chasm.... Something was nagging at the back of his mind, some fact that he had overlooked. Frowning, he drove his horses as fast as he dared in the slashing rain, their way through the enveloping blackness lit only by the lanterns held by the Rockwells, who rode just ahead of the coach.
It was an unpleasant journey. The rain showed no sign of letting up, and by the time they finally reached the gatekeeper's cottage, Nicolas could only sigh with relief. He had left arrangements for his late arrival, and as he pulled the horses of the coach to a stop in front of the cottage, soft, welcoming light spilled out from one of the windows of the main salon.
Moments later the five of them were inside the cottage. The warmth of the main room was greeted with pleasure. The large silver candelabra that had been left lit near the window increased the feeling of welcome, as its golden light chased out the shadows. A banked fire glowed on the hearth; additional firewood was stacked within easy reach; and nearby on a table was a tray filled with refreshmentsâbrandy and spicy mulled wine kept warm by a heated brick and sandwiches thick with ham and cheese.
Decorum had been left behind long ago, and almost as one, the entire party tossed aside their cloaks and coats. The fire was stirred into full blaze as Nicolas threw on some of the extra wood. More candles were lit about the room, and the ladies were guided into the chairs nearest the flames, goblets of the warm, mulled wine pressed into their hands. Brandy was poured for the gentlemen. Silence reigned as everyone took a deep, fortifying sip of their various libations.
As the brandy burned down his throat, Nicolas looked at the two guests, women who until this night had been despised unknowns to him. They were still in their nightgowns and wrappers, their hair in disarray, shock and strain obvious in their faces, but he found nothing incongruous about the sight of them sitting in his gatekeeper's cottage.
Feeling his brooding gaze upon her, Hetty looked across to where he stood near the fire, one arm resting on the carved wooden mantel. With a tremulous smile on her lovely mouth, she said softly, “I don't know who you are, but from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for helping the baron and his brother rescue us.”
Nick smiled wryly. “You might not, once you know my name.”
Meg gave a soft gasp. “I
thought
that I recognized you! I knew your father, but I could not believe a Talmage would ever help a Mandeville.”
“Not to disillusion you, madame, but I think,” Nick commented lightly, “that it can be said more correctly that I merely assisted the Baron Rockwell and his brother with
their
rescue of two charming ladies desperately in need of succor.”
“Oh, I say! It wasn't like that at all, old fellow,” Lord Rockwell expostulated. “Couldn't have done it without you. Your plan. Your coach. Your house. Everyone knows the Rockwells ain't got any brains! And that the man to have on your side in any tricky spot is Nick Talmage.” He beamed at the two ladies. “Nick's got brains!”
Her eyes fixed intently on Nicolas's dark face, Hetty asked slowly, “Is he right? Are you Nicolas Talmage ...” She faltered and then ended in a rush, “The earl of Sherbourne?”
Nicolas bowed in her direction. “At your service, madame.”
“Oh, my,” Hetty said weakly. “Isn't Avery going to be absolutely furious!”
Nick's mouth thinned. “For that reason alone, it gives me great pleasure to have taken part in your rescue, Madame ... ?”
“Miss,” Hetty said quickly. “Miss Hester Mandeville, but all my friends call me âHetty,.' ” Gallantly dropping a kiss on her outstretched hand, he asked in a teasing tone, “And am I to be considered a âfriend'?”
“After tonight?” Meg asked tartly. “I think that goes without saying. Now come over here, young man, and do the pretty with me!”
Smiling, Nick crossed to stand in front of her. Taking her hand in his, he murmured, “And you, madame? May I have your name?”
“My
friends
call me Meg,” she said gruffly, a little blush of pleasure staining her cheeks.
Nick's smile faded. “It is a long time,” he said quietly, “since there has been anything but enmity between our families. Do you really think that the events of this evening have obliterated the old feud?”
Alexander, who had been lounging nearby, spoke up. “Well, you sure as the devil can't wreak any vengeance on Meg and Hetty. They're your guests! Besidesâ
they
didn't do anything!” He paused, looked thoughtful. “Come to think of it,
you
ain't done anything, either! No reason why you shouldn't be friends.”
“Sometimes, Alexander,” Nick drawled, “you astonish me with your brillianceâunexpected though it may be.” He glanced back at the ladies, his expression serious. “Now that the niceties have been dispensed with, I think it is time for you to tell us what has transpired at Mandeville Manor that placed you in such an invidious position. And we must discover what has happened to your niece....”
The relaxed air that had permeated the comfortable room vanished. Remorse on her face, Hetty cried, “Oh, what a wicked wretch I am, sitting here warm and safe when who knows what may be happening to my poor Tess! ”
“She didn't want to leave us,” Meg said in a low tone. “But we convinced her that our only hope was for her to reach Rockwell in London.” Her eyes filled with tears. “It is all our fault that she has disappeared!”
“If it is anyone's fault, I think that the blame can safely be laid at Avery Mandeville's door,” Nick said in a hard voice. “But before we attempt to convict anyone of anything, I think it would be best if you told us everything, starting with
why
it became imperative for your niece to flee her home.”
The two women exchanged glances. Then, sighing heavily, Meg said softly, “It all began with the arrival of Rockwell's letter....”
It didn't take long for the sordid tale to unfold, and in a matter of moments the three men were aware of everything that had transpired. “It has been utterly ghastly these past few days,” Hetty said toward the end of the ugly story. “When Avery discovered Wednesday morning that Tess had escaped him, he flew into a rage. And despite our protestations of innocence, he wasn't fooled. He knew that we had drugged his wine and had helped Tess to escape. He locked us in the room in which you found us and left almost immediately for London, hoping, I presume, to find Tess before she reached her uncles.” Her eyes darkened with remembered distress. “We have no idea what happened after that, not to Tess or even to the rest of the staffâLowell and Coleman have been the only servants, the only
people
, we have seen since Avery imprisoned us.” Hetty took a deep breath. “Our plight grew more precarious with every passing day, but we never doubted that Tess would reach her uncles. We were certain that help was on the way, but I feared it would arrive too late to save us from a terrible fate.” She shuddered. “Both Lowell and Coleman became more threatening and abusive to us. Several times when they brought us food or water, they were drunk, and I knew that if someone didn't arriveâeither Avery back from London, or”âshe glanced at Alexanderâ“that they were going to dishonor us, I just
knew
it! Thank God you arrived when you did!”
“Your niece escaped on Tuesday night?” Nicolas asked with a frown. His eyes were on Hetty's anxious features, his mind grappling with the unsettling knowledge that there was something familiar about her.... Again the sinking feeling that he had stepped off an abyss swept over him, but all he said was, “When she left Mandeville Manor that night on her way to London, that was the last time you saw her?”