floated down her back. And he tried most of all not to think of how her breast had felt in his hand.
As she stepped inside the upstairs room, she slammed the door with all her might. William was glad that he had slept so long, he wouldn’t be getting much sleep. He glanced toward her door at the top of the stairs as he sat in front of the stairs.
Benjamin smiled effortlessly at the Viscount Lanier and his well fleshed wife, Mary as they walked into the entry.
“So good of you to come. Horrible journey, what with the roads so muddy.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” He winked at Benjamin. “Tempting little she devil you’ve snared. I had hoped for a match between her and my son, but I daresay he hadn’t much of a chance against a man of your standing.”
Benjamin smiled politely at the couple. “I am quite fortunate. I look forward to seeing you at supper.” He turned toward the butler. “Please show his lordship and his lady to their rooms. I’m sure after such a journey they wish to refresh themselves.”
The butler bowed his head toward the guests, and the viscount and his entourage of servants were ushered away, allowing Benjamin a chance to escape.
He headed straight for his study, where his friend Frederick stood waiting like a naughty school boy in front of the duke’s desk. Benjamin closed the door hard and watched him cringe.
“Where is she? You said that you would find her. You promised me that you would find her and you have failed.”
Frederick hung his head as he spoke. “We’ve scoured the countryside for her, but we haven’t found a trace of her.”
Anger coursed through Benjamin’s body, but he kept it under control. “He must have taken her further than anyone of you thought.”
“Yes, we believed he would stay close by so he could collect the ransom.”
“Obviously, he didn’t, did he?”
“No.”
“Day after tomorrow is the day of the wedding. By tomorrow evening the house will be full of guests. What do you suggest I tell them?”
Frederick shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps the truth?”
“The truth! What is the truth? That she was taken by force or that if this wedding does not take place I shall be ruined?”
“I didn’t mean that truth.”
“I am sure you didn’t. Now, you get back out there and find her. Now! Her brother is becoming a problem and a note arrived this morning from the solicitor in London who represents the holder of the note on this estate. If we don’t act soon, the mortgage will be foreclosed and I will be facing poverty.”
Frederick looked hard at Benjamin. “I’ll find her.”
“Then do it!” When Benjamin said nothing more, Frederick turned away and headed toward the door.
Benjamin watched him go. For reasons he didn’t even quite understand, Frederick was the one man he confided in. He said things to him he said to no one else. Perhaps it was the knowledge that the man knew his tongue could be cut out of his head before he could talk.
He was worried about the disappearance of his intended. He needed her plentiful dowry to save him.
Benjamin paced while cursing the bandit who had taken her, cursing Frederick for not finding her, cursing the twist of fate that had forced him to mortgage the house and the merciless holder of the note.
He shook his fisted hand, wishing he didn’t have to face his guests. By the day after tomorrow the wealthiest members of the land would be here. He had spared no expense to impress them, his creditors more than happy to assist and his debts held off by the rumors of a fortune that would soon fall into his hands.
And Katherine? What of her? As long as she was breathing, he would marry her. He would redeem his estate, get her with child and leave her to repine in the country.
He would spend his time in the city, use her fortune to rebuild his own and his power would be such as it was when his father was alive. He put on a smile and returned to his guests.
Chapter Five
The next
As she stepped inside the upstairs room, she slammed the door with all her might. William was glad that he had slept so long, he wouldn’t be getting much sleep. He glanced toward her door at the top of the stairs as he sat in front of the stairs.
Benjamin smiled effortlessly at the Viscount Lanier and his well fleshed wife, Mary as they walked into the entry.
“So good of you to come. Horrible journey, what with the roads so muddy.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” He winked at Benjamin. “Tempting little she devil you’ve snared. I had hoped for a match between her and my son, but I daresay he hadn’t much of a chance against a man of your standing.”
Benjamin smiled politely at the couple. “I am quite fortunate. I look forward to seeing you at supper.” He turned toward the butler. “Please show his lordship and his lady to their rooms. I’m sure after such a journey they wish to refresh themselves.”
The butler bowed his head toward the guests, and the viscount and his entourage of servants were ushered away, allowing Benjamin a chance to escape.
He headed straight for his study, where his friend Frederick stood waiting like a naughty school boy in front of the duke’s desk. Benjamin closed the door hard and watched him cringe.
“Where is she? You said that you would find her. You promised me that you would find her and you have failed.”
Frederick hung his head as he spoke. “We’ve scoured the countryside for her, but we haven’t found a trace of her.”
Anger coursed through Benjamin’s body, but he kept it under control. “He must have taken her further than anyone of you thought.”
“Yes, we believed he would stay close by so he could collect the ransom.”
“Obviously, he didn’t, did he?”
“No.”
“Day after tomorrow is the day of the wedding. By tomorrow evening the house will be full of guests. What do you suggest I tell them?”
Frederick shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps the truth?”
“The truth! What is the truth? That she was taken by force or that if this wedding does not take place I shall be ruined?”
“I didn’t mean that truth.”
“I am sure you didn’t. Now, you get back out there and find her. Now! Her brother is becoming a problem and a note arrived this morning from the solicitor in London who represents the holder of the note on this estate. If we don’t act soon, the mortgage will be foreclosed and I will be facing poverty.”
Frederick looked hard at Benjamin. “I’ll find her.”
“Then do it!” When Benjamin said nothing more, Frederick turned away and headed toward the door.
Benjamin watched him go. For reasons he didn’t even quite understand, Frederick was the one man he confided in. He said things to him he said to no one else. Perhaps it was the knowledge that the man knew his tongue could be cut out of his head before he could talk.
He was worried about the disappearance of his intended. He needed her plentiful dowry to save him.
Benjamin paced while cursing the bandit who had taken her, cursing Frederick for not finding her, cursing the twist of fate that had forced him to mortgage the house and the merciless holder of the note.
He shook his fisted hand, wishing he didn’t have to face his guests. By the day after tomorrow the wealthiest members of the land would be here. He had spared no expense to impress them, his creditors more than happy to assist and his debts held off by the rumors of a fortune that would soon fall into his hands.
And Katherine? What of her? As long as she was breathing, he would marry her. He would redeem his estate, get her with child and leave her to repine in the country.
He would spend his time in the city, use her fortune to rebuild his own and his power would be such as it was when his father was alive. He put on a smile and returned to his guests.
Chapter Five
The next
Similar Books
