wife’s faces. He owed them so much.
He owed them a grandson to replace the son he’d stolen from them.
…
Austin hired a hack and made his way back to Lady Fledgemont’s small house. He told the driver to take his time. He needed to think. He needed to evaluate what he’d discovered at Penderly’s, and separate what he knew for a fact from what his gut instinct told him.
There were several things he believed. One was that someone had tried to kill the babe. But his gut instinct told him that neither the Earl of Penderly nor his wife was responsible for the attempt. He’d stake his life on it. Not once was a baby mentioned. His gut told him that no one in the room even knew there was a baby.
But if someone had tried to kill the babe, at least one person knew about Jonathan. But who?
Austin considered all the guests gathered at Penderly’s town house and evaluated their reactions to the news. Wesley Dunstan’s open display of anger came to the forefront. He would bear watching. It was possible that he was behind the attack. Until he knew for certain, Austin wouldn’t risk taking the babe to Penderly’s. Little Jonathan’s safety was of the utmost importance.
As the hack neared Lady Fledgemont’s house, he realized his biggest challenge would be to convince her to at least meet with Lord and Lady Penderly. Only then would she realize that they weren’t a threat.
Perhaps they could accomplish this in baby steps. Perhaps he could convince her to meet with Lord and Lady Penderly without them knowing there was a child; without them knowing their son had given them an heir to inherit the title.
That was the most logical way to proceed. Once Lady Fledgemont met her late husband’s parents, she’d see how sincere they were. How desperately they wanted to provide for her. The same as their son would have done.
Once they realized there was a babe, their elation would be that much greater. Then, perhaps a small bit of guilt would be lifted from his shoulders.
The hack stopped in front of the house and Austin got out. He paid the driver, then followed the walk the same as he’d done earlier. He knocked on the door, thankful that this time he wouldn’t have to force his way in.
His heart increased its steady pounding but he ignored the voice that told him the reason for his eagerness was because he was anxious to see her again. He couldn’t be. Any reaction he had when he was near her was because she needed his protection. Because she was a woman alone in the world with a babe to care for. Because taking her and her babe to the Earl of Penderly would restore the family he’d destroyed. It had nothing to do with the way his blood warmed when he was near her, the way his heart raced.
He knocked again, certain she was busy caring for little Jonathan, or perhaps upstairs and didn’t hear him. When she didn’t answer on the third rap, he turned the knob, certain it wouldn’t open. She wouldn’t forget to lock the door when an attempt had been made on Jonathan’s life already once.
The knob turned easily and the door opened with a push.
Austin’s heart hammered in his chest, his blood pounded against his ears. He raced inside and checked the kitchen first, then took the stairs to Jonathan’s bedroom three at a time. He ran down the hall and threw open the door, praying he wouldn’t find Lady Fledgemont or Jonathan dead inside.
He stepped into the room and looked around. They weren’t dead. They hadn’t been harmed. Because they weren’t there.
Austin raced down to the kitchen. The glass jar she’d used to feed Jonathan was gone along with the rag toy the babe chewed on and the blanket Lady Fledgemont wrapped him in when she fed him.
She hadn’t taken much. He doubted she’d remained long enough after he left to consider what items needed to be packed. And what about money?
He raced through the rest of the rooms downstairs and stopped when he reached a small study. The drawers to a desk were
He owed them a grandson to replace the son he’d stolen from them.
…
Austin hired a hack and made his way back to Lady Fledgemont’s small house. He told the driver to take his time. He needed to think. He needed to evaluate what he’d discovered at Penderly’s, and separate what he knew for a fact from what his gut instinct told him.
There were several things he believed. One was that someone had tried to kill the babe. But his gut instinct told him that neither the Earl of Penderly nor his wife was responsible for the attempt. He’d stake his life on it. Not once was a baby mentioned. His gut told him that no one in the room even knew there was a baby.
But if someone had tried to kill the babe, at least one person knew about Jonathan. But who?
Austin considered all the guests gathered at Penderly’s town house and evaluated their reactions to the news. Wesley Dunstan’s open display of anger came to the forefront. He would bear watching. It was possible that he was behind the attack. Until he knew for certain, Austin wouldn’t risk taking the babe to Penderly’s. Little Jonathan’s safety was of the utmost importance.
As the hack neared Lady Fledgemont’s house, he realized his biggest challenge would be to convince her to at least meet with Lord and Lady Penderly. Only then would she realize that they weren’t a threat.
Perhaps they could accomplish this in baby steps. Perhaps he could convince her to meet with Lord and Lady Penderly without them knowing there was a child; without them knowing their son had given them an heir to inherit the title.
That was the most logical way to proceed. Once Lady Fledgemont met her late husband’s parents, she’d see how sincere they were. How desperately they wanted to provide for her. The same as their son would have done.
Once they realized there was a babe, their elation would be that much greater. Then, perhaps a small bit of guilt would be lifted from his shoulders.
The hack stopped in front of the house and Austin got out. He paid the driver, then followed the walk the same as he’d done earlier. He knocked on the door, thankful that this time he wouldn’t have to force his way in.
His heart increased its steady pounding but he ignored the voice that told him the reason for his eagerness was because he was anxious to see her again. He couldn’t be. Any reaction he had when he was near her was because she needed his protection. Because she was a woman alone in the world with a babe to care for. Because taking her and her babe to the Earl of Penderly would restore the family he’d destroyed. It had nothing to do with the way his blood warmed when he was near her, the way his heart raced.
He knocked again, certain she was busy caring for little Jonathan, or perhaps upstairs and didn’t hear him. When she didn’t answer on the third rap, he turned the knob, certain it wouldn’t open. She wouldn’t forget to lock the door when an attempt had been made on Jonathan’s life already once.
The knob turned easily and the door opened with a push.
Austin’s heart hammered in his chest, his blood pounded against his ears. He raced inside and checked the kitchen first, then took the stairs to Jonathan’s bedroom three at a time. He ran down the hall and threw open the door, praying he wouldn’t find Lady Fledgemont or Jonathan dead inside.
He stepped into the room and looked around. They weren’t dead. They hadn’t been harmed. Because they weren’t there.
Austin raced down to the kitchen. The glass jar she’d used to feed Jonathan was gone along with the rag toy the babe chewed on and the blanket Lady Fledgemont wrapped him in when she fed him.
She hadn’t taken much. He doubted she’d remained long enough after he left to consider what items needed to be packed. And what about money?
He raced through the rest of the rooms downstairs and stopped when he reached a small study. The drawers to a desk were
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