“Very well. We shall see you in Berkeley Square.”
Clarence took his leave of the duchess and Frankie, then strode across to Pierce, who was hovering in the doorway to the small salon in which this conversation had taken place.
“Have everyone ask discrete questions,” he said curtly. “Call at every rookery, every den of thievery we know of, and make their inhabitants aware they will not be left to continue with their thievery until we find the lady. Offer a reward for information, but do not, under any circumstances, name the lady who has been abducted. Are you clear what must be done?”
“Leave it to me, my lord.”
“I shall be at Sheridan House. Keep me informed of developments, no matter how insignificant.”
Clarence lingered only long enough to see his orders carried out, then walked the short distance to Berkeley Square. He noticed several of the men under his command already patrolling the street, and those surrounding it. Not that Lady Annalise was likely to be in this district, but it paid to be thorough.
Clarence was admitted to the house and found the entire family congregated in the drawing room. He went straight to the duchess.
“I am most terribly sorry, your grace,” he said, bowing over her hand. “But rest assured, we will not leave a stone unturned until we find Lady Annalise.”
The duchess was clearly distressed, but managed to remain in control of herself. Lady Portia clutched one of her mother’s hands, herself looking close to tears.
“We do not blame you, Lord Romsey,” the duchess said.
All three brothers were standing in a cluster in front of the fire. One of them made a derogatory sound, but none of them spoke. Winchester’s two wolfhounds, Phantom and Phineas, were stretched out full length on the hearth rug. They lifted their heads when Clarence walked in, but quickly dropped them again and returned to their slumbers.
“Thank you, but I take full responsibility.”
“If a lady cannot stroll on a terrace during a ball in one of the safest mansions in London, then I don’t know what the world is coming to. No wonder you and Zach are so concerned about the increase in criminal activity. This is beyond unimaginable.”
“That it is, your grace, but we shall get to the bottom of it.” Clarence’s jaw clenched, square and unmoving. “On that you have my solemn oath.”
“You think the people who took Anna will ask for a ransom, I understand,” Lady Portia said, wrinkling her brow. “But how will they deliver their demand? They must know you will have the area around this house surrounded and will apprehend whoever approaches it.”
“They will send an urchin, one they recruit far away from where they are holding Anna,” Winchester said before Clarence could. “He won’t know the identity of the abductors, nor will we bother to ask him. We are not going to take any more chances with Anna’s safety,” he added with a significant glance for Clarence. “We will pay whatever they ask to get her back, and then scour the country until we find her abductors.”
“God help them when we do,” Vince replied, scowling.
Winchester refilled his brothers’ glasses, then his own. After a moment’s hesitation, he filled another and passed it to Clarence.
“Thank you,” Clarence said, recognising the gesture for the olive branch that it was.
“And so we must wait,” the duchess said, showing signs of considerable strain, but not giving way to hysterics.
“That will be the hardest part,” Lady Portia said. “Waiting, unable to do anything, feeling so useless.”
“God to bed, Mother,” Winchester said with a kindly smile. “You, too, Portia. We will wake you as soon as we hear anything, but I doubt if it will be before daybreak.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” the duchess replied.
Winchester took his mother’s hand and gently pulled her to her feet. “Try, for my sake,” he said softly. “I can’t worry about you and Portia, as well as Anna. There
Clarence took his leave of the duchess and Frankie, then strode across to Pierce, who was hovering in the doorway to the small salon in which this conversation had taken place.
“Have everyone ask discrete questions,” he said curtly. “Call at every rookery, every den of thievery we know of, and make their inhabitants aware they will not be left to continue with their thievery until we find the lady. Offer a reward for information, but do not, under any circumstances, name the lady who has been abducted. Are you clear what must be done?”
“Leave it to me, my lord.”
“I shall be at Sheridan House. Keep me informed of developments, no matter how insignificant.”
Clarence lingered only long enough to see his orders carried out, then walked the short distance to Berkeley Square. He noticed several of the men under his command already patrolling the street, and those surrounding it. Not that Lady Annalise was likely to be in this district, but it paid to be thorough.
Clarence was admitted to the house and found the entire family congregated in the drawing room. He went straight to the duchess.
“I am most terribly sorry, your grace,” he said, bowing over her hand. “But rest assured, we will not leave a stone unturned until we find Lady Annalise.”
The duchess was clearly distressed, but managed to remain in control of herself. Lady Portia clutched one of her mother’s hands, herself looking close to tears.
“We do not blame you, Lord Romsey,” the duchess said.
All three brothers were standing in a cluster in front of the fire. One of them made a derogatory sound, but none of them spoke. Winchester’s two wolfhounds, Phantom and Phineas, were stretched out full length on the hearth rug. They lifted their heads when Clarence walked in, but quickly dropped them again and returned to their slumbers.
“Thank you, but I take full responsibility.”
“If a lady cannot stroll on a terrace during a ball in one of the safest mansions in London, then I don’t know what the world is coming to. No wonder you and Zach are so concerned about the increase in criminal activity. This is beyond unimaginable.”
“That it is, your grace, but we shall get to the bottom of it.” Clarence’s jaw clenched, square and unmoving. “On that you have my solemn oath.”
“You think the people who took Anna will ask for a ransom, I understand,” Lady Portia said, wrinkling her brow. “But how will they deliver their demand? They must know you will have the area around this house surrounded and will apprehend whoever approaches it.”
“They will send an urchin, one they recruit far away from where they are holding Anna,” Winchester said before Clarence could. “He won’t know the identity of the abductors, nor will we bother to ask him. We are not going to take any more chances with Anna’s safety,” he added with a significant glance for Clarence. “We will pay whatever they ask to get her back, and then scour the country until we find her abductors.”
“God help them when we do,” Vince replied, scowling.
Winchester refilled his brothers’ glasses, then his own. After a moment’s hesitation, he filled another and passed it to Clarence.
“Thank you,” Clarence said, recognising the gesture for the olive branch that it was.
“And so we must wait,” the duchess said, showing signs of considerable strain, but not giving way to hysterics.
“That will be the hardest part,” Lady Portia said. “Waiting, unable to do anything, feeling so useless.”
“God to bed, Mother,” Winchester said with a kindly smile. “You, too, Portia. We will wake you as soon as we hear anything, but I doubt if it will be before daybreak.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” the duchess replied.
Winchester took his mother’s hand and gently pulled her to her feet. “Try, for my sake,” he said softly. “I can’t worry about you and Portia, as well as Anna. There
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