Penny rose early the following morning. It was not quite dawn yet, and the moon still cast soft, silvery shadows that stole into her room from the open windows. She had slept poorly again, spending the night in restless dreams, pleasant at times, especially the ones related to the kiss she had shared with the Duke, almost always replaced by the most overwhelming guilt. Good heavens! What she had done was tantamount to covetousness, sharing an intimate moment with a man who was already promised to another. This was not her, this…this wanton woman who followed men into dark mazes and kissed them without thought to irreparably damaging her reputation and being regarded as a light skirt among respectable members of society.
She slipped out of bed, her hair flowing around her shoulders and lower back as she made her way to the privy, her bare feet doing nothing to break the deep silence that hung over the house. Everyone else would still be asleep. Lucy and Edward were notorious late risers, never getting out of bed until nine. Her mind was still troubled, and her eyes felt swollen from too little sleep for several days in a row. Unbidden, she wondered why he did not simply release Miss Rosebury from the engagement, then she hastily shoved the thought aside. What he did was none of her affairs,
she reminded herself sternly, and she needed to stay as far away from the man as was humanly possible regardless of how his kisses made her long for something she could never have from him.
During one of her restless periods of tossing and turning, she had finally come to the conclusion that the Duke did not take her seriously. Most probably to him, she was simply a plaything with whom he could pass the time while in the boring countryside. She was merely being fanciful in thinking she was the sort of woman who would interest a man who was used to getting his choice of beautiful, rich women.
The cold had stirred the pain in her leg, and her head throbbed again from the endless questions she had been asking herself throughout the night to which she had little or no answers. Perhaps she would be much better off accepting Victor Barstow’s proposal and settle down to a quiet life as the parson’s wife and forget about this present madness.
The cold air hit her the moment she opened the back door leading to the privy, causing goosebumps all over her bare arms. Winter was nigh if the nip in the air was anything to go by. Penny grimaced and made a mental note to ask Papa for permission to remodel the house so as to include a privy inside the house as was the current fashion. She slipped her feet into thickly padded slippers and hurried outside. Business done, she was just returning to the house when the open barn door caught her eye.
“What on earth?” she wondered out loud, changing directions instantly. She was certain she had closed the door last night before going to bed, making sure the two horses were well-fed and warm. In the dim light, she could just make out footprints leading to towards the barn, and she hurried over, dread washing through her. Could they have been bungled at night? Why would anyone take the horses? They were old and rather slow, not quality horseflesh at all.
She reached the barn and peered inside, her heart sinking. The old mare was gone, though the second horse neighed at her, tossing his soft brown head in welcome.
Her heart raced. Who could have taken the horse? Why? What purpose would the gentle mare serve a thief? “Oh God!” she cried out, whirling about and racing back to the house, yelling at for Lucy and Edward. What if the burglar had broken into the house too?
“Eddie! Lucy!” she called out, ignoring the pain lancing up her leg, taking the stairs two at the time. Lucy’s door opened just as she reached the landing, and her sister peeped round the sturdy, wooden door sleepily.
“What is happening?” Lucy asked, rubbing her eyes to clear them. She took in Penny’s agitated state and instantly became alarmed. “Penny? What is it? Is the house on fire?”
“Burglar!” was all Penny could say as she moved past Lucy to bang on Edward’s door. “Eddie! Wake up for heaven’s sakes. Bessie is missing!”
She heard Lucy gasp behind her, but there was strangely no reply from Edward. She shot Lucy a quick look and turned the handle. The door swung open with a loud creak.
The bed covers were rumpled, but there was no sign of Edward. Her heart stopped when a quick search of the room revealed that several of his personal belongings were also gone.
“Oh dear Lord! No no no no no…” she whispered, sinking to the floor in panic. She was aware of Lucy asking questions, but her mind was working at a million miles a minute, and she could not bring herself to answer. “Please, God, no…Let this be a dream, please…”
“Penny?” Lucy hurried beside her, holding out a white piece of paper, her eyes clearly showing her confusion. “I found this under his pillow…I think it…” Her voice trailed off in a sob, and she simply handed it over to Penny who took it and unfolded it, her fingers shaking because she already had an inkling of the contents.
I have gone to Gretna Green with J. I love her too much to lose her. Do not worry, we will keep safe, Eddie.
“Oh!” Penny groaned, shutting her eyes as the sound of Lucy’s sobs filled the room. “Oh, Edward, what have you done?”
Eloping would only make things worse. The Duke was certain to take swift and exacting revenge on them both, and he would be within his rights to do whatever he pleased. Not to worry? How could she not worry? Even before they got to Scotland, Jane would be hopelessly compromised by the mere fact of being in the company of a gentleman without a chaperone. They needed to be stopped. Hopefully, they had not gone far, and with a pair of swift horses, perhaps she could catch up with them before they got far.
She had to go to Newbridge at once.
***
His bare chest glistening with perspiration from the gruelling morning run, Phillip was just pouring himself a glass of whiskey when the sound of running feet and agitated voices reached his ears. He swore and turned just as the door to his study burst open, and Miss Inglewood ran into the room, his butler in hot pursuit.
Her hair, normally immaculately gathered in a tidy bun, was loose and flowing about her tiny form. Her eyes were wild and filled with worry, but the most astonishing thing of all was her attire. She was wearing only a dressing gown, and he could clearly see the hem of the blue night rail she wore beneath, muddied, as were her slipper-clad feet. It appeared she had run all the way here.
“Miss Inglewood!” he called out, setting the glass aside and crossing the room in quick strides to her side. “What is the meaning of this?”
She stared at him wildly, tears running down her face, bosom heaving from her exertion. “They’re gone!” She gasped, thrusting a crumpled piece of paper at him.
He took the paper and merely gaped at her. “Who is gone?” “E–Edward, Jane…they have run away to get married!”
He grasped her arms, pulling her close to stare into her eyes; the panicked look he saw in them convinced him she was not joking, “Come and sit down.”
He led her to a sofa, but she resisted him, shaking her head frantically. “No…must go…after them…need…horses…”
“Sit!” he ordered firmly. Startled by the hard tone, she immediately complied. “Now, you will tell me what has happened and do so slowly.” He turned to the butler who was still hovering by the door, unsure of what to do. “Leave. Prepare my horse. I will be leaving soon.”
The butler hurried away. Phillip retrieved his glass of whiskey and thrust it into Penny’s hand. “Drink. It will help calm you.”
She peered into the cup, wrinkling her nose in distaste at the foul fumes, and handed it back to him. “I don’t want it.”
He sighed and went on his haunches before her, grasping the glass, his hands covering her own and lifted it to her mouth. “Just a sip. You must be freezing.”
She took a small sip and gagged, thrusting the glass away. “Oh, Lord! It tastes awful.”
He set it aside and moved to sit beside her. “Now, talk.”
She nodded and took a deep breath, folding her hands on her laps. “I…woke up…went to use the…never mind that.” She blushed when she realized what she had been about to say and cleared her throat. “The barn door was open, so I went to investigate. Thought it might be a burglar, but Bessie…our horse…was gone…Called for Eddie and Lucy, but his room was empty. Found the note…said he was on his way to Gretna Green to be married…Came here so you could lend me a fast horse…”
He unfolded the note and perused the contents. “How long ago did you find this?”
She thought for a moment. “I…woke early, still not light outside…Took maybe twenty minutes before…I saw the note.”
He nodded and rose to pace the room, while she followed his every move with her eyes; he rubbed his jaw, feeling the rough stubble of overnight growth. “That does not help to know how long they have been gone.”
She pressed a hand to her lips to stifle a sob. Phillip ceased his pacing and turned to her, noting how vulnerable and frightened she looked.
He crossed to her and gathered her up into his arms. She melted against him crying, her soft body begging him for comfort and help. He stroked the silky cloud of her hair, inhaling its lemony scent, wanting to drown his senses in her and never let go. What the hell was the matter with him?
He released her abruptly, the movement causing her dressing gown to part slightly, revealing the very light night rail, the outline of her left nipple clearly visible. He felt an overwhelming surge of lust, completely inappropriate considering the fact that his fiancée had just run away with another man.
Penny saw the flash of desire in Phillip’s eyes before he turned away abruptly and strode to the doors. He paused with his hand on the handle and turned back to her, his voice cool and distant, all traces of the lust gone from his expression.
“You need to sit, Miss Inglewood. I will send the housekeeper up with some tea and proper attire for you to wear if such can be obtained.”
Realizing for the first time just what she was wearing and his state of undress, Penny turned crimson in mortification. She hastily wrapped the dressing gown more securely, unable to meet his eyes or any other part of his body for that matter.
“W–where are you going?” she murmured softly, sinking back down to the sofa.
“I am going to see the Viscount. Most likely the lady’s disappearance has not yet been discovered. Then I intend to go in pursuit of the both of them. With any luck, they will make several stops at inns on the way. It will be possible to catch up with them if they do.”
She rose, swaying a little as the room spun crazily for a moment. Clutching the back of the sofa for support, she finally met his eyes. “I will come with you.”
He gave a bark of laughter and shook his head. “You can hardly stand, and you are not even properly dressed. Even if you were, I do not wish for your company, for you will only act as an annoying obstacle. Besides, there is no need to ruin your reputation by coming with me. I will retrieve your brother and my betrothed, Miss Inglewood. You had best
return home when you can. I will leave instructions to have a carriage waiting for you.”
She glared at him. “There is no need to worry about my health or reputation, Your Grace. I am quite capable of looking after myself. I merely came here because I know you have swift horses that will serve me well in going after them.”
“Well, I do not. And you will go home and wait, Miss Inglewood, or I shall have you tied up till I return.”
She pursed her lips in disapproval. “You will kill him if I let you go on your own. I cannot risk that.”
He smiled at her for the very first time since she had burst into his study. “I promise I will not harm a hair of your brother’s head, regardless of how much I wish to wring his neck at times. He will be delivered to you safe and sound.”
She sighed. “Very well, I will wait, but I do not like it one bit.” “I did not expect you to. Good day, Miss Inglewood.” He pulled
the door open and strode out.
***
An hour later, an unmarked, black carriage dropped Penny back at the manor. Lucy ran up to meet her.
“Well? What did he say? Is he going to help?”
Penny led Lucy into the house. “He has gone after them, and I intend to do the exact same thing. Help me pack a bag. I will change, and together, we will go to Fiona. Her son works as a stable lad, doesn’t he?” Lucy nodded and hastened to do as instructed. Penny changed into riding clothes, her mind working rapidly. There was no way she would sit
back and let Phillip go after the two lovers alone; God only knew what he would do despite his promise to her. She would ask Fiona to look after Lucy for a few days then borrow a horse with the help of her son. Hopefully, she would be on the road to Scotland within the hour.