Lady Charlotte and the Lending Library (The Rogue’s Alliance #1)

Chapter Twenty-Two

C harlotte was cold . She must be lying somewhere outside. Where was her silk wrap shawl? The feeling of rough grass against her bare arms was most uncomfortable. Then she remembered: someone had accosted her on the terrace of Norfolk House. Her eyes flew open, and she lay still, her eyes adjusting to the near blackness surrounding her. She blinked at the night sky, noting a waxing gibbous moon covered by clouds.

“Lord Meers?” she asked softly. “Are you there, Lord Meers?”

“He won’t be helping ye,” a man replied with a menacing laugh. The raspy voice was the same one she’d heard in the garden at Norfolk House.

Her hands were bound in front of her. Thank goodness she still wore her gloves as the night air was bracing. She didn’t know if she was shivering merely from the cold or from the realization that her life might be in danger.

She must remain calm. Charlotte rolled to her side and struggled to sit up, registering the fact that her dancing slippers were gone. Her head felt full of wool. Had she been drugged? She must have been. Her pride wouldn’t let her believe she had fainted while being kidnapped.

“Now, you stay quiet, or I’ll have to keep you quiet.” A shape loomed over her. The cloaked figure was of average height and stocky.

She looked away from the man and spied a stretch of water nearby. Squinting in the gloom, she could make out the shape of a body at the edge of the water, lying face down. She averted her gaze, hoping she didn’t know who it was.

“Where am I?” she whispered.

The hooded figure reached down and forced a cloth into her mouth. She gagged and attempted to use her tongue and lips to push out the rag, to no avail.

“You’re in Hyde Park. Not long now. The boss will take care of you, missy.”

She knew the park was open to all of London until nine o’clock in the evening, although that didn’t prevent vagrants and those up to no good from roaming the park at night. She’d arrived at the ball after ten o’clock. It might be well after midnight by now.

The nearby water must be the Serpentine. What did the boss want with her? Perhaps she was to be drowned in the lake like the poor man lying on the shore. Her thoughts strayed to Lord Ashford. Would she ever see him again? Charlotte must survive this ordeal. She had to see the marquess again and tell him that they belonged together. Tell him that she loved him.

The sound of hooves against the turf alerted her to the approach of a rider. She looked up to see a black horse halt near her surly companion. The cloaked man took the leads of the horse while the rider dismounted.

The rider approached her and stood a few yards away. He was tall and thin, dressed in full evening kit. A cloud moved, and the moonlight illuminated the figure in front of her.

The man pulled the beaver hat from his head, revealing a shock of bright red hair. “Good evening, Lady Charlotte. I’m James Landry. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

* * * * *

E dith, Louisa, and Alicia were waiting for Ashford when he and Nathaniel re-entered Norfolk House from the terrace. He quickly put up a staying hand to halt the volley of questions he knew was headed his way.

“We found William. Charlotte has left Norfolk House in the company of Lord Meers. Baron Harbury, William, and I will find Charlotte. You ladies are to return to your own homes with the assistance of Lady Louisa’s brother.” His tone brooked no argument.

“Nathaniel?” Alicia looked genuinely frightened.

“Perhaps you could accompany Lady Edith to her home.” The baron added, “If that is quite all right with the lady?”

“Of course,” Edith replied quickly, sending Alicia a reassuring smile. “Your sister can stay with my family as long as necessary.”

“We must go,” he said to Nathaniel, nodding to the ladies before striding away from them and out of the ballroom.

He was relieved to see his carriage just down the street from Norfolk House, William standing beside it. Thank goodness his driver hadn’t been forced to park further afield. Ashford vaulted onto the box, taking the reins from his driver.

“Find Lord Cecil,” he said to the driver. “Tell him to come to the east end of the Serpentine in Hyde Park, near the Piccadilly Gate. The footmen may return home.”

The servants withdrew from their places on the coach. Nathaniel joined him on the seat while William entered the carriage. With a flick of the leads, they were off, headed south to the thoroughfare of Pall Mall.

“You’re not going through St. James’s?” Nathaniel asked over the sound of horse hooves hitting cobblestones and the jingle of the bit straps and harnesses.

He shook his head. “Too much road traffic.”

“Why do you believe Lady Charlotte is being held near Piccadilly Gate?”

“That area of the park has the least amount of crime. I recall Cecil telling me the runners have stepped up patrols at that end of the Serpentine. I wouldn’t put it past Landry to bribe the runners to vacate that area of the park when he wants them to.” He was only guessing Lord Meers had taken Charlotte to Hyde Park. Ashford prayed his gamble was correct.

A few minutes later, they drove past Green Park. Ashford turned the carriage right onto Constitution Hill, narrowly missing a pedestrian weaving across the road. The drunken man shook his fist in the air and cursed them as the carriage drove away.

“Why do you think William is still alive? He was the only witness to Lady Charlotte’s abduction.” Nathaniel clutched the side of the leather bench with one hand and the back of the seat with the other.

As the carriage raced along, Ashford worried over the same question. There was only one conclusion. “I believe whoever is behind the abduction of Lady Charlotte is going to kill Lord Meers. The other man involved wore a cloak with a hood. He is unrecognizable.”

Ashford said no more as they reached the Piccadilly Gate. If the men involved in Charlotte’s kidnapping wouldn’t hesitate to kill Lord Meers, the lady was in grave danger indeed.

He halted the coach, and Nathaniel dropped to the ground to remove the chain across the lane. A chain that was essentially Piccadilly Gate.

William opened the coach door and leaned out. “Are we there?” the boy asked gruffly.

He replied just as gruffly, “Nearly! Get back in the carriage!”

Nathaniel was again beside him on the seat. Ashford drove the coach to the left, taking the Ring Road toward the east end of the Serpentine, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. When he reached a place where the water was visible in the gloom, he halted the coach. If Charlotte and her captors were nearby, the lanterns on the outside of the coach may have already alerted them to his presence.

Dropping from the box, he put a finger to his lips as Nathaniel joined him and William exited the coach.

“I shall take the east side of the shoreline. I want you two to take the west. Your eyes should adjust to the gloom soon enough.” Ashford paused, hearing a noise behind him. Turning, he was surprised to see Cecil standing beside the town coach.

“I’ve been following James Landry this evening. I know exactly where he is.” Cecil put up a staying hand as Ashford started forward. “He’s here with one of his lackeys. Landry is armed, and he has Charlotte.”

Cecil pulled a flintlock from his greatcoat pocket and handed it to Ashford. He smiled apologetically to Nathaniel. “It is my only spare.”

“What is the plan?” William asked in a whisper. “How do we save my sister?”

“By sheer numbers,” Ashford replied.

“That’s it?!” William demanded, his voice rising.

Cecil responded, “That is our only choice. The Cheesecake House is some distance off, so there are no structures or trees to hide behind as we approach Landry and his accomplice. There will be no element of surprise.”

A thought came to him. “Have you seen Lord Meers?”

“There is a body next to the lake near where Landry has Charlotte. It is hard to distinguish who it is in the darkness, but I believe it is Lord Meers.”

Ashford shuddered. The man had been a fool to trust James Landry and his ilk. Despite his dislike of the viscount, he’d never wished him dead.

“We have to assume that neither Landry nor his lackey wants to die tonight,” Cecil said grimly, pulling another pistol from his greatcoat. “The man knows I’m a crack shot. It may be hard for you to do, Ashford, but you must allow me to set my sights on Landry.”

He'd seen Cecil in action and knew he was a far better shot than himself. “Agreed, Cecil. Let’s get on with it.”

Ashford walked beside the viscount; Nathaniel and William followed behind. The night air was bracing, the scent of wet mud and grass surrounded them.

Their party made little noise as they walked to the left of the gravel pathway, their footfalls muffled by the lush grass beneath their feet. He’d had no thought to change back into boots, and his dancing pumps were now soaking wet.

A brilliant idea came to him. There was one card he could play to save Charlotte. Landry would have no choice but to release the lady.

Clouds in the dark sky above shifted, allowing wan moonlight to illuminate the scene before them. Not ten yards ahead, a black horse stood, a man in a familiar green cloak holding its leads. Landry stood over Charlotte, who was seated on the ground. From that distance Ashford could see no visible signs the lady had been harmed.

Landry and his man turned their heads as if one.

“Well, well,” Landry said heartily, his voice booming. “We have visitors, my lady.”

Ashford quickly noted the position of the two men facing him. The lackey had a pistol in his right hand as the man’s left hand secured Landry’s horse. The horse was behind the cloaked man and offered no cover. Landry had his right hand in the pocket of his long coat, his left hand hidden from view.

Cecil halted not ten yards from Landry’s party. The viscount whispered, “Stay behind us, Nathaniel, William. If we go down, Charlotte will need you.”

Ashford met Charlotte’s gaze. She had a rag stuffed in her mouth, but he could see no visible injuries. He let out a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders, willing the rage he felt at Landry and his accomplice for holding Charlotte to leave him. The next few minutes could well be the most important of his life.

* * * * *

C harlotte couldn’t believe her eyes. Lord Ashford had found her, and he wasn’t alone. William and Baron Harbury stood behind Ashford and Lord Cecil. She felt relief course through her. Surely Landry and his man wouldn’t try to take on all four men facing them.

“Is that the body of Lord Meers lying by the lake?” Ashford asked her captors.

“He outlived his usefulness,” Landry replied with an exaggerated sigh. He flicked a look at the man in the green cloak. “It seems Lord Meers had second thoughts about what I have planned for Lady Charlotte, so he had to be disposed of.”

She felt a chill go down her spine at Landry’s words. Lord Meers was dead. Was she to be the next to die?

“It looks as if you came here prepared for violence,” Landry said calmly into the eerie silence.

“As did you and your partner,” Lord Cecil replied with a shrug. He raised his arm and aimed a pistol at Landry’s chest. “You know my proficiency with firearms.”

Landry chuckled. “I admit to having lost quite a considerable amount of money betting against you.” He stepped away from Charlotte, pulled a pistol from his coat pocket, and pointed it at her head.

She froze, afraid to move. Afraid to speak. Her gaze caught Ashford’s. He raised his weapon and pointed it at the cloaked man holding Landry’s horse.

“If you harm one hair on Lady Charlotte’s head,” Ashford said gravely, “I will enact the same brutality on your wife and daughter.”

“Would you? I doubt you could find my family. Nevertheless, I don’t believe you have the stomach to harm an innocent young woman.” Landry spoke coolly, his expression one of boredom.

“If you hurt the woman I love, I imagine I could be capable of anything.” He added roughly, “And if I should falter in my revenge, Lord Cecil will be more than willing to ensure you and your family suffer for your actions.”

The thrill of hearing Lord Ashford say he loved her was overshadowed by his threat towards Landry’s family. Ashford, dressed in full evening kit, stood tall, his arm raised, pointing his pistol unflinchingly at the cloaked man. At that moment, the marquess looked like he was capable of anything.

“The alliance gave me one job. By purchasing the property in Berkeley Square, you’ve given me a death sentence,” Landry replied after a few tense moments. His voice was not as calm as before. “What do I have to lose?”

“Your wife and daughter.” Cecil took a few steps forward. “Tell me who is behind the alliance. I can protect you. Get you somewhere safe.”

Landry’s laugh was high-pitched, maniacal. “You don’t understand. Nowhere is safe from these people.”

Afraid of what the man would do next, she glanced up in time to see Landry put the pistol under his chin and fire. Charlotte fell over and lay still, the acrid smell of the smoke from the fired gun drifting to her nostrils. She heard something heavy fall to the ground as the nearby horse whinnied in fear.

There was a rush of feet. She heard Lord Cecil speak to the cloaked man, but his words were unintelligible.

A hand touched her shoulder, and she flinched away.

“It’s me, Charlotte. It’s William. Let me get you to the carriage.”

Charlotte allowed her brother to help her from the ground. As she stood shaking, he wrestled with the rope binding her wrists. She kept her eyes down, away from where she thought Landry's body had fallen.

When her hands were finally free, William removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders. He took her by the hand and slowly led her away along the Serpentine. Feeling slightly ill, she quickly averted her gaze from the body by the water.

After what seemed like forever trudging through the grass, they reached a plain black coach, the glow of its lanterns a welcome sight. William handed her into the carriage and then vaulted in, taking a seat beside her.

“There is no driver,” she said weakly as her body shivered more violently. “I didn’t see a driver.”

“You’re freezing. Give me your hands.” William took her cold hands in his, rubbing them roughly. “Lord Ashford will drive us home. He and Baron Harbury are our escorts. We will protect you.”

A hundred questions were running through her mind. How had Lord Ashford known she was at Hyde Park? What would happen to the cloaked man?

Charlotte was so very tired. If she could just close her eyes for a few minutes, she might remember all the questions she wanted to ask William.