Devil's Own Bargain (London Lords) by Gillgannon Mary

Author:Gillgannon, Mary [Gillgannon, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Published: 2012-07-05T04:00:00+00:00

Ten

When they arrived at the Beaumont town house, Devon helped Pennington from the carriage. Caroline jumped out and took the driver’s arm on the other side.

“My lady,” he protested. “I’ve blood on me clothes. You’ll soil yourself.”

“It’s blood which was shed in the act of protecting me,” Caroline said firmly. “And my clothes will launder.”

Walters met them in the foyer. His eyes widened at the sight of them escorting the injured driver to the house. “What’s happened?” he asked.

“A pack of ruffians attacked the countess’s carriage,” Devon said. “Pennington was wounded in the fray, and Bob and Jeremy are missing.”

The butler gaped at this pronouncement then remembered himself. “Jim!” He turned and called sharply to a footman. “Relieve his lordship of his burden. Take Pennington to the servant quarters and see that his hurts are tended.”

“Should we call a physician?” Caroline asked Devon.

The driver suddenly sprang to life. “No! I won’t have one of them blood-sucking bastards near me! Excusin’ my language, countess. I’d rather be tended by one o’ the kitchen maids. Little Jennie would be me first choice.”

“Jennie it shall be then,” Devon said. He nodded to the footman. The servant came forward and draped Pennington’s arm over his shoulder, then helped him walk away.

Caroline turned to Devon. “Can’t we send someone to look for Bob and Jeremy?”

He didn’t answer her, but motioned to Walters. “Gather all the available servants—Jim, Will, the gardener, the cook’s helpers if they’re reasonably fit. I’m going back to Shadwell tonight.”

“You, sir?” Walters asked. “Don’t you think you should have your own hurts tended to first?”

Caroline jerked around to look at Devon. “You’re hurt?”

“I suffered a blow to the head. It’s nothing, I assure you.”

“Let me look at it.” She moved in front of him. Devon tried to turn his head away, but she caught a glimpse of a discolored bump on the side of his forehead.

“La, sir,” Alice, the housemaid, breathed. “That looks to be a bad un. What happened? Did the bandits get you, too?”

“Nothing happened,” Devon said stiffly. He addressed Walters. “Now, if you would gather the men.”

The butler hurried off. Devon turned toward her. Maybe it was the lines of strain around his mouth or the bruise on his temple, but she had never seen him look so grim and forbidding. “Why don’t you go to bed, Caroline. There’s nothing else you can do.”

She nodded and started toward the stairs. On the way, her legs began to tremble. Alice hurried to help her. The maid escorted her to her bedchamber then went to get some warm milk. “To soothe your nerves, ma’am,” she said.

Caroline sat on the bed for awhile then, restless, walked to the window. Below in the street she could see the Beaumont town carriage. She watched as two men climbed up on the driver’s perch while two others climbed inside. In a moment, a tall figure appeared and entered the coach.

Caroline frowned into the darkness as the vehicle drove away. If Devon were part of the murder plot, he surely would not insist on going back to search for Bob and Jeremy.

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