Rexanne Becnel by Heart of the Storm

Author:Heart of the Storm
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“Someone’s kidnapped Eliza?”

Michael Geoffrey Johnstone stared disbelievingly at the man who was to be his father-in-law. But Gerald Thoroughgood’s haggard features confirmed the unimaginable truth.

“What the bastard’s done is kidnap my son. My Aubrey!” Lloyd Haberton swore, his face almost purple with his fury.

“But he’s taken my daughter as well,” Gerald said. “The devil take him, he’s stolen my Eliza—and done God knows what to her,” he trailed off, going even greyer, if that were possible.

His eyes met Michael’s and the two of them shared the same sickening stab of fear. God knew what the depraved beast would do to her—and they feared they knew too.

Michael reached for a decanter and poured a full glass of something—anything. His hand shook as he lifted the glass and tossed the contents back in one burning gulp. It shook as it tightened on the tumbler in a painful grip, and it shook as he threw the vessel blindly and the glass shattered on the marble hearth.

“Eliza!” he cried in a misery of desperation. He should never have let her go. He should have tried harder to put her at her ease. But she’d been so remote around him, like some porcelain doll, meant only to be admired from afar, never to be touched or played with. Only as she was departing had he sensed her beginning to warm ever so slightly toward him.

Though he’d wanted her to stay, he’d let her go, hoping that time and separation would bring her around even more. Twice a week he’d written her since she’d left, though he’d known she’d probably receive the letters in batches. But now it seemed she’d never receive any of them at all. Oh God!

“Is there a note?” he demanded of Sir Lloyd. “How did you learn of this? How can you be sure it’s even true?”

Lloyd passed him two sheets of parchment, creased and folded in the manner of messages come a long way. “They came together. One from my cousin, Agnes, with a short note attached from the ranking English citizen in Funchal. But this one.” He threw a third page on the tabletop as if it were contaminated. “This one is from the bastard who did this foul deed—” He broke off with a sob and turned away, one hand covering his eyes.

While Lloyd Haberton composed himself, Michael scanned the sheets. Cousin Agnes had cried over her note, a rambling, incoherent message that revealed only that some young man named Oliver Spencer was involved. The letter from a Lord Roland Bennington told little more, save that the island was being searched high and low for the villains—and their victims.

But it was the other note that revealed much more. It was addressed to Lloyd Haberton, no title, no formal address. “We have unfinished business, you and I, and through your son I will finally see it done.”

It was signed, Cyprian Dare, and by its very brevity the seriousness of the situation was magnified. No threat. No ransom demand. What was the man’s purpose, then?

Michael looked over at Lloyd Haberton.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.