Page 112 of A Baby to Seal the Duke’s Fate

“Very well,” Leopold said, taking his gloves and turning toward the door. “We leave immediately.”

One thought remained in his mind. Honora had lied about her name, and nothing else that was of any consequence. She had been telling the truth about the one thing that mattered most. She had wanted to see that Cecily was taken care of. And so did he. But now, he also wanted to see that Honora was taken care of, as well. She had not betrayed him the way he thought she had. And the feelings he had been developing for her were becoming harder and harder to deny.

The two men rode hard. The road seemed longer than it had any right to be. Leopold urged his horse onward, barely noticing the cold air or the ache in his hands.

He could think of nothing except the possibility that he was already too late, that Honora and Cecily would be long gone, to some destination that would forever be unknown to him. In light of everything, that thought was an impossible notion to tolerate. He could not lose them. Losing them would destroy him.

When they reached the coaching inn, Leopold dismounted before the horse had properly stopped. He and Barnaby crossed the yard and pushed through the door.

The innkeeper looked up.

“Did a woman arrive here today?” Leopold demanded, wasting no time on any pleasantries.

The man’s expression tightened at the tone. “A few women have been here today. You need to be more specific.”

Leopold huffed, prepared to unleash undue rage. But a hand on his shoulder from Barnaby helped him remember himself.

“A young woman,” he said as calmly as his frantic heartbeat would allow. “Auburn hair. Traveling with a baby.”

The innkeeper shook his head. “No.”

Leopold stepped closer. “She should have arrived sometime this afternoon.”

“I have not seen anyone matching that description. Or anyone with a baby at all today, for that matter.”

Leopold clenched his jaw. Surely, the man was simply mistaken.

“You are certain that no carriage arrived carrying this young woman and her baby?”

The man thought again. “No.”

Leopold’s pulse hammered. “Search your records.”

“There is no need.” The innkeeper’s voice had become more certain, and slightly more impatient. “No woman with a baby has arrived here today.”

Leopold stared at him. “Did any carriage stop?” He knew his persistent questioning would not change the answer. But he did not know what else to do, and his panic was rapidly overtaking him.

“Yes.”

“When?”

“An hour or so ago. Long enough to change horses.”

Leopold’s stomach dropped. “Who was in it?”

The innkeeper shook his head. “Men. Two of them.”

Leopold felt the blood drain from his face. “But no woman?”

“No.”

Leopold stepped backward. He stood in the doorway of the coaching inn, staring out into the dark road beyond. For a moment, he could not think. It did not make any sense.

Isolde had told him she would see to it that Honora and Cecily arrived safely at the very inn where he stood. She had assured him she had paid well to ensure that the two of them would be taken care of once they arrived, and until they could find some other place to go.

He had pretended to not care, but he had been relieved deep down to know that they would be safe outside of Belgrave’s walls. Isolde had reassured him that all was well. Isolde…

Then the truth settled over him with a terrible clarity. Lady Isolde Penmere had not seen Honora and Cecily to safety. She had never intended to. The carriage had gone somewhere else. But why? And more importantly at that moment, where?