Page 21

“Stop!” She banged her fist against the carriage roof.

The driver slowed the horses and came to a halt. Not caring how she appeared to others, Maggie flung open her carriage door and leapt directly into the throng of people.

“Oy! What about my fare?” the driver yelled.

She turned, retrieved a coin from her reticule with shaking hands, and pressed it into his open palm. Then she waded through the crowded market, like a fish desperate to make its way upstream. She headed for the fruit stall where she’d seen her sister and Tobias. But they had already moved on and were no longer there. She scanned the area, her breathing heavy. A sea of people swam before her eyes. Then she spotted them, walking arm in arm just ahead of her. She dashed forward and grabbed hold of Lettie’s arm.

Lettie spun around, and Maggie’s breath caught in her throat. A young woman with a scar that ran from her cheekbone to her chin snarled at her. “What are you about, pulling on me arm?”

“I’m sorry,” Maggie said, backing away from the woman, who was not Lettie. The man beside her, who was much older than Tobias, frowned at Maggie before the two turned and slipped back into the crowd.

Maggie stood, gazing at the throng of people, feeling utterly lost. She was certain she’d seen Lettie and Tobias. Where had they gone? She strained her neck, searching the crowd. Hats, tall and short, coats brown and gray, and bonnets of all shades. Where are you, Lettie? She searched for a tall gentleman and a petite woman with white-blonde hair in the sea of people.

Then she spotted them and frantically weaved her way through the crowd until she was able to grasp her sister’s arm. “Lettie!” she cried.

The young woman turned, her blue eyes wide with surprise. Maggie recoiled. Once again, she had been wrong.

“How dare you?” the gentleman who accompanied the young woman demanded. “What do you want with my daughter?”

Maggie shook her head. It was all she could manage. The disappointment and shock at seeing a strange face when she was expecting Lettie again overwhelmed her. The gentleman and his daughter scowled at her before departing. Maggie turned and headed to hire a carriage, deep in thought about what to do next, when someone stepped into her path.

“Well, it seems you decided to return home after all.” She gasped, hearing Tobias’s voice. Looking up, she saw a smirk on his face that made her want to hit him. “I knew Hattie would warn you of my plans; that’s why I told her about them in the first place,” he said. “Loyal to you as always. It will serve as a good reason for me to sack her without wages or a reference.”

“Where is my sister?” she said. “Where is Lettie?”

“Calm down.” Tobias put a hand on her arm. “I’d be more than happy to take you to her.”

Maggie had not expected this answer, and her anger faded. “You…you’ll take me to her right away?”

“Yes. My carriage is waiting.”

“I have my own carriage,” Maggie said, though it was a lie. Her carriage had left already.

“Send it away,” Tobias said bluntly.

“Or what?” Maggie tried to wrench her arm out of Tobias’s grip. “You can’t manhandle me this way, Tobias. I am a countess.”

Tobias threw back his head and laughed. “And I am counting on Cadwell coming after you. Or did you think I was afraid of him? Either you come with me, or you never see Lettie again. The choice is yours.”

Maggie had no choice, as Tobias well knew. So she climbed into his carriage, squeezing herself into the corner in an attempt to sit as far away from him as possible. Being near him made her skin crawl. She could feel his eyes on her as they rode through the countryside, but she refused to look at him, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on the window.

The ride seemed to stretch on forever before they finally arrived at a secluded manor house, surrounded by tall, leafy trees and secured by high walls and a large iron gate. When the carriage stopped, two bullish footmen standing guard unlocked and opened the gates, and the carriage rolled through. This took several minutes as the gate was chained shut with a heavy lock. Maggie shuddered. What is this place?

An eerie feeling crept up her spine as she turned to see the footman shut and relocked the gates. They were now truly locked inside. The garden was vast, but somewhat unkempt and overgrown. A fountain in the middle of the greenery stood empty. As they approached the house, Maggie saw that it, too, was somewhat neglected. Overgrown ivy crept up the white stone walls and snaked between the shuttered windows.

“Whose house is this?” she asked.

“It belongs to my uncle. He’s a bit of an isolationist—doesn’t like too many people about him. So, he avoids servants, though he badly needs them.”

“And you left Lettie here?” she said, unable to keep the anger from her voice.

“She’s with me, and this is where I stay when I come to Dorset.”

Why does an earl choose to stay in a rundown mansion when he is accustomed to luxury?

When the carriage came to a stop near the front entrance to the house, Maggie could hardly wait to get out of the vehicle. In a few moments, she’d be able to see Lettie and take her home.

A butler almost as ancient as the house itself greeted them at the front door. Once inside, Maggie saw that the interior was just as shabby as the exterior. The faded red carpet underfoot looked worn, as did the furnishings. Dust filled the air, making Maggie’s nose itch. But she hardly cared. All she wanted was to see her sister.