Part 27 (2/2)
”With your presence, Lady Perrill, our group is complete,” said a refined, masculine voice. ”Will you not step inside and be comfortable?”
CHAPTER 21.
”Were you not a bit rigoureux on her, Adrian? She has not had an easy time of it,” Comte de Cavilon noted softly to his friend.
”And what have I had? d.a.m.nation.” Rising, the earl strode to the fire. ”I did not mean that,” he said slowly to no one. ”Something seems to come over me when I am near her.”
”Love is often like that, mon ami,” answered the comte quietly. ”You are fortunate to have found someone who loves you as you love her. Do not throw it away on a misunderstanding.”
Lord Adrian pivoted to face him, his face as black as the comte had ever seen it. ”You do not understand.”
”I comprehend more than you can know. We alone suffer when we let pride and obstinacy stops us
from doing what we really want to do, or from saying what we should.” He paused.
”Or from unsaying that which never should have been said.” Cavilon laid a hand on Adrian's back. ”I have been where you are now,” he said sadly, ”and I failed. By all I know true, Juliane loves you.
”Have you told her that you love her-or have you, as usual, left her to guess that you do? I leave you to
think on it.”
The struggle was brief. Love overcame pride. But Adrian's decision to search for Juliane was thwarted before it could be put into action.
Re-entering the room excitedly as Adrian was about to leave, Cavilon said, ”A messenger has just arrived with word from one of our men. He believes he may have located the kidnappers. We are to meet him at the Oaks this evening.”
”Good. Action is what we need.” Adrian rubbed his hands in antic.i.p.ation.
”My lord,” interrupted Holdt. ”There are two, er, gentlemen asking to see you.”
”Did they give their names or mention their business?”
Adrian.
To Cavilon he said, ”I will be back. We will lay our plans as soon as I finish with them. Wait for me.”
As Lord Adrian entered his study, the squire and his companion stood, ill at ease.
”I understand you wish to see me,” Adrian said as he stood before them.
”Ah, yes,” squirmed the squire.
”What is it?”
”If you will let me speak, m'lord?” The second man stepped forward.
”As you will.”
”There was an unpleasant incident some weeks back involving the deaths of a postilion and an abigail.”
He paused.
Lord Adrian said nothing. He took a seat behind his desk.
”The squire, here,” he jerked his head toward the uncomfortable-looking man, he says he talked with your man at...” He paused once more, removed a small book from inside his coat and thumbed through the pages. ”He talked with your man, Mallatt, at a farmer's cottage-Jove Foster's. Is this true?”
”Yes.”
”Mr. Foster said you, your wife, two children, and valet stumbled into their farmyard during a heavy snowstorm. You were injured?” He looked at Lord Adrian who nodded, then continued.
”The day before you departed, there was an attempt to abduct the boy-Andre?”
Again Lord Adrian nodded, not certain of the direction this questioning.
”This is all true?” the man asked, evidently unsatisfied by Adrian's nod.
The earl rose and slowly walked around his desk. ”Squire, perhaps you could explain all these questions.”
”We don't, ah, we don't want to cause you no trouble, your lords.h.i.+p-but I am magistrate.”
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