Her Majesty's Necromancer (The Ministry of Curiosities #2)(70)

I finally reached the Lichfield gate and paused at the spot where Jasper had kidnapped me. I drew in a shuddery breath and congratulated myself on getting free and reaching safety.

The pounding of horses' hooves sent my heart racing again. The large beast bore down on me, but I recognized it and didn't try to get out of the way. I suddenly couldn't, anyway. My feet were too sore and my legs felt like lead. Everything ached, from my head to my toes.

The horse pulled to a stop and the rider slid down to land noiselessly on the road. Lincoln stared at me with eyes that were so familiar and yet not at the same time. They swirled with emotion—or was it my vision that swirled?

I could no longer hold myself together. It felt as if every piece of me was unraveling, peeling away, leaving me exposed and vulnerable. I hated that he saw me looking so pathetic, but I couldn't stop my tears. They poured out of me. I dropped the fire iron and covered my face with my hands.

Strong arms cocooned me and pressed me gently against his chest, where I could hear in his erratic heartbeat how worried he'd been.





CHAPTER 16


Lincoln massaged my neck with one hand, and splayed the fingers of the other across my back. I stayed locked in his arms until my tears dried and his breathing returned to its normal rhythm. I was acutely aware that he hadn't spoken, but his embrace said more than words ever could. He wasn't throwing me out. He did care.

His horse moved and the hand at my neck let go to catch the reins. The clip clop of hooves on the road grew louder and I looked up.

"Charlie?" Seth jumped down before his horse had come to a complete stop. He beamed at me and opened his arms.

Lincoln let me go and stood aside while Seth scooped me up, lifting me off my feet.

"Bloody hell!" he murmured in my ear. "We were so worried about you."

"Have you both been out looking for me?"

"All night. Gus too. Cook wanted to join us, but someone had to stay here in case you returned." He set me down again and I winced.

Lincoln crouched at my side. He removed his riding gloves and skimmed his hand over the frayed patch of my stockings where the rope had bitten into my ankles. He gently lifted my foot the way one would a horse's hoof. I placed a hand on his shoulder to steady myself, and felt him slump as he peeled away the shredded, bloody mess of my stocking at the sole.

Seth sucked in a breath between his teeth. "Jesus, Charlie. How far have you walked like that?"

"From Savile Row. Captain Jasper has rooms at number nineteen."

"You went to see him? On your own?"

I shook my head. "I went for a walk last night and he abducted me. He had Jimmy and Pete with him. It happened right here on this spot. He wanted to use my necromancy to complete his experiments. You were right," I told Lincoln. "He was expelled from the army for misconduct. He was testing a serum on near-dead men. It was supposed to bring them back to life, but it doesn't work yet."

"Bloody hell." Seth shook his head and glanced at Lincoln as he rose. "Will we ride to Savile Row now, sir? Want me to get the pistols first? Knives would be better. Something that can be attributed to a burglar."

He meant to kill Jasper? Bile rose to my throat. I didn't know why I found the thought abhorrent. Jasper had abducted me, and he didn't deserve mercy. Yet he wasn't a bad man. Strange, yes, and deluded, but not a monster.

I wobbled on my good foot and Lincoln caught me around the waist. Before I knew what was happening, he'd picked me up and planted me in the saddle.

"Ride to the police station," he ordered Seth. "Give them a brief account of the abduction, no more. Have Jasper and his men arrested."

Seth blinked twice, then nodded. "Yes, sir." He mounted and rode off.

"It means the police will come to question you," Lincoln said to me.

"I know."

"You won't have to answer any questions until you feel ready." He walked the horse along the drive, his gaze straight ahead.

"Lincoln," I said softly.

"Yes?"

"Seth seemed to think that I'd left of my own accord. Is that what you believed too?"

"It seemed the most likely scenario, considering the tension between us lately and that you asked me for a reference just before your disappearance. A reference I refused to give."

"I wouldn't have left without saying goodbye."

"Not…not even after the way I treated you?"

I touched his shoulder and he finally glanced my way. He scanned my face and I smiled gently to reassure him. "You treated me far better than I deserved. I would have thrown me out, if I were you."

"I doubt that." He turned away and we walked on in silence. We were just rounding the side of the house when he spoke again. "They blamed me for your departure." His hand stroked the horse near my leg. "I blamed myself," he added quietly.

I reached out to touch his hair, but drew my hand back when Cook burst upon us from the courtyard.

"Charlie! You came home!" He grinned but it faltered when he saw the state of my feet and cheek. "You had an adventure on your own, eh?"

"Something like that."

"You be making a habit of it. A bad habit," he added with a scowl. "Don't do it again."