Seeing Danger (Sinclair and Raven #2)(82)

James threw Lilly onto the back of one of the horses. Vaulting onto another, he then took the reins of the third.

They reached Eden, Essie, and Cam first.

“Cam, take the horse, and pull Essie up behind you!” James called to him.

Lilly galloped on as James pulled Eden up behind him.

Lilly hiked her skirts high and rode low over the horse’s neck. She heard the others give chase behind her. Ignoring the shouts and waved fists as they flew down the street, weaving between the carriages and forcing pedestrians crossing the road to run to get out of their way, she searched for Devon and found him up ahead, still running. Surely the carriage that held the twins could not be that far ahead with so much traffic on the streets. Urging her mount closer, she drew alongside Devon.

“Hold out your hand!”

He did, and she gripped it hard, hoping they weren't being incredibly foolhardy to attempt this while the horse was moving. She watched him take one large leap and then he swung up behind her. His arms came around her waist and he held her tight. Lilly could feel the deep heaving breaths he took as he struggled to suck air into his lungs.

“Dear God, Lilly, the twins!” She heard the desperation in his voice, the terror that his two precious sisters had been taken from him.

“I know, my love, but we will get them back!”

She felt him shudder and then briefly rest his forehead on her back.

“Where is the carriage?” Cam said, drawing even with them, a ferocious expression on his face.

Dev pointed. Lilly looked and found it up ahead in the distance. She winced as it veered left, nearly overturning.

“Ease back but keep them in sight. We cannot afford to have them take risks and hurt the twins!” James shouted.

“We can't lose them!” Eden cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Never!” James replied, his handsome face mirroring Cam's.

They rode in single file once the carriage had slowed; presumably the kidnappers believed it was not being followed. Lilly and Dev took the lead, and kept the carriage in their sights as it traveled through the streets.

She felt sick inside, fear eating away at her as she imagined the terror those sweet little girls were going through. They had been so excited not one hour before, and now their entire world had been tossed upon its head. And the elder Sinclairs were suffering too. Lilly had heard the pain in Dev's words and seen the stark terror on the faces of the others. They must get the twins back safe; there was simply no other option.

“They are taking the road out of London!” Lilly shouted. Where the hell were they taking the twins?

“Should we attempt to take the carriage and force it to stop?”

“No, Lilly, it's too dangerous. We will follow and then when they stop we will take back what is ours.”

She shivered at the threat in Dev's voice. He would show no mercy. Someone had dared to harm what he protected and loved, and there would be retaliation. Lilly would be there to help mete it out.

They rode in silence, all determined. Lilly fidgeted, trying to get comfortable as her skirts rode up. Hands lifted her, and then she was resettled across Devon's lap. An hour passed, and then thirty more minutes, and finally the carriage pulled off the main road and started down a long driveway. Lilly eased the horse to a halt and the others followed suit.

“Danderfield lives here.”

Lilly looked at James wide-eyed. “Dear God, are you sure?”

“Yes, I once visited here to view a horse he was selling. The place is etched in my memory.”

Lilly knew by the dark look he threw her that James's memories were not happy ones.

“None of this makes sense,” Cam growled. “Why the twins? What reason could force Danderfield to take them?”

“Tether the horses and we will walk up the drive. Keep to the trees,” Dev said, jumping down and lifting Lilly to stand beside him.

“Do you think Danderfield could somehow be involved in kidnapping the children?” Lilly said as she started to work through things in her head. “I mean, he tried to marry me and I could never quite work out why, and yet perhaps it was to shut me up, as he is behind this thieving ring?”

“It sounds far-fetched, but it could be possible,” James said.

“It matters not why he has taken them, only that he has, and will now pay. After we have them back we will discuss the why.”

“Of course,” Lilly said, touching Devon's arm to let him know she understood. His muscles felt as though they had been forged in iron, each one clenched and rigid.

They walked through the gates and then made for the trees. Running between, they crept to the front of the house, where they could see the carriage.

“They are no longer inside.”

“I hear them, Dev!” Eden whispered. “They just told someone that they would be very sorry they had taken them when their family arrived.”

“Thank God they are all right.”

Lilly moved in front of Devon as he briefly lowered his head.

“It will be all right, my love.” She touched a hand to his chest, and he gripped it hard, pulling her into his body. “I promised her I would keep them all safe, yet I have failed so many times.”

“You are not God, brother.” Cambridge's words were cold and clipped, and a long way from those of the happy man he usually was. “No one could have raised or cared for us better than you, so I will thank you to stop talking in that ridiculous manner.”