A Passion for Pleasure(93)

“Exactly,” Catherine said, sorrow coloring her voice. “Our marriage was as it should have been. Not as either of us should have wanted it.”

Without looking at her again, Rushton stalked from the room. He ordered his driver to return to King Street, battling back memories of his life with Catherine, their marriage of almost thirty years, their five children.

He smothered the persistent and painful belief that if he had done something differently—though what, he had no idea—Catherine might not have done what she did. She might not have turned to another man.

A curse split through his mind. He pushed all such speculations aside, for what good were they now, and descended the carriage in front of his town house. The butler greeted him with the announcement that he had a visitor—Lord Fairfax, who had insisted on waiting for his return to speak with him.

“He claims he has something very important to tell you,” Soames said as he collected Rushton’s greatcoat and hat. “I asked him to wait in the study, but shall I tell him you are not available?”

“No, that’s all right. Thank you, Soames.” Rushton smoothed a hand down the front of his waistcoat as he approached the study.

Fairfax stood upon his entry. A slender, hard-faced man, he extended a hand and introduced himself.

“Fairfax, welcome. I regret that we haven’t made each other’s acquaintance before now.”

An odd smile twisted the other man’s mouth. “I’m afraid now you might very well regret that we have.”

Rushton frowned and moved around the other side of the desk. Fairfax lowered himself into a chair and crossed one leg over the other.

“How is your family, Rushton?” he asked conversationally.

Despite the innocuous tone of the question, wariness flashed through Rushton. “Well enough, thank you.”

“I was given to understand that your son has retired from his musical career,” Fairfax continued. “Is that correct?”

Regret constricted Rushton’s chest. He’d been so angry over the reappearance of his former wife and his sons’ disloyalty that he hadn’t thought about Sebastian’s newfound incapacity. He hadn’t wanted to. Despite what Sebastian had kept from him, Rushton never wanted to see any of his children so wretchedly harmed.

“That is correct,” he told Fairfax.

“What are Mr. Hall’s plans for the future, then?”

“He is considering a clerk’s position with the Patent Office.”

“Ah. Well, I ought to warn you that the Patent Office will likely not wish to employ him when they learn he is a criminal.”

The final word struck Rushton like a blow, snapping his head back as his gaze collided with Fairfax’s. “What?”

“My grandson, Andrew, has been abducted,” Fairfax said. He paused as if to enhance the effect of his next statement. “Clara and Sebastian are the ones who committed the crime.”

An icy chill ran down Rushton’s spine. He had known something was wrong when Sebastian had left the house in such haste yesterday. And despite the shock of Fairfax’s accusation, Rushton didn’t find it necessary to question the other man. Of course Sebastian would do whatever he could for Clara and her son, even if it meant breaking the law. Sebastian was nothing if not loyal to a fault.

A very grave fault.

Rushton pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “How do you know this?”

“My footman witnessed the abduction and followed them to the Paddington station, but was unable to prevent them from boarding a train. I’d thought it might have been a ruse and they would have returned to London, but they are not at Mr. Blake’s museum or your son’s town house.” Fairfax paused. “I assume they did not attempt to take shelter here?”

“Of course not.” Tension threaded the back of Rushton’s neck as he attempted to recall everything Clara had told him. “Why would they commit such an act?”

“Clara’s husband left Andrew in my custody,” Fairfax explained. “He knew she would not be capable of caring for Andrew herself, a supposition that Clara proved when she fled Manley Park in her grief over Mr. Winter’s death.”

“That does not answer my question as to why she would find it necessary to resort to abducting Andrew.”

“I have been forced to keep Andrew from her,” Fairfax replied, casting his gaze downward. His face furrowed with sadness. “He has been in a terrible state since his father’s death. I did not want him further damaged by associating with his unsound mother. Her recent actions have only proven the truth of my judgment.”