The Marquis and I (The Worthingtons #4)(79)

The lad grinned. “I’ll protect her, my lord.”

Con ruffled the child’s hair. “I know you will. By the by, when all this is over, we must have a discussion about you jumping onto the back of coaches.” Jemmy opened his mouth, but Con said sternly, “There is no time to talk about it now.”

The boy’s face fell. “Yes, sir.”

Striding back to the tavern, he remembered the woman from this morning.

Blast it all. He’d forgotten to tell Charlotte about the older lady who had been asking about Jemmy. Con hoped the woman would turn out to be Jemmy’s relation. Con was growing fond of him, but Charlotte would be glad that the lad had found his family. If that was indeed the case. He couldn’t think of another reason the woman would ask about the lad.




Meanwhile, back at the Star and Garter . . .



Matt rode into the yard just ahead of his coach. Several servants in Merton’s livery were mounted on horses, ready to go. He had been satisfied to leave this mess to his cousin and Kenilworth, and would have if his unexpected guest had not arrived.

A moment later, Matt spotted Merton being harangued by an older woman. What the deuce was going on?

“Madam, I shall explain everything later,” Merton said in a haughty tone Matt hadn’t heard him use since he’d married Dotty. “At the moment, I have an urgent task to which I must attend.”

“I demand—” The woman started to reach out.

“Come with me.” Dotty took the woman by the arm. “I shall explain everything, but my husband must leave immediately.”

Merton blew out an audible breath. “Worthington, what are you doing here?”

“Trying to find out what the devil is going on.” He’d had a long morning thus far and it wasn’t even eight o’clock.

“I wrote you,” his cousin said in an offended tone, as if that explained everything.

“I received the letter, but Grace was concerned, and”—Matt pointed to his coach—“Miss Cloverly’s betrothed arrived.”

Merton swung up onto his horse. “We do not have time for introductions at the moment. I suppose you will want to come along?”

Matt nodded, as if there was any real choice in the matter.

“Then let’s go.” Merton’s coach started forward as they rode out of the yard. “I doubt you’ll need your carriage. I have mine.”

“I’ll explain later,” Matt said as Merton urged his roan gelding into a gallop, and Matt could do nothing more than follow. A few moments later, he caught up to his cousin. “Do you know, Dominic,” Matt shouted over the sound of the hooves, “you have only yourself to blame for my arrival. The letter you wrote was terse at best and largely uninformative. Grace was not at all happy.”

“I can be trusted to take care of this matter,” he grumbled, slowing to a canter.

Matt slowed to match Merton’s pace. “I’m sure you can be, but she figured out that this was no longer a matter of simply rescuing Miss Cloverly, and she became concerned. Then, early this morning, Ben Mitchell, the young woman’s betrothed, arrived with my neighbor, Lord Wharton.”

Merton closed his eyes for a second. “I suppose you had to bring him?”

“You know as well as I do there was no choice. Would you remain behind if Dotty was in trouble?”

“No, of course not.”

That was exactly what Matt expected his cousin to say. “This man might not be gentry, but he is no less concerned about his betrothed. By the by, where is Kenilworth?” Matt had known Kenilworth for years. It didn’t make sense that he wasn’t present. “I can’t imagine he wouldn’t be involved in this.”

“Going after Charlotte.” His cousin’s jaw tightened. “She was abducted this morning while walking her cat. There is nothing to worry about. I sent four men with him.”

Bloody hell. “How in Perdition did that happen?”

Before his cousin could respond, a servant in livery, turned his horse to ride next to them. “My lord. I have a message from Lord Kenilworth. He said to tell you all is well and he will remain at the hedge tavern.”

Thank the Lord Charlotte was safe. Grace would have murdered him if anything had happened to her sister. But what the devil were they doing at a hedge tavern?

“Good,” Dominic said. They had reached the Dove, and his gaze scanned the inn’s yard. “We’re in time.” The Merton coach rolled to the back of the Dove, and, once again, Matt wondered what was happening. His cousin turned to one of his outriders. “Hide our horses and Lord Worthington’s coach. Bring Mr. Mitchell in through the back.” Dominic glanced at Matt. “As soon as we’re in place, I’ll explain everything to you and Mitchell.”

“Very well.” After all, there was no other response. They could not sit around the yard discussing the matter.

His cousin turned to the servant. “Jeffers, come to me when you’re done.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The innkeeper met them at the door. “Everything is ready, me lord. Me wife is taking Miss Cloverly to the room.”

“Thank you. Worthington, this is Mr. Crowe. We explained the situation to him and his wife yesterday. They have been very helpful.”