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Charles
clenched his fists. Fury raging beneath the surface and the sudden urge to
commit a murder was prevalent. He bound from his seat, flying over the desk,
and tackled the duke to the marble floor. Straddling Downsbury as the cold
marble bit into his
kness
, he swung his fist back and
struck several times.

The duke
wheezed and coughed.

Rough
hands pulled Avonlea back. He fought them off but to no avail, finding himself
hauled off the bastard.

Downsbury
struggled to his feet. “That is enough, Lord Avonlea. A runner is already here
to take you to jail, and I suspect you will be detained for quite some time.”

“You
will pay for this!” The earl yelled, kicking at the men holding him back. “If
you harm one hair on her head, I will kill you with my bare hands.”

“And
how do you suppose you will do that when you are in prison for accosting a
highly regarded member of the peerage, you idiot? The closest thing you will
get to murder is a rat, and that will be for dinner. Take him outside and throw
him into the carriage at gunpoint. I will not have him frightening the ladies
when they arrive, which should be any time now.”

“This
is not over, Richard.”
Charle’s
hand throbbed and his
head pounded as if he had drunk himself into a stupor. Bile rose from his
stomach.

The
Duke of Downsbury smirked. “Where have I heard that before?”

The damned fool does not even realize
this will only be the beginning.

Chapter Eight

From the
moment Emily and her mother had set foot in the duke’s manor, there was an air
about the place that something had transpired before their arrival. The duke
had not joined them for dinner, and the servants diligently attended to her and
mother as if they were royalty. Something was certainly amiss, but she was
grateful in every regard that he had not visited her bedchambers last night as
he had threatened previously.

For whatever
had kept
him
away had to be of great import or
trouble. Her thoughts wandered to what else he might be doing. Perhaps the rake
had gone off seducing another society lady, for which she was eternally
thankful for. Ever since her dealings with Avonlea, she had not been able to
think of anyone else but him.

When her
maid entered her chambers to assist with her disrobing, Emily only inquired
about his grace’s
well being
. “Is his grace well?”

The young
woman flushed and lowered her head. “If I may be so bold…”

“Go ahead. We
are alone here, and I will not say a word to anyone else.”

As the maid
undid the back lacings of Emily’s corset, she whispered, “His grace had a
visitor earlier this evening. A Lord Avonlea, or something to that effect. The
master and he argued, and they fought. The gent was then carried out and taken
to jail by a runner. It was quite terrible. The other servants are worried for
you and your safety with his grace. Things were overheard of the sordid type,
and while no one will explain to me what was said, I want to caution you.”

Good heavens! Jail? What in the world
happened?
Emily fought tears back fiercely, pressing her handkerchief to
the corners of her eyes. She could not let the whole household know how deep
her affections were for Charles.

“You are
safe to tell me what kinds of things were said. It is pitiful enough I do not
wish to be married to him, but if he means to cause harm, I will not stay. If I
asked you to help find Lord Avonlea, would it be too much of an inconvenience?”

“Certainly
not, ma’am. A few of the others will, too, if I ask them.”

“Perfect.
For now, if anyone should inquire on my taking visitors, let them know I am
unwell. My mother and the duke included. I am even willing to take a draught or
something to help pass the time asleep. I also would like some assistance in
slipping away to see Lord Avonlea. Mama is planning a trip to town to visit the
dressmaker, so if there is a way for me to slip out, I would like to know.”

“I will see
what can be arranged. My brother occasionally works for the runners. Mayhap, he
will be able to assist. It would not be the first time he has helped with
something unofficial. Before I leave ma’am, you should know—I have only been
employed here for a short period, but it is my understanding the master is very
horrible man.

“The
servants have mentioned to steer clear, most especially when he has men over
late in the evenings. Had the previous duchess been warned, perhaps she might
have been saved. Such a tragedy, really. Did you know, she was rumored to be
with child?”

The maid
curtsied and took her leave in silence. While it was appreciated to be left to
her thoughts, the chatty woman could have stayed for a bit longer.

Slipping
into her warm bed, Emily wondered how long it would before she escaped the
manor. Nathaniel could only hide her for so long before she was found out, so
going to him would be out of the question.
There
has to be another way.

What she
would do to know what they argued about. Surely it was about her, but there had
to be more.
Charles affections for me
cannot be the only reason why.
What hold did the duke have over Charles?
More importantly—was he injured? Good God! She could not even begin to fathom
the discomfort he must be experiencing right now. He deserved so much more.
Would this madness never end? Just how low would the duke stoop to set an
example?

Maybe the
answer to this predicament was to prove his grace mad. But how does one achieve
such a feat, without being caught or
comprimised
? The
unfortunate thing in all of this was that her mother would deny any allegations
too. She would never believe her that the duke meant harm.

* * * *

Charles sat
on the disgusting and slimy floor, wishing he had inflicted more pain on the duke.
The wretched bastard would pay dearly for his crimes, and the moment the earl had
proof of the whereabouts of those women, the duke’s life would be over.

The heavy
door down the hall opened and slammed shut. Prisoners hollered obscenities
while others rattled the bars of their confines.

“Avonlea, you
bastard, you have two visitors. I will be back shortly. We would not want you
conspiring anything, would we?” The mangy guard, who looked as if he had not
had a bath in ten years and fallen into a tub of ale, disappeared into the
darkness.

A young
ruffian and Wycliffe, of all people, stood before his cell. “Did the boy come
with you, Wycliffe?”

“He most
certainly did not. But I get the impression he is here by someone else’s
request.”

The young
man puffed out his chest and took off his cap. “My lord, my sister serves the
young Lady Thompson and is seeking permission to see you. She also wishes you
well and misses you terribly. She desires to dissolve the marriage pact, but
they have her detained at the duke’s manor.”

Christ. She really is there.
He glared
at Wycliffe, searching for a plan. “Young man, what is it that you go by?”

“Gregory, my
lord.”

“She may not
come here. No proper lady should ever enter such a place. Although, if you stay
just a moment, Wycliffe may have use for you yet.”

“What are
you about, Avonlea?” Wycliffe asked, crouching down.

“Have you
already sent someone across?”

“I have.”

“How long do
you suppose we have?”

“One month.”

“That is too
long. We must act now. She is to be married in one month, and we need to be rid
of him sooner. As it stands, no one will listen to me, and I have a sneaking
suspicion they will move me to
Newgate
.”

“What do you
have in mind?”

The only thing that will have him hanging on
the gallows.
“You remember my hunting lodge, do you not?”

“I do. We
need to get her there.” Wycliffe turned to the boy. “And you are going to help
us.”

The boy
nearly bounced. “My lord, a most excellent plan, too, as the women plan to go
dress shopping. We can simply remove the duke’s driver, and I can steer the
carriage where needed.”

“The duke’s
carriage would be too noticeable. We need something like a hackney coach or a
farmer’s cart from the market.”

“Both can be
managed. I am sure the boy can arrange the switch, and I will ride with the
lady to ensure her safety. What will you do about Nathaniel? Will you tell
him?” Wycliffe asked Charles.

“Not just
yet. I do, however, need to talk to him about how delicate this situation has
gotten. He has the connections to put someone on this case. There are far too
many corrupted people involved, and I need someone who will not dismiss my
evidence.”

“I will see
if I can convince him to visit you.”

“Thank you. You
are a good friend, and I owe you.”

Now if only I could get out of jail, join
with Emily, and travel to Scotland.

Hours passed and the earl had not heard a word from the
marquess
.
Nathaniel would
not abandon me now, would he?
Uncertainty flooded the pits of his belly,
and for the first time in a long time, he was not so sure he would be able to
get out of this situation.

About to doze off, he heard the guard rake his baton along the
cell door. “Wake up! You have company.”

“I see you have made yourself quite comfortable, Lord Avonlea,
though, it would be my suggestion not to get too familiar with these
surroundings. I plan on having you transferred before weeks end.
Newgate
has room for one more traitor,” the chief
prosecutor announced.

Charles rose from the floor, dazed. “What in the devil are you
speaking of? I am not a traitor!”

“Of course you are. I have some evidence here—albeit
doctored—that proves you were working with the French. Imagine how all of
London will react when they learn of the news.”

Words escaped him as he tried to think how, or why, they would
produce false evidence. But then it dawned on him. If he were not so close to
the truth, they would not have gone to such lengths to have him transferred.

“Well, I must be going. I will be informing the magistrate of
my discovery this evening. Do enjoy your short stay. I imagine these will be
the most comfortable of living conditions until you are hanged.”

The moment the door at the top of the stairs closed, Avonlea
fell to his knees, burying his head into his palms. If Nathaniel did not come
to his aid, he would never see her again. If only he could hold Emily just one
last time.

* * * *

Emily paced
her room to and fro. Each night since their arrival, the duke had not made good
on his threat, and as each moment passed by, she was grateful. This morning,
though, while her mother was busy making plans with the dressmaker for various
parts of her new wardrobe, she would slip out the door. She would make her way
down the cobblestone streets with her maid and find Avonlea.

A gentle rap
at her door alerted her. She stood as femininely as possible and stared like an
eagle at who entered. Her maid slipped in and set some linen down on a nearby
chair. “Thank goodness it is you. I was beginning to get worried.”

“Worried.
Why ever for, ma’am? The plan is in place. My brother and his friend will be
waiting for us to slip away. I promise you, you will never have to worry about
the duke again.”

“You are
positive our plan will work?”

“Ours will,
but let us only hope his lordship will be able to get out of jail in the
meanwhile.”

The young
maid wrapped s shawl around Emily’s arms and led her down the hall. Each
servant they passed smiled and winked at her.
Good heavens, are all of them part of my grand escape?
If they were
caught, their employment would be terminated.

Her mother, already
seated in the carriage, glared at her and frowned. “I am not accustomed to
arriving late to any engagement. While I understand you are displeased we have
moved here much earlier than expected, I will still not have you embarrassing
me. So get in, both of you.” She tapped the window with her walking stick.
“Drive on, and make haste. I do hate being late.”

Emily, her
mother, and the maid sat there in silence for a half hour until the carriage
stopped again in a crowded street. A footman opened the door and assisted the
ladies out then escorted them into the shop.

A tall, gray
haired woman with her hair wrapped tightly into a bun approached her mother. The
woman curtsied. “Lady Thompson, I see you have finally brought our future duchess.
A pleasure to meet you, your grace.”

“No need for
such formality, ma’am. I am not wed, and the duke may yet come to his senses
and desire not to marry me.”

Her mother
glared at her, but the old woman simply laughed. “Do not worry about a thing. I
will take your measurements and show your mother a few designs, and then we
will begin discussing your trousseau. There are impressive styles coming out of
France right now, so I am sure with one of those daring negligees, his grace
will be most pleased with your attempt to catch his interest.”

“I trust
both yours and Mama’s judgment. Where would you like to take my measurements?”

“If you will
follow me. It is just over here.” Emily followed the woman until she was hidden
away behind a curtain while her maid and mother waited on the other side. “I
have a great many designs we can select, but you have a figure the duke will
find appealing and will accommodate my fashionable styles. Do you have a
particular one in mind?”

“Not really,
ma’am.”

“Well, worry
not. We will put together the most extravagant thing the ton has ever seen, and
you will be the envy of every bride this season.” The woman pulled, tugged, and
then tossed her measuring tape off to the side. “You may get dressed now. Shall
I have your maid come in?”

“Yes,
please.” The young woman entered while the seamstress wandered off deeper into
the shop with her mother. Emily leaned in. “Are we set to go?”

“Yes, ma’am.
We should let them know we are looking around.”

They
meandered about the store until they found the older women hovering over
several sketches and swatches of fabrics. “Mama, we are just going to look
around.”

“Very well,
but do try to stay out of mischief.”

“Of course, Mama.”
Emily watched and waited for the driver to become distracted so she could
remain out of sight when she left the security of the store.

Then her
signal came. A boy tumbled across the street, sending a crate of merchandise
flying toward the other side of the carriage. The man hopped out to assist the
child.

She reached
for the door and glanced back at her maid, waving for her. “Come along. We must
go, now.”

“I cannot go
with you. Otherwise, they will suspect I am up to something, too. Besides, if you
are caught and brought back, who else do you think will attend to you?”

“Very well, good
luck. I hope Mama does not sack you after this stunt.”