Page 36 of Code Name Duchess
She carefully considered her following words, for she did not want to alarm him, nor did she want to give too much information away. It was bad enough Victoria knew as much as she did now.
“Yes. Your cousin, Lady Rose, has been missing for the past two weeks, as has my brother. We have attempted to find them but without results thus far. I hoped you might have information that could help us.”
He raised his hand and shook his head. Cedric wasn’t in the least bit surprised by her statement, Winnie noted, as if the notification of his cousin’s disappearance wasn’t wholly new to him.
“I understand now why you are here. I was not sure why my cousin would send an associate here. I hoped it was related to my proposition regarding the business, but I see now you are here on a much graver matter.”
He got up and took a few steps across the room toward a narrow table under the window. He picked up a piece of paper, and at once, Winnifred’s heart sank.
He handed it to her and then resumed his position in the chair. “I was presently waiting for a messenger to deliver this note to my cousin. You may read it. It concerns you, after all.”
She unfolded a sheet of paper and was not surprised when she saw the words written upon it. It was in the same penmanship, using almost the same words, demanding the same amount of money, and giving the identical directions as her uncle received.
Although instead of being addressed toMr. Keating, this one was addressed toSeth, Duke of Cambarton. She placed the letter on her lap and stuck her hand between her knees to keep them from shaking.
“Did you receive this today?”
The young man shrugged. “I cannot say with any certainty. I do not have a butler in my employ. Mrs. Holcomb is the one who answers the door whenever I am unavailable, and she receives my correspondence and letters. On occasion, she gives them to me, and I will address them. Sooner or later. I never receive anything of any importance. She handed me a stack this morning; that is when my attention was drawn to it. I could not tell you when this correspondence arrived.”
“This is addressed to your cousin. Why would it come here?”
Cedric shrugged again. “My cousin does own this house. Nothing is in my name. It is entirely feasible that whoever sent the letter delivered it here by accident. Besides, our names are similar enough. In any case, I was going to send it to my cousin, perhaps with a little notification asking him once more to meet with me to discuss my proposal.”
“What, pray, is your proposal?”
“I hoped that you were sent here to discuss a business matter. Since you are not, it does not matter.”
He did not say anything for a moment but shifted it in his seat. He raised one hand to his mouth and bit his nails. She recognized it as an obvious sign of nervousness because she was in the habit of chewing her nails as well. As far as habits went, it was difficult to break.
“Perhaps you could relay a message to my cousin. I assume you are returning to Lester House now with the news.”
Winnifred wasn’t quite sure what to say to this, but since he had handed over the letter without any argument and given her some insightful information into Seth’s background, she did not see any harm in it.
“What is that you wish me to tell him?”
“Let him know that my financial situation is rather dire, I did not exaggerate in my address to him recently. I haven’t the funds to pay Mrs. Holcomb, having already let go of all of the other servants. I am interested in learning the family business, and I am not opposed to making myself useful to him. I know that I am not considered a person of consequence, but if he could find it in his heart, I would be grateful for any assistance.”
She couldn’t help it—there was something about the man that was quite genuine. He was rather open in his desires and needs and lacked the duplicitous mannerism her uncle sometimes displayed.
Still, she could not rule out that this man was just as vexing a relation to Seth and his sister as her uncle was to Leo and her. And perhaps he wasn’t entirely truthful about the arrival of this letter.
I wonder if he really called for a messenger to take this letter to Seth. Furthermore, I wonder if he told me the truth about how this letter made its way into his hands. Was he perhaps biding his time and waiting for Seth to personally call on him, to seek assistance? He had no way of knowing that Seth already had an ally in this quest.
She shook her head. There was no way to know exactly what the young man’s intentions were. She had what she had come for, another piece of evidence. And now she had to make a way back to Seth, for they had a decision to make. The hour of the ransom meeting drew ever closer.
Would they be able to raise funds to pay the ransom in time? Or was it all too late?
Whatever decision they came to, Winnie knew one thing—this truly was now a matter of life-and-death.
Chapter 18
Mr. Markham placed the two ransom note side-by-side and studied them one after another while Seth and Winnifred sat across from him, each lost in their thoughts.
I cannot believe Cedric had a ransom demand letter and did not bring it to me right away. I doubt his tale, anyhow. I’ve known him to be less than truthful when it suits him. Winnie seemed utterly taken by him, on the other hand. At least, that is the impression I had when she told me about their conversation. Or am I simply experiencing a bout of jealousy?
He glanced up at her. She wore the same evening primrose gown that so beautifully complimented her black hair. Her hair, in turn, was carefully pinned to the top of her head, with a few ringlets falling into her pale face. A white pelisse with large Dorset buttons was placed on top, further bringing out her green eyes.
She looked at him and flashed him a small smile, but it was the kind of smile that did not reach the eyes, a smile shown more to appease one’s counterpart rather than one genuinely felt.
