Page 46 of The Allure Of Lord Devlin
As they set off for home, the oil lamps cast eerie shadows against the cobblestones. The night was still, save for the distant sounds of carriages and the occasional flicker of a candle from a nearby window.
Douglas asked, “The horses weren’t hurt, were they, my lord?”
He smiled at the young lad. “Just frightened. They’ll be fine after a rubdown and a bucket of oats.”
Soon, they turned into the alley that led to the back of the stables behind his townhouse. Devlin glanced over his shoulder, his senses tingling with a primal instinct. Something wasn’t right. His eyes narrowed, searching for any signs of danger.
He put a hand on Douglas’s shoulder to stop him. Whispering, he said, “Douglas, I want you to quietly go around to the front of the house and send men to the stable as quick as possible,” and he gave the lad a push in the opposite direction.
Once the lad had sprinted off, Devlin moved into the shadows of the trees lining the gravel drive. He drew his pistol and began moving stealthily through the dark towards his stables, hoping Douglas had set off the alarm.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps shattered the quiet, approaching rapidly from behind.
Three men materialized from the shadows, their menacing presence sending an ominous shiver down Devlin’s spine. The men had been lying in wait. They wore tattered clothing, but they could still be part of Longton’s gang, scarves obscuring their faces. Their eyes glinted with malice, a clear sign of their ill intentions.
Before Devlin could react, the first man lunged at him with surprising speed and struck him a powerful blow, knocking him sideways into the path of attacker number two. He tried to find his feet; he took aim with his pistol and fired and noted with satisfaction the cry as the bullet found its target. But he wasn’t quick enough. Number three was upon him, and before he could pull the knife he carried from his jacket, he received a branch to the back of his head. Stars explode in his vision as pain shot through his skull. He stumbled forward, disoriented, but maintained his footing.
Assailant number one moved in, wielding a thick wooden club. He evaded the swing with a quick sidestep, his years of fencing lessons serving him well. He retaliated with a swift punch, his fist connecting with the thug’s jaw. The man stumbled backward, momentarily stunned.
But as Devlin celebrated his minor victory, the third man sprung forward like a panther. He grasped Devlin by the arm, wrenching it behind his back in a painful hold. His grunts, struggling against the iron grip, his heart pounding in his chest.
“Who are you?” Devlin demanded through gritted teeth, his voice laced with defiance.
The man smirked, his fetid breath wafting over Devlin's face. “That's for us to know, and you to find out, milord,” he sneered, relishing in his captive's vulnerability.
With swift, brutal force, the thug delivered a powerful blow to the back of Devlin’s head. The world spun, and darkness consumed him as Devlin crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
* * *
Dharma barely slept. Today would change her life forever. Either she’d find the happiness and love she craved or her world would crumble into a screaming mess of despair. She tried to show enthusiasm for the food on the table in front of her, but it tasted like ash in her mouth.
Lost in thoughts of everything that could go wrong today, she started when the dining-room door crashed open and the Duke of Sinclair stood there. “Where is your brother?”
She slowly rose to her feet, her shaking limbs refusing to work. “In his study.”
Sin cursed and took off up the stairs, yelling for Tobin. Blood turned like ice in her veins as she followed. Tobin appeared on the landing above. “Your Grace, what is all this noise?”
“They’ve taken Devlin. Ambushed him in his stable yard last night. His young groom saw it all and the lad tried to follow them. He lost them, though, but they were heading east. I’ve sent for Lord Battling and Lord Hawthorne.”
Tobin saw her standing on the stairs and quickly ushered Sin into his study. “Find Rosemary and ensure you do not leave this house for any reason. Do I make myself clear?”
“What will you do? You must find him.” Dharma cried with anguish.
“We will, but I can’t concentrate on Devlin if I have to worry about you.” With that, he re-entered his study and firmly closed the door.
She sank to sit on the stair and fought the tears. The emptiness inside sucking in the helplessness rising like a tidal wave. Could she keep the news from Rosemary? There was no point in both of them suffering. She quickly wiped the tears from her face. Rosemary could stay in ignorant bliss for a few more hours.
As she made her way up to her bedchamber, a thought suddenly struck. She’d promised not to leave the house, but that didn’t stop her from inviting someone to the house. Someone who might have information and wasn’t aware of it. Fencourt was quite a young man who was a tad naïve. He surely didn’t know what his father was up to? Even if he did, he might be silly enough to let something slip that could help them.
As quickly as her skirts allowed, she changed direction and made her way to the library. She barely noticed the warmth of the room as she took a seat at her writing desk. She drafted a note and then found a young lad who could deliver it.
“Put the note only into Lord Fencourt’s hands. No one else. Do you understand?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Off you go then, and hurry.”
No sooner had the front door closed, and the missive was dispatched, than her brother and Sinclair made to leave.
