Page 73 of Miss Prim and the Duke of Wylde
Meg blinked. “I see.”
“Aside from that meaning he won’t be free for guard duty during the day, I don’t want to interrupt his work.” He met her gaze. “He’s working on the marriage settlements, and I don’t want them delayed.”
“No, indeed.” She wasn’t going to protest that she didn’t need guards. If she had guards, then he would, too, for she had every intention of sticking as closely to him as possible.
The thugs might have attempted to kidnap her, but ultimately, Drago marrying was what they were seeking to disrupt, and while the reason behind that wasn’t yet clear, it had to have something to do with Drago and his future. And as far as she was concerned, Drago and his future were now all hers.
Hers to share. Hers to defend.
The library door opened again, and Drago’s mother, Warley, and Denton came in.
The gentlemen rose, and greetings were exchanged.
The duchess squeezed Meg’s hand and touched her lips to her cheek. Drawing back, she searched Meg’s face. “Thank God, you’re safe, my dear.” She looked at her son. “And Drago, too.” She smiled softly. “But he’s always had the luck of the devil. As long as you’re safe…” The duchess squeezed Meg’s fingers again, then released her and moved into the room.
Finally, everyone found chairs and settled.
Meg sank into hers and joined all the others in training her gaze on Drago as he stood before the fire.
CHAPTER12
“Thank you all for coming at such short notice.” Drago looked around the faces. “Some of you will have heard what occurred this afternoon outside the Gloucester Gate of Regent’s Park, but for those who are as yet in the dark…” With as little extraneous detail as possible, with additions from Meg and also Pru, he described what had happened. He concluded, “The men had an unmarked black carriage waiting, with the driver ready to whip up his horses. When they realized kidnapping Meg was not going to be as easy as they’d thought, they rushed back to the carriage and drove off.”
Some were shocked, others less so.
“Anything notable about the carriage or horses?” Drake asked.
Drago shook his head. “You would see a hundred such carriages passing through Trafalgar Square in an hour at midday.”
“Someone had to have been watching the house.” Toby glanced at his father. “The Half Moon Street house.” He looked at Drago. “They saw Meg leave with Pru. They must have spotted Dougal and followed, hoping for just such a chance as, in fact, presented itself, albeit by then, you’d joined the ladies.”
Drago nodded and explained how their company was disposed on the pavement outside the park. “I suspect they thought I was connected to Pru and Dougal, not to Meg. When we exited the park, we were all looking at Dougal and interacting with him. Meg and I had been walking next to each other, but she wasn’t on my arm.”
Everyone took that in, then Drake leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Have there been any other odd happenings of late? Any other attacks?”
Drago glanced at Meg, who shot him a rueful look and nodded resignedly. He looked at Drake. “There were two previous incidents.” Most there hadn’t heard of those; he quickly outlined what had occurred.
Drake frowned, his dark gaze shifting to Meg. “So there have actually been three attacks, all apparently targeting Meg.”
Drago nodded. “Precisely. And in all three instances, there was no reason anyone would have supposed I would be there.” That was why the compulsion to lock Meg in a tower was riding him so hard.
“But what is the point of all this?” Studying Meg, Deaglan shook his head. “Why would anyone want to kill Meg, of all people?”
The question elicited opinions from all sides, most of which boiled down to no one having any idea other than to stop her marrying Drago, and with that conclusion, he agreed. He waited until the last exclamation had faded, then with his gaze, swept the gathering. “After today’s attempted abduction, I feel it’s safe to conclude that for whatever reason, the villain’s intention is to prevent Meg from marrying me.” Before anyone could comment, he went on, laying out in straightforward fashion how even an hour’s abduction would have ended all hope of him and Meg marrying.
His thesis caused consternation, with Meg’s family and his own exchanging horrified glances as the reality of what had almost transpired sank in.
Finally, as grimly aghast as the others, Drake nodded to Drago. “Sadly, I suspect you have it right. The purpose of the abduction was not tokillMeg but to void all chance of you and she marrying.”
“Butwhy?” Meg looked more exasperated than frightened.
She looked around the faces and waited—everyone waited—but no one had any idea.
Drago dipped his head to her. “That, indeed, is the critical question.”
“And if we can find the answer,” Drake added, “we’ll likely be able to identify whoever is behind this.” Then he frowned. A second later, he looked intently at Drago. “Is there any person who might imagine they would benefit were you not to marry Meg?”
Drago’s mother huffed. “I do hope, Winchelsea, that you’re not suggesting that some overzealous mama with a debutante to settle is trying to do away with Meg in the hope Drago—of all men—will then turn to her daughter instead?”
