Page 75 of A Duchess to Fight For
“He travels between Wessex and the Earl’s London townhouse. He is sometimes called to Wessex or sent to London to handle the Earl’s affairs.
“He got mixed up with Barton somehow. I don’t know how. Barton hired him to help kidnap Louisa. It’s not at all clear why this man would take on this job, but he did.
“Barton wanted him to get close to Louisa. He figured if they got close, Xavier could ask her for a breath of fresh air on the patio during a ball, and Barton could be out there waiting to compromise her or kidnap her.”
Percy shot out of his seat and went to the window. He stared into the night. “Go on.”
“At the last ball, Barton changed the plan and wanted Xavier to allow him to cut in. Xavier thought it would hurt, not help his case. Apparently, Xavier wanted the job done. He didn’t like what he was doing, and he didn’t like Barton.
“The day Xavier took Louisa out in the barouche, her maid was supposed to chaperone. At the last minute, Amelia decided to go. Xavier drove all over the side streets to avoid the men who were going to take Louisa.
“He and Barton agreed they could grab the maid as well as Louisa. Xavier thought it best not to rendezvous with the kidnappers when Amelia was in the barouche,” Hobart said.
Percy was now pacing the small office.
“Percy, pour us all some whisky and sit. You’re giving me a headache,” Hobart said.
Percy nodded and did what he was told.
“Barton stopped paying Xavier. It gave him a great reason to extricate himself from Barton’s scheme. He wrote to Louisa and has since continued to work for Stafford Daniels, albeit with a low profile.”
“I don’t understand how someone can pose as Stafford Daniels. Doesn’t anybody in this town know him?” Frederick asked.
Frederick looked hard at Hobart. “Excuse me, brother. Did you say your news was medium bad?”
“I may have been wrong about that.”
Frederick shut his eyes and counted to ten aloud.
Before he even got to ten, Percy stood up again and started to pace.
Hobart barked, “Percy,” and pointed to his chair.
Percy sat, “Get the special licence. We'll marry tomorrow. If you don’t agree, I’ll kidnap her myself and go to Gretna Green. Enough is enough. Look at the lengths Barton is going through. If he keeps trying, he may succeed.”
Hobart broke the silence, “I’m with Percy. He and Louisa will have a long, happy marriage and be free of attempts to cause her misery.”
Percy looked at Frederick. Frederick said, “I told her she could choose. She must choose you for me to agree. I’ll not force her into a wedding she doesn’t want. And so help me God Percy, if you force her to Gretna Green, I’ll find my pistol and shoot you.
“Amelia and I plan to take her to Haddington Hall. I’ll put two guards on her at all times. She’ll be safe.”
Percy shook his head. “But what of her life? She’s in a prison in Haddington Hall. Surely, you don’t think that’s an answer.”
Frederick shrugged. “It’s the best one we have.”
“Frederick, I beg you, let me ask her to marry me. I’ll take my chances.”
Frederick shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. She’d think you are asking her because you have to help her or you feel sorry for her. If that’s how she feels, she’ll turn you down.”
Barton was the only one in all of London that knew exactly what Stafford Daniels looked like. Or so it seemed. Xavier didn’t run into anyone else that knew.
To keep his freedom, a large townhouse, and a bank account that the Earl himself gave Xavier so he could handle the Earl’s personal business, Xavier had to appease Barton.
As the weeks went on, appeasing Barton became problematic. His requests got increasingly more difficult for Xavier to agree to. Barton wanted him to get to know Louisa. Not a hardship at all. Barton wanted him to kidnap Louisa. That was a problem.
Xavier pushed back. He told Barton he would spread rumours that he hired thugs to kidnap Louisa. Xavier wasn’t worried about being found out anymore. He wouldn’t allow Barton to hold anything over his head. If need be, he’d keep his head down and come in and out of London quietly.
Besides, he had something on Barton as well. If Barton opened his mouth, he would too. He’d tell anyone Barton knew that the man was trying to kidnap Louisa.
