Page 24 of Choosing Her Earl at Last
“Why does he not come to you here?” Louisa asked in disapproval.
“That is my doing. I did not wish for Mother to be given false hope if there was none to give. If something untoward or unimaginable has happened, I do not want her to be burdened with the details of the matter. If there is something that she needs to know, I will tell her. Otherwise, I see no reason to add to her pain.”
Louisa’s expression softened. “That is noble of you, my friend, but who is looking after your heart? Who is keeping you from unnecessary pain?”
“I fear that I do not have such luxuries.” Emmeline gave Louisa a sad smile of appreciation for her concern. She stood from her seat, squaring her shoulders to meet whatever might lie ahead of her.
She turned her gaze back to Louisa, who had come to stand beside her, concern wrinkling her friend’s brow. “I apologize for my departure. Would you be so kind as to remain here with Mother until either she awakens or I return, whichever comes first?”
“Of course. Fear not. I will send for you if any word should come of Rebecca,” Louisa replied, clearly glad to be of some use.
Emmeline breathed a sigh of relief, nodding in appreciation. “Thank you. I will return as soon as I am able.”
“I will be here,” Louisa promised.
The women embraced, then Emmeline left the drawing room to join Colin in the foyer beyond, bracing herself to face the unknown.
Chapter 10
Michael stood in the library of his London townhouse, staring out of the window into the garden beyond, lost in his own thoughts, when his butler entered the room, announcing the arrival of Colin and the Marchioness of Worthington.
“Please, show them in, Mr. Quincy.” Squaring his shoulders, he turned to greet his guests.
“Michael,” Colin said as he walked through the door, his face lined with worry, his jaw set in a determined expression. “I have brought the marchioness to hear of the progress, or lack thereof, on Rebecca’s case.”
The anger in his voice was unmistakable. Colin had been with Michael and the Bow Street Runners all day and knew as much, or as little, as Michael did, but they had agreed to speak with Emmeline together.
Emmeline entered the library and stopped, hesitating at the threshold for a moment in uncertainty. The last time that she had visited the townhouse, Michael’s grandfather had still been alive.
Michael’s memory spiraled backward through time to the little girl that she had once been, sitting on his grandfather’s knee as he had read them stories from the myriad of leather-bound books, her favorites always being those of high adventure.Shaking himself out of the nostalgic melancholy of his heart, he met her eyes with determination.
“Please, come, sit, make yourself comfortable. I will have Mr. Quincy bring us some refreshments.”
“I do not care for refreshments,” Emmeline clipped, her voice hard, cold, determined. “What have you discovered about Rebecca’s disappearance? Mr. Barrington would not tell me anything on the carriage ride over.” She shot Colin a disapproving look.
Michael took in Colin’s haggard state, with his fearful, sorrow-filled eyes, and felt the need to protect his cousin from the marchioness’s undeserved wrath. “That is because there is nothing to tell,” Michael replied in a clipped tone.
“Nothing?” Emmeline demanded, a look of frustrated hysteria flickering in her eyes. “Nothing!” her voice raised an octave.
Michael sighed, sinking down into the leather chair behind his desk. “The Bow Street Runners have not been able to find any evidence of your sister’s disappearance other than the locket and handkerchief that were found the night of the concert.”
Emmeline stood staring down at him in exasperation. “How can there be nothing?”
“Whoever took her is either an experienced criminal or was very fortunate that night to not have been seen by anyone in attendance,” Michael explained.
“We have interviewed every person who was in attendance that night. Not a single person remembers seeing your sister being taken. Are you certain that your mother had no hand in it?”
Emmeline’s nostrils flared, her eyes blazing with fire. “How dare you!”
“It would not be the first time that she took one of her daughters away under false pretenses,” Michael reminded her, anger causing him to rise to his feet once more.
“Rebecca’s disappearance has nothing to do with what happened between us,” Emmeline ground out, clenching her teeth so hard that Michael imagined himself hearing them break. “My mother would never do such a thing!”
“I would not be so certain.” Michael turned his back to her and walked over to the carafe of spirits on his side table, pouring himself a drink to steady himself.
Emmeline stomped after him. “How dare you speak of my family in such a way! How dare you turn your back to me! How dare you place your wounded pride over the well-being of others!”
“Enough!” Colin commanded, his temper getting the better of him. Any respect toward rank was gone from his customary manner. “This has nothing to do with either of you!” He turned angry eyes toward his cousin. “Can you not put aside your feelings of betrayal for the sake of an innocent woman who has never done harm to anyone?!”
