Page 26 of The Highlander's Inconvenient Wife
“An’ why would a lass on the brink of happiness just leave London without sayin’ anything?” Darragh came forward and stopped at his wife’s side.
“I’m afraid that I know the answer to that as well,” he said in a light tone. “The Marquess and his wife found out that Joan and I had kissed at the ball. They weren’t too pleased that we hadn’t considered what a scandal that would cause. I’m afraid that she was rather embarrassed that everyone knew. Yet what can one do when a person is in love? The heart wants what it wants.”
“She would have been; Joan never took kindly to being embarrassed.” Avery looked up at Darragh with a worried frown. There was definitely something amiss with the peculiar man and his story. The Joan that Avery knew was fierce and strong; there was no way that she would have run away just because of a kiss. Joan would have stayed and stood her ground if she were truly in love.
The fact that he said that Joan was in love was another element of the story that bothered her. She couldn’t see her friend falling in love with the lanky man that sat across from her. She’d always pictured Joan with a feisty man such as her own husband who would keep her on her toes and challenge her smart mouth. It was hard to imagine her with Edwin no matter how hard she tried.
“Why did ye nae say who ye were when ye introduced yerself?” Darragh asked as he sized the man up, walking around the couch and standing behind his wife.
Avery could tell that Darragh was growing increasingly impatient with the man as he exuded an air of danger that Edwin seemed to ignore.
“I didn’t want to ruin the surprise if Joan hadn’t told you yet,” he explained with a shrug. “I know how women can be with their little secrets.”
Taking a deep breath, Avery stood and smiled down at the man. She’d heard more than enough to convince herself that Joan needed their help. The man had provided her all the information she needed, and it was time for him to leave. “I thank you, Mr. Grandison, for telling us what happened with Joan. We will send out people to look for her at once. We wish you well on your journey.”
Darragh placed his hands on his wife’s shoulders in support of what she was saying.
Edwin frowned as he stood. Evidently the man had been expecting a warmer welcome than the one he had received. “I can always help look for her,” he suggested as he looked at the ground. “The search will go much faster if we pool all of our resources in one pot.”
“We couldnae ask ye to do that,” Darragh said as he left his wife and began ushering the man towards the door.
“I wouldn’t mind,” Edwin protested, clearly displeased at the way they were treating him. “I’m just as concerned with her well-being as I am sure that you both are.”
“Oh, no no,” Avery added to what her husband was saying. “We would never dream of delaying your journey. Like you said, Joan was probably just embarrassed. She will need some time to decompress and gather her thoughts. You can leave your forwarding address with us, and I’ll be sure to give it to her.”
“Oh… thank you,” he said as he placed his hat on his head, ensuring that it was on straight.
The prissy way he cared about his appearance was another aspect that made Avery’s stomach churn with disgust. There was absolutely no way that Joan would have fallen for a man as self-centred as Edwin Grandison.
“Ye are most welcome,” Darragh said as they stepped into the hall and made their way to the castle entrance with haste as the man continued to protest and complain.
“I could really stay and help look for her, it won’t be any trouble at all,” he tried one last time as Darragh opened the carriage door and helped him in.
“I think that our men are more than capable of finding Joan; thank you, Mr. Grandison,” Avery said as she stood beside her husband with her arms folded over her chest and fierce look of protectiveness in her eyes.
“It’s Baron Fernsby,” Edwin said cooly through the open window of the carriage after Darragh had slammed the door shut.
“Well, we are still full of surprises, aren’t we, my lord?” Avery glared at him as she realized that they had made the right decision in turning the man away. It had only taken a simple no for him to show his true colors.
“Walk on,” the baron called to the coachman as he turned his nose up in the air, looking away from Avery and her husband.
Avery watched the carriage rattle down the road before turning to her husband in panic. “What are we going to do?” She searched his face hoping that he would have an answer. “Joan could be out there scared and alone. We have to find her before that horrid man does. I don’t know what it is about him, but I don’t trust him at all.” Her words fell over each other as her pulse began to race. A million scenarios were flowing through her mind, and none of them were good.
“Calm yerself, me love,” Darragh said as he took her into his arms and stroked her hair in a protective manner. “I will send the men out at once an’ have the baron’s carriage followed, if he is indeed a baron.”
“Oh, Darragh, thank you so much.” Her heart raced with fear as she held onto her husband. “I hope nothing bad has happened to her.”
Both Darragh and Avery turned in shock as a second carriage came crashing around a bend in the road at breakneck speed.
“What the hell?” Darragh yelled as he stepped in front of his wife and held her back.
The carriage came to a screeching halt in front of them as the horses reared up and neighed.
“He’s going to kill her!” the coachman yelled as he fell from his seat and landed at Darragh’s feet. “He’s going to kill her!”
“Who is?” Darragh dragged the man up by his shoulders and held him in front of his face.
Avery noticed the dishevelled and dirty appearance of the man; he looked as if he had been on the road for several days without taking a break. His white, powdered wig was dirty and askew while his clothes were torn and caked with mud and dust.
