The stable was lit with a meager lamp, casting shadows on the walls. To the side, there was a broken carriage, its walls scratched and chipped and the crest of the Marquess of Draydon appeared to have been hacked at. One of the wheels was broken and it looked like somebody tried to force himself inside.
“Who are ye and what’re ye doin’ here?” a voice demanded.
The men turned to find an irate man in a dirty shirt with spots of bleeding on the rough, white fabric. Although he looked particularly dirty at the moment, his hair was neatly trimmed—an indication that he worked for a nobleman and he was not some laborer or ruffian off the streets.
“I am the constable,” Mr. Harrold announced. “We are looking for Artemus, the Marquess of Draydon.”
The man grimaced. “Nay, ye won’t find the Marquess here.”
“Why? Where has he gone?” Oliver demanded.
The man gave him a strange look. “Our carriage was attacked by bandits this afternoon on our way back home from the park. They took his lordship with them.”
Oliver sucked in a harsh breath and looked at the constable, who was just as surprised as he was. They had come to the residence of the Marquess, expecting to apprehend a villain.
They did not expect to find that he had been attacked and kidnapped.
What in the world is going on?Oliver wondered.The ladies attacked and now Draydon is missing? Who could be behind all this and what is his intention?
“This doesn’t seem right,” he muttered.
“You are right, Your Grace. There appears to be more than meets the eye here,” Mr. Harrold agreed. “Maybe we should call for a physician first and then we can interrogate this poor fellow here. In any case, it seems that the Marquess has also met with a mishap and on top of that, he appears to be missing and in danger himself.”
Oliver nodded to Smithson and instructed him to summon the closest physician he could find to attend to the injured footman.
As he took in the scene for him, he could not help but wonder what had befallen the Marquess.
And how does Claire and my sister fit into all this?
One thing was for certain—he would not rest until they were all safe and he got to the bottom of this.
Chapter 25
Oliver stood by as the physician tended to the wounds of the footman, Hornby. Thankfully, they were all superficial wounds and he was met with no lasting damage.
At the very least, he could still find employment, although he would be sore and in pain for a few more days after the beating he endured from the bandits.
As they sat across him, he looked down uneasily, fiddling with his thumbs—a sure sign of anxiety.
He might not be telling the whole truth,the Duke realized with a small burst of anger.
“Mr. Hornby,” the constable began. “We need to ask you a few questions and it would be easier if you were quite honest with us.”
The footman looked visibly shaken and pale but nodded slightly.
Mr. Harrold glanced at Oliver. “Do you mind if I proceed with the interrogation, Your Grace?”
“Not at all, Mr. Harrold. Please proceed as you wish.”
The constable nodded at the Duke and turned back to Hornby. “You say that you were at the park earlier this afternoon. Why were you there?”
Hornby pursed his lips. “His lordship was meetin’ with a young lady in the park. One he’d been courtin’ for a few weeks now.”
Claire, Oliver noted.
“And is this a regular occurrence? The Marquess of Draydon going to the park to meet with the lady he has been courting?”
The footman shook his head. “No, just today. Before that, we usually went to call on the young lady at His Grace’s residence.”
