A palm cupped her cheek and turned her head. Her gaze met Oliver’s. “I will get him back. I promise.”
I promise.
Hadn’t that young man whispered the same thing?
“I do not make promises lightly,” Oliver went on. “I’ve only made one other promise before in my life. This is the second. I will not fail him. Or you.”
*
Rage gripped himin a tight vise.
Anger coursed through his blood, sank deep into his bones, and lit multiple sparks there. He dragged his free hand through his hair to calm himself while keeping the other on Louisa. Of course she would not be taking this well, given her history. Worse still, her brother was the same age she’d been when she was kidnapped all those years ago. And those bloody brothers had just dredged up whatever horrible memories that still clung to her mind.
He wanted to throttle Maxen Fury.
But rage would not help him, Louisa, or Leo in this situation. It would just cause him to make mistakes. He gently rubbed Louisa’s back in comfort, not sure if he was doing it right, but she wasn’t pushing him away.
“Get in,” Oliver said to Helgate. “We’re heading back to Brighton.”
Helgate nodded and quickly secured the reigns of his horse to the carriage, instructing the driver, “There’s a crossroads up ahead where you can turn around.” He entered the carriage and shut the door, his gaze flicking between Oliver and Louisa. “My apologies that I must bring you this wretched news.”
“What’s done is done.” They could not have known the Furys would retaliate in such a swift way. “I underestimated them.”
“They bloody underestimated us!” Helgate spit out. “They have just carved out a spot at the top of my black books.”
Beside him, Lady Louisa inhaled deeply and straightened, a cool mask of calm settling on her features. “Are you all right?”Oliver asked even while knowing she was absolutely not. The best he could do for her now was to treat her as though she were and as though they had everything under control. He reluctantly pulled his arm back.
She nodded. “They must be the first scoundrels I’ve met who are unafraid of your ducal title. And my father’s, for that matter.”
“It could be because their half-brother is the current Duke of Crane,” Helgate suggested.
No, it was more than that. “Or they know they are untouchable.”
“No one is untouchable,” Helgate growled. “Have they not considered our retaliation?Myretaliation for taking a boy from my care? They will learn I hold grudges for a lifetime. It makes me happy.”
“No, it’s not just that,” Louisa said. “Our situation is unique. They must know that the two ducal families are enemies and that we have much to lose by exposing”—she motioned between her and Oliver—“our alliance.”
“So what? You shall get a scolding from your father,” Helgate said. “That is hardly enough to make them think they could kidnap a young boy with impunity.”
“Louisa is right,” Oliver said. The Fury brothers knew he and Talbot weren’t on good terms. Reaper Fury had even commented on it back in the Havendish stables. But they wouldn’t trouble themselves with simply carrying tales to Talbot. Their style was more blunt.
But even so, they would know—or at least have guessed—that Oliver wouldn’t want Talbot to find out about their bond, alliance—call it what you will—they had formed, that they had leverage on that front. And they should have also estimated that he wouldn’t allow anything to happen to that boy while he was under Oliver’s protection.
And they were right.
The boy’s kidnapping was an invitation.
A vicious one.
He could call their bluff, but he’d rather not underestimate them again. If they did inform Talbot in some equally vicious way, Talbot would most assuredly retaliate. Against them. Against him. Talbot would certainly reveal the details to Louisa about her kidnapping in an attempt to break the every and all connection between them, and would probably, if he were smart, lump him in with the likes of the Furys to help seal it.
He cursed.
She would turn against him. Hate him.
Oliver didn’t want that.
God, he didn’t want that at all.
