CHAPTER 36
Fifteen minutes later, Andrew ran into the nursery, his lungs near bursting. Before blindly scouring the city streets, he decided to check the house first, in case Grace had come back.
But she wasn’t there, and the crib was empty.
Toby had said they were about to go for a walk when he’d seen them. Yet it was an unusual time of day. They normally went to the park in the afternoon.
An uncomfortable feeling niggled at Andrew’s subconscious. Something was different. He scanned the room. Frank and Rose’s wedding picture was gone. Had the maid moved it? Or perhaps broken the glass?
His gaze fell on the basket by the rocking chair, the one that held the quilt Grace was sewing. All the fabric was gone. Andrew’s breathing grew raspy. He opened the dresser drawers. Nothing seemed amiss, except maybe they weren’t as full as usual.
Still . . .
He knocked on the door to Grace’s room and when there was no response, pushed it open. The room was dim, the drapes pulled across the window. Why hadn’t Grace opened them? He did so now and looked around the room. Instantly, he noticed a difference. Grace’s Bible was missing from her nightstand. The vanity top sat bare, her hairbrush and pins strangely absent. Andrew opened the closet, trepidation clawing up his spine.
He moved to the dresser and yanked open the drawers. They had been cleared out completely. Except for the apron on the bed, the room held no evidence Grace had ever lived here.
Andrew’s heart beat too fast in his chest.
Grace was gone. Surely, she wouldn’t . . .
No. She would never do that to him. To his mother.
He raced out of the room and down the stairs. The echo of his footsteps in the eerie silence reminded him that everyone was at the church. Surely there had to be one staff member left to manage things.
He rushed into the kitchen, where a young maid stood at the sink.
“Have you seen Miss Foley or Master Christian?” he shouted, certain he must resemble a wild-eyed fanatic.
“No, sir. They haven’t come down here.”
He gulped in a breath, trying to slow his mind. He needed to think logically. “If she returns, ask her to wait in the parlor for me.”
“But, sir, aren’t you supposed to be getting married now?”
He didn’t bother to reply. Before the baffled girl could ask him anything else, he ran back up a flight of stairs and out the side door. He knew the route Grace usually took on her outings. He’d follow it and probably find them sitting in the park enjoying the day.
There had to be a perfectly good explanation why Grace’s things were gone.
He ran down the street and headed toward the park, scanning all the pedestrians as he went. Up ahead, a woman pushed a baby carriage.
Grace! Waves of relief flooded his system. It had been innocent after all.
Andrew jogged around a couple strolling on the sidewalk and ran up behind her, grasping her elbow. “Grace. Thank goodness. I’ve been looking—”
The woman turned, and Andrew’s mouth fell open.
She yanked her arm free. “I think you have the wrong person, sir.”
Andrew peered into the carriage at a baby in a pink bonnet. The blood pounded in his ears. “I-I’m terribly sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
The woman nodded and continued on her way.
Andrew just stood there, attempting to regulate his breathing and pull himself together, as people pushed by him. Then, with grim determination, he returned to his search.
As he neared the streetcar stop, something caught his attention. Andrew slowed, his heart rolling in his chest. A familiar handle protruded from the greenery. Christian’s pram had been purposely shoved between the bushes.
Andrew reached inside and rifled through the blankets. Empty.
He blew out a ragged breath, his lungs constricting. There was no denying it now.
Grace had taken Christian and in all likelihood was headed to England.
He bent over the handle of the pram, chills and heat rushing through him.
Lord, I need your help. How am I ever going to find them now?
Andrew pulled his car to a stop outside the cathedral, not caring if he blocked anyone else’s. He wouldn’t be here long. Only long enough to let his parents know what had happened and explain to Cecilia why he had to leave. Despite his disillusionment with her, he owed her that much at least.
Andrew rushed into the vestibule, ignoring the curious looks of the people standing around.
The first person he saw was his father heading toward him. “Andrew, thank God. We’ve been worried sick.”
“I’m sorry, Father. I’m afraid I have unfortunate news.” He slowed his pace only slightly. “Christian is missing. I’m going in search of him, but first I have to speak to Cecilia.”
“What do you mean missing?” His father’s eyes bulged.
Andrew stopped outside the women’s anteroom. “I’ll explain later. Time is of the essence.”
He rapped once and stepped inside without waiting for an answer.
The women gasped. One of them leapt up from her chair. “He’s here, Celia! I told you he would never desert you.”
Andrew focused on his bride. She looked like a true princess, from the tiara on her head to the waves of satin and lace that surrounded her slender frame.
“Andrew. What are you doing? You can’t see me before the ceremony.” For once her blue eyes held no guile, no secrets—just confusion and yes, fear.
“I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.” He turned to the other girls. “Could you give us some privacy, please?”
The women scurried from the room. Andrew could only imagine the gossip that must be flying among the guests.
Cecilia rose from her seat. “You’re scaring me, Andrew. Is someone unwell?”
“No, at least I don’t think so.” An idea dawned that maybe Christian had fallen ill again and Grace had taken him to the hospital. That might explain their absence. He’d check there first. “Christian is missing.”
“How do you know that?”
“I don’t have time to explain. It’s possible Grace has taken him. All her things are gone too. I have to find them before she leaves the country.”
Celia’s mouth fell open. “Do not tell me you’re planning to leave me here.” Her bottom lip trembled.
“I’m sorry. . . .” Guilt twisted his insides.
“No, this is not happening.” She marched over and jabbed a finger at him. “Let the authorities handle it while we go on with the wedding.”
He threw out his hands. “I can’t just stand at the altar and pretend nothing’s wrong. I have to look for him.”
Her nostrils flared, red patches of anger staining her cheeks. “Is it really the baby, or are you more upset that Grace is gone?”
Guilt and frustration bubbled up, because he couldn’t totally deny her accusation. Still, it was Christian he cared about most. “Can’t you understand that in every way that matters, I consider Christian my son?”
“He’s not your son.” Her shrill voice echoed through the chamber, loud enough to be heard outside, he was certain. “He’s the son of that English whore and your faithless brother.”
The bitterness of her words struck him as hard as a slap. “Is that why you wanted no part of him? You blame an innocent child for something he had nothing to do with?” It all made sense. Why she wouldn’t even attempt to bond with Christian.
Her chin darted upward. “That doesn’t matter. Right now, we have five hundred people out there waiting for us. So it comes down to this. What do you choose to do, Andrew? Marry me—or give up everything to run after the nanny and that child?”
The smug look on her face indicated she thought she knew his answer. She didn’t realize that she’d bluffed and lost.
“I’m sorry, Celia. But if you force me to choose between you and Christian”—he shook his head—“I choose Christian.”
She gasped, and tears pooled in her eyes.
Knowing there was nothing he could say to fix the situation, he pulled the door open.
A jumble of wide-eyed stares flashed before him.
“I’m terribly sorry,” he said to no one in particular, “but due to a family emergency, I’m afraid I have to cancel the wedding.” Over the heads of the guests, Andrew met his father’s agonized gaze. “Could someone please notify the authorities? I believe my nephew has been kidnapped.”