Ophelia settled back into the seat of the carriage after she watched Julian go into the detective’s home. The detective lived further from the heart of London than Lewis and Mary did. This street was quiet. Since arriving here, she’d only seen one carriage pass by, and she hadn’t seen anyone walking around.
She shivered. Hopefully, Julian would be back soon. She knew the matter Julian wanted to discuss with the detective was important. It must have something to do with his brothers’ deaths, but she couldn’t figure out what going to his cousin’s that evening had to do with it. But then, maybe it didn’t have anything to do with it. Maybe Julian had thought of something while they were at his cousin’s.
All she wanted to do was go home, lie in Julian’s arms, and feel safe. Though she didn’t know if she could feel completely safe. Ever since she found out Lord Wolfe had been stalking her, she’d been wary of what was going to happen next. She didn’t know if she’d ever feel safe again.
She closed her eyes and leaned against the side of the carriage. Why does he want me so badly?
A knock came on the carriage door, and she jerked up in her seat. She peered out the small window and saw Didimus. She relaxed. It wasn’t Lord Wolfe.
After taking a moment to compose herself, she opened the door.
“I’m glad I found you,” Didimus said, his tone pleasant. He looked past her. “Where’s Julian?”
“He’s speaking with Detective Hall,” she replied and gestured to the townhouse. “They’re both in there.”
Didimus glanced at the townhouse. “I hate to trouble them. Julian forgot the map. I meant to give it to him as a gift. Why don’t I give it to you? It’s in my carriage. I’ll need your help bringing it here. It’s not that heavy, but it’s large, which makes it awkward to carry alone.”
With a nod, she accepted his hand and let him help her from the carriage. Didimus’ carriage was right behind hers, but she noticed there was no coachman directing his carriage. Also, there wasn’t a footman at the back.
“Where are your servants?” she asked.
“This was such a quick matter that I didn’t want to trouble them,” he replied.
It sounded like a logical response, but for some reason, it didn’t settle well with her. She took a look back at her carriage and saw that the coachman and footman were still in their seats. Their backs were to her, so she couldn’t see their faces.
“Julian liked the map,” Didimus said, directing her attention back to him. “I don’t know if he ever told you this, but he loves to travel. He did a lot of it when he was younger. One of his favorite pastimes is studying maps. I think the thing will make for a nice keepsake.”
They stopped at his carriage, and he opened the door. Inside was a large piece of parchment that had been rolled up. It didn’t look all that awkward to carry. She was sure he could have done it himself.
She turned back to him, but he placed a sweet-smelling cloth over her nose and mouth. She tried to fight back, but he only pressed the cloth more firmly over her. After a moment, she fell into unconsciousness.
***
Julian and Detective Hall’s conversation only lasted for ten minutes, but by the time the detective was ready to go with Julian to Didimus’ townhouse, Julian saw that the door of his carriage was open. Also, the footman and coachman appeared to be unconscious. Julian ran to the carriage, and as soon as he saw that Ophelia wasn’t there, he cursed himself for leaving her alone. He should have taken her with him.
“Who is that?” Detective Hall asked, pointing to a carriage that was retreating down the street.
Julian squinted as he watched the carriage. It passed under a lamppost, and he saw the familiar color of Didimus’ carriage. Not once did he think Didimus was going to pose a threat to Ophelia. He’d only expected Lord Wolfe to be the one who would come for her. He shook his head in disbelief. What would Didimus want with her? Even if she died, Julian would be in his way.
“That’s Didimus,” Julian said as a feeling of dread came over him. “He took my wife.”
“We need to get her before he does something dangerous,” Detective Hall replied.
Julian followed Detective Hall to the two horses and hurried to unhitch them from the carriage. Just as he got his horse away from the carriage, his gaze went to the coachman and footman. Were they alive? Had Didimus killed them? He heard the coachman moan and was assured the man was still alive. That being the case, it was safe to assume the footman was alive, too. The two had just been knocked unconscious so Didimus could get to Ophelia.
“We’ll deal with them later,” the detective told him.
Snapping his attention back to what they had to do, Julian hopped on his horse, and the two chased after the carriage.
***
When Ophelia regained consciousness, someone was carrying her. Their steps were rushed, and she would have been tossed about had his hold on her not been secure. Judging by his heavy breathing, she knew he’d been running for some time.
She opened her eyes. In the moonlight, all she could make out were tree branches that were above them. She didn’t think she’d been unconscious for long. The moon’s position in the sky indicated that she hadn’t even been asleep for an hour.
So she had to be close to London. She might even still be in it. She just wasn’t near any of the residences. She was in an isolated spot.
Her gaze went to the man who was carrying her. Didimus. She didn’t understand this. Why was he doing this? Unlike Lord Wolfe, he didn’t want to marry her. He was Julian’s friend. He’d said he wanted to give Julian a map. She and Julian had just been at his townhouse for dinner.
But Julian had seemed anxious on his way to talk to Detective Hall. He hadn’t wanted to tell her what was bothering him, but she recalled how he’d held her tighter than he usually did, as if he worried they might somehow be separated.
Could this have something to do with that?
It must. He’d figured out something bad, and it had to do with Didimus. Didimus, in turn, probably realized he’d been discovered. Or, at the very least, he was desperate to get something he wanted.
But what could he possibly want?
Didimus slowed to a stop and leaned against a tree. He panted, and his hold on her loosened enough so that she could finally wiggle out of his arms. He tried to regain his hold on her, but she managed to fall out of his arms. A tree root jabbed her side as she landed on the ground, but she ignored the pain that shot through her.
“No, you don’t,” Didimus hissed and knelt down to grab her.
She tried to crawl away from him, but he managed to get a firm grip around her ankle. She cried out and kicked her foot at him. His hold on her, however, was too strong.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Didimus forced out since he was having trouble taking a deep breath after all the running he’d been doing. “I just need you until Julian pays for you.”
“Pays for me?” she blurted out in surprise.
“All I want is the money he inherited from his brothers. I need that money, Ophelia. I barely have enough of my own to get me through the rest of the year. Julian will give me the money if it means getting you back. Please, do me this favor, and I promise, I’ll never do anything like this again.”
She shook her head.
“Don’t make me kill him,” Didimus pleaded. “I didn’t care for his brothers, but he’s my friend. This will be easier for everyone if you just cooperate with me.”
She saw a man in the shadows coming up behind Didimus. Her throat grew dry. She’d recognize that foreboding frame anywhere. It was Lord Wolfe.
She tried to make a coherent statement to warn him that Lord Wolfe was sneaking up behind him, but all she could manage was to point behind him and scream.
Didimus looked over his shoulder too late. Lord Wolfe struck Didimus. Didimus released her and fell onto his back.
Lord Wolfe glared at her. “Don’t watch this.”
But she couldn’t look away. She was too scared not to look.
Lord Wolfe took out a knife and swiped it in a swift motion across Didimus’ neck. Didimus didn’t even have time to protest. He was dead within a couple of seconds.
Ophelia gagged but managed to hold her dinner down. Lord Wolfe was more of a monster than she’d thought. She bolted to her feet and began running. She could see the lights from the townhouses. They weren’t that far away.
Darting around a tree, she headed in the direction of London. If she could just get to a residence, she could knock on the door and beg the person to help her. She’d tell them what Lord Wolfe had done. Then, maybe then, Lord Wolfe would be put away in a place that would make sure he never got near her again.
She made it around several trees before Lord Wolfe caught up to her. She got out another scream before he slammed his hand over her mouth. Recalling his knife, she tried to turn her head so she could see where it was, but he pressed the back of her head up against his chest.
“You’ve worn my patience out,” he hissed in her ear. “I won’t tolerate this act of rebellion anymore. You’re not getting away from me this time.”
His hold tightened on her when she attempted to wiggle out of his embrace.
“No, you don’t. Not this time,” he snapped. “I’m not going to kill you like I killed your parents. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. If you insist on fighting me, keep this in mind: people can live without limbs. I don’t mind making it so that you can’t run if that’s what it takes to keep you with me.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. He would do it. He wasn’t bluffing in order to get her to comply with him. Just look at how cold he’d been with Didimus. He wasn’t the least bit sorry he’d killed him. He wasn’t even the least bit remorseful of what he’d done to her parents.
She struggled to bring up the memory of her parents’ deaths. All she remembered with clarity was that the servants had said the deaths came as a shock. They’d left to go to a dinner party. They hadn’t come home later that evening. It took a day for their carriage to be discovered outside of London in a wooded area, much like this. The coachman was missing. The horses were gone. There was nothing but their parents who’d died from what appeared to be a fall down a steep hill.
A tear slid down her cheek and hit his hand.
“You look so much like your mother,” he whispered, this time his voice growing soft. “I could tell you would grow up to look just like her when you were a child. I was patient, and I waited for you. And now, I’m going to have you.”
She tried to shake her head, but his grasp was too firm. She could barely move at all, let alone breathe.
“I have a horse waiting for us,” he said as he led her away from the path that would take her to London. “We’re going to go back to the estate where you grew up. This time, you won’t be getting away. I had the servants put up bars on the windows. I’ll keep a close eye on you. You’re very special to me, Ophelia. We’re going to be together forever.”
He gave her a kiss on her temple, and her stomach roiled in protest. If he touched her the same way Julian did, she just might vomit.
They went up a small incline, and at the top, she noticed a horse that was tied to a tree. In a panic, she made another attempt to get out of his grasp, but it was pointless.
“Stop right there, Lord Wolfe!”
Her heart leapt in hope. Julian! He’d found them!
Lord Wolfe spun in his direction, jerking her with him. Had he not been holding onto her so securely, she would have fallen.
“Let her go,” Julian said as he approached them. “She doesn’t belong to you.”
“She does belong to me. I reserved her for myself when she was five. You are the one who has no right to her.” Lord Wolfe showed him the knife he was holding. “I won’t let anyone get in my way. I don’t care if you’re a vicar or not. Should God Himself come down and demand her, I would tell Him no. If you want to live, you’ll leave.”
If Ophelia could speak, she’d warn Julian that he wasn’t bluffing. If he was willing to kill Didimus and her parents, he would kill anyone. The only thing that mattered to him was what he wanted. And, unfortunately for her, he wanted her because she reminded him of her mother. Her eyes filled with fresh tears, and she couldn’t stop them from falling.
“I’m not leaving,” Julian said.
At first, she thought he’d directed the statement to Lord Wolfe, but he was looking at her as he said it.
“You’re not going anywhere with her,” Julian continued, this time his focus on Lord Wolfe.
“You can’t stop me,” Lord Wolfe replied. “You’re nothing but a weakling, and you don’t even have a weapon. Now, go on back to London while I’m still in a good enough mood to let you live.”
Lord Wolfe had barely finished speaking when Ophelia felt something push at her and Lord Wolfe from behind. The impact must have startled him because he let go of her. Without thinking, she ran to Julian. Her cloak wrapped around her legs, and she stumbled forward. He caught her before she ended up hitting the ground. It took her a moment to regain her balance. Clutching Julian’s arm, she turned to see where Lord Wolfe was.
To her surprise, the thing that had pushed Lord Wolfe had been a person. The two were in the middle of a fight. Lord Wolfe was trying to stab him with the knife. The gentleman dodged him. It was hard to see everything that was happening in the dim light, but she finally recognized Detective Hall when he lunged forward to try to get the knife from Lord Wolfe.
She saw something in Detective Hall’s hand and realized it was a gun. Why wasn’t he using it? Why bother trying to get the knife when he could just shoot Lord Wolfe and get this whole thing over with?
The two gentlemen tumbled to the ground, and it was even harder to see what was going on. Their movements were so fast they almost blurred together.
“I should help the detective,” Julian said.
“But you don’t have a knife or a gun,” she argued.
He paused as he considered her warning. She could tell he felt conflicted. He wanted to help, but, as she’d pointed out, he had no weapon. After a moment, he said, “I can pin Lord Wolfe down and give the detective an advantage.”
She wanted to protest that his plan might not work, but she figured his sense of honor demanded he help. He would regret it if something bad happened to the detective and he hadn’t done anything to stop it. With a nod, she released her hold on him.
He rushed over to the two gentlemen. She’d had a hard enough time making out what was happening before, but now she couldn’t keep track of who was doing what. She heard some grunting and twigs snapping. She shivered and pulled the cloak closer around her. She then scanned the area around her to make sure no one else was there. She only relaxed a little when it occurred to her they were really alone out here.
A gunshot rang through the air, and she gasped. Had someone been shot? She peered into the darkness, doing her best to make out who was who among the three gentlemen huddled together on the ground. One of them collapsed to the ground, face first. The other two were hunched over him, which made it impossible for her to tell who’d been shot.
She held her breath and prayed it hadn’t been Julian.
After what seemed like forever, one of the gentlemen bent over the fallen one and touched the side of his neck. She took a few steps closer to them so she could better see them. The gentleman rolled the fallen one over, and she cried out with relief when she saw that Lord Wolfe had been the one who’d been shot.
“He’s dead,” Detective Hall said. Panting, he got to his feet and slid the gun into his holster. “I was hoping to put him in prison. I don’t like it when things resort to this.”
Julian stood up, and that was when Ophelia noticed the upper part of his coat was bloody.
She hurried over to him. “Are you injured?”
He opened the coat. “I don’t think it’s serious.”
“Where were you stabbed?” Detective Hall asked.
Ophelia was glad he asked the question because she couldn’t tell by the large amount of blood on his shirt.
“Just below my shoulder,” Julian replied. “I didn’t even realize I’d been stabbed when it happened.”
“I saw him strike you,” Detective Hall said. “That’s why I shot him.” He tore off a part of his coat, wadded it up into a ball, and slipped it under Julian’s shirt. “Hold that in place. It’ll help slow down the bleeding.”
Julian sighed and did as instructed. “I should have stayed out of the way. You had things under more control than I thought.”
“You were doing what you thought was best,” the detective said. “No one can fault you for that. The important thing is you’re all right. Do you think you can ride a horse back?”
Julian nodded. “The wound isn’t as bad as it looks.”
“I can ride a horse, too,” Ophelia offered. She didn’t relish the thought of taking Didimus’ carriage or walking. Plus, she wanted to stay with Julian in case he grew weak. Someone had to be there to watch after him.
Julian glanced at her. “Maybe we should take the same horse. You can ride it, and I’ll lean into you for support.”
She indicated she liked the idea and put her arm around him, relieved he was going to be fine.
“Make sure you go to a doctor,” Detective Hall told Julian. “You don’t want to risk an infection.”
“I’ll do that,” Julian replied.
“Didimus is out here somewhere,” she said. “Lord Wolfe killed him.” She scanned the area. “I can’t tell where we left Didimus.”
“We saw him,” Detective Hall told her. “We heard you scream. You led us right to him.”
“And when we heard you scream again, we followed you to Lord Wolfe,” Julian added. “It’s a good thing you screamed. We might not have found you otherwise. It’s almost like a maze out here.”
“We’ll speak more about this tomorrow morning,” Detective Hall said. He glanced at Lord Wolfe’s dead body. “I’ll get him and Didimus to town. You two go to the doctor.” He gestured to Lord Wolfe’s horse. “Take that steed since it’s the closest.”
Ophelia followed Julian’s lead and went to the horse. She didn’t relish the idea of having to be on a horse that Lord Wolfe owned, but at least she was returning to London with Julian instead of going to the estate with Lord Wolfe. They could discuss everything that had happened later. For now, she was exhausted. All she wanted to do was get to the doctor and then go to bed.