The Perfect Suitor (Bewildering Love Series) (27 page)

“What is it? What’s wrong? Did you find her? Was she in the stables?” The viscountess was nearing hysteria.

“Perhaps you better sit down, Lady Stonehaven,” Cole instructed, and Charles came to retrieve his wife, who was now sobbing uncontrollably.

Paxton left the room and closed himself inside his study. He decided Cole could do the explaining.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

“We found blood beneath some straw in the main stable’s storage room,” Cole informed them.

“Oh my God!” Lady Veronica exclaimed unsteadily, backing her way into a chair to sit.

Eve’s mother burst into a fresh round of tears as a bellow of anguish tore from her throat.

“You think the blood is Eve’s?” Cassie asked, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.

“How much blood?” Charles asked, his voice trembling.

“More than a few drops.” Cole didn’t want to say too much in front of the ladies.

The viscount seemed to understand. “I see.”

“We have checked the stables thoroughly. Evelyn is not there.” Cole went to walk away. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with Paxton.”

***

Paxton held his head in his hands as he stared down at his desk. Cole entered the room knowing his friend was aware he crossed the threshold.

He poured them both a drink. Setting one glass on the desk next to Paxton, he then sat in an armchair across from him.

“I think we have both come to the same conclusion,” Cole said, “that there has been foul play.”

Paxton looked up. “Yes, someone lured Eve to the stables. But who? And why? And where is she now? Do you think they killed her?” There were so many questions with no answers.

“We need to start at the beginning. Eve was receiving these notes in London. I think it is safe to say the person followed her here. Does your fiancée have any enemies?” Paxton noted that Cole kept the conversation in the present tense.

“Enemies? Everyone likes Eve. Except for the count, Henri Leverett, but he’s locked up, right?”

“Last I heard, but I will look into it.” Cole sighed. “Is there anyone who didn’t want the two of you to marry?”

“Brandon Butler.”

“The Earl of Bakersfield? I don’t know, Paxton. I thought he was engaged to Lady Anna Montgomery. Do you really think he would harm her? He seems like too much of a coward to do anything criminal. And I believe he holds Eve in high esteem.”

Paxton racked his brain trying to recall every conversation he ever had with the Lord Bakersfield. “Cassie said Eve was given a gold key. Bakersfield did claim to know where to find such an unusual item.”

“That doesn’t make him a killer,” Cole pointed out.

Paxton grimaced at the word. “She can’t be dead, Cole. She just can’t be.”

“Sorry. Poor choice of words. Don’t worry, Paxton. We’ll find her and the man responsible. Where are those notes?”

Paxton pulled them out of his trouser pocket. “She kept them because she thought they were from me.”

Cole said nothing for a few moments. “Keep going over them. See if you recognize anything: the handwriting, the paper, or even the ink. Any clue is better than what we have. I’m going to send a messenger to verify Henri’s whereabouts.”

***

Veronica sent the Stonehaven’s upstairs to rest while Lydia helped console Cassie. She then waited until she saw Cole leave before she entered the study to speak to her son. “All right. What is it you’re not telling me?”

“Let’s see, Mother. The woman I love was tricked into thinking she was meeting me in the stables. Instead, she walks into a trap and someone tried, or perhaps even succeeded, in killing her!” He was now yelling. “Which means, she may, or may not, be lying somewhere needing my help. The storage room floor is soaked with blood and the only clue I have to figure out what madman is behind this are these stupid notes, which tell me nothing at all!”

“I see. I think it is time to call in the authorities.”

“I’m sure Cole is seeing to that as we speak,” Paxton said, exhaustion clear in his voice. Veronica sank into a chair and remained with him in companionable silence.

***

Cole called in the authorities, and four hours later, they were no closer to finding Eve than they were before. The only good thing was that the local constables would now be on watch for any woman matching Eve’s description.

Cole walked into the study to find Paxton in the same place as he was hours ago, the drink Cole had poured him still sitting full on the desk. “The messenger returned. It seems Henri did escape.” He saw the look of surprise on Paxton’s face as he yanked his study of the notes closer to him. “But I have it on good authority that he headed back to France so he could fight beside his leader.”

“Then you have nothing,” Paxton said, feeling helplessly defeated.

“How about you? Did you find any clues from the notes?” Cole grabbed one off the desk.

“No!” Paxton slammed his fist down on his desk.

“It looks like a female’s writing to me.”

Paxton grabbed one of the notes to examine it closely. “I can’t tell. I guess it does.”

“Let’s go over the suspects. There’s Henri, who is, by my contacts’ accounts, in France or on a battlefield. There’s Lord Bakersfield, who seems highly unlikely and is happily engaged to Lady Montgomery, and he even brought her with him to your wedding. That leaves Beverly.”

“Beverly? Dash it! I hadn’t thought of her. I was thinking the person a man.”

“Yes, but I did think of her. She was very angry with you after I helped her remove herself from your engagement party. Do these notes look like her writing?”

Paxton shrugged. “How the hell should I know? I’ve only seen her writing once, and I tossed any subsequent note Beverly wrote me directly into the fire.” He now wished he would have saved one of them for comparison.

“She does have an alibi. All her servants insist she has been home for the last few days overcoming a cold.”

“Servants lie. She does pay their wages,” Paxton stated the obvious.

“True, but we can’t accuse her without evidence.”

“She is insane enough to do such a thing,” Paxton said, now considering the possibility.

“I’d be willing to bet it’s her,” Cole stated. “But we still must consider Henri. The information I have that he has fled the country could be untrue.”

“I think I’ll send for Beverly.” Paxton began writing a letter.

“Good idea. If anyone can obtain her confession, it would be you.”

“I swear whoever is behind this is going to pay dearly,” Paxton threatened. In truth, he only wanted Eve back unharmed.

***

Beverly couldn’t believe this had happened. All of London was talking about Paxton’s bride, but the gossip was not about Lady Evelyn’s death but the disappearing act the bride pulled the day of the wedding. This news told Beverly one thing. They had not yet found Lady Evelyn’s body.

She paced her bedchamber, turning when she reached her chest of drawers to march back to her laced canopy bed. “Those worthless idiots! What did they do with her? I knew I should have dealt with her myself.”

She now found herself wishing she hadn’t poisoned Red and Jack for they were the only ones who knew the location of Lady Evelyn’s corpse. She could not console Paxton when he believed his bride possibly alive. Who knew how long Paxton would continue with his fruitless search. “No, this certainly won’t do.” Beverly began to chew on her thumbnail as she tried to come up with an alternative plan.

“What? Come in!” she hollered when she heard her maid’s timid knock on the door.

The frightened young maid came in, eyes fixed on the floor as she held out a letter in her trembling hand. Wisely, the girl seemed to sense that Beverly’s mood was nastier than usual. Indeed, Beverley knew, the help likely had drawn straws to see who had to bring her a message and this girl lost. “I’m sorry to intrude, milady, but this message came for you.”

Beverly snatched the missive. She was about to lecture her maid on the wrongness of interrupting her, especially when she had specifically asked not to be disturbed, when she noticed the Devonhurst wax seal on the envelope. Sometimes she wondered how much her servants knew about her life.

She ran her fingers over the earl’s family crest with a smile. Her maid was still standing there when she looked up. “Is there something else?”

“No, milady.”

“Then remove yourself from my room!” Beverly barked.

“Yes, milady.” The maid backed out of the room.

Beverly tore open the letter as soon as her door closed.

My dearest Beverly,

The greatest tragedy has befallen me. As you may have heard, my bride is missing. I suddenly find myself quite alone and in dire need of you, my good friend. I would be eternally grateful if you’d join me at Devonhurst, where I hope our two broken hearts may help mend each other’s.

I look forward to seeing you soon, Paxton

“I did it!” Beverly clutched the letter to her chest. “I knew he still loved me. I can’t believe he wants me to go to Devonhurst. All of my prayers have been answered. Soon I will be the Countess of Devonhurst and have an unending allowance that will put me back on top.” She pulled the bell cord with joyful glee.

“Yes, milady.” The maid quickly appeared, obviously fearful of the scolding she’d receive if she didn’t hurry.

“Have my things packed in an expensive carriage. I shall be leaving for the country,” Beverly instructed happily.

“
All
of your things, milady?” the maid asked cautiously.

“Yes.”

“That will take days, milady.”

Veronica smiled thinking about her very extensive wardrobe and how she planned to expand upon it once she married Paxton. “Then you best begin straightaway. You have a week.”

“Very well, milady. Will that be all?”

Beverly was deep in thought, her mind filled with images of herself outfitted in the latest fashions when she walked about town with the handsome Earl of Devonhurst showering her in his adoring affection.

When she noticed her maid still standing in front of her, she grinned. “Yes, that will be all, for now.”

When the maid left the room, Beverly picked up her longhaired overfed cat, which was busy cleaning himself on the down-filled comforter that covered her bed. “See, my pet? Didn’t mama tell you she’d make sure we had endless funds again?” She held the cat up in the air and rubbed its nose to hers. “I think you’ll like Paxton. He can be generous, and I happen to have a talent for persuading men to spoil me rotten. Think of all the new clothes, a new carriage, more jewels, and of course a new diamond collar for you, my pet.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Evelyn tried to move but only managed to grimace in pain. She took the pain as a good sign, for it meant she was alive, but her eyes couldn’t seem to focus. Not that they had anything to focus on for it was completely black around her except for a sliver of sunlight coming in from a crack in what she thought was a wall.

Her head hurt something fierce. She reached back to run her hand over her scalp, but all she felt was pain and some substance that hardened in her hair. Her mouth was really dry and it hurt to swallow.

She tried to figure out where she was. It was cold and damp, and the ground beneath her was dirt and the wall she was touching was stone. She leaned her head against the wall in the hope that the cold and dampness would ease the pain in her head and stop her spinning. She shivered, but not from the cold. It was from the revelation that she was buried alive.
Is this my grave?
It seemed too large to be her grave. Perhaps
she was in some kind of crypt. Did that mean there were dead bodies around her?

What happened to me?
She remembered going to meet
Paxton in the stables. “Oh my wedding!” She tried to sit up, but her head hurt too much and her stomach lurched. She wanted to cry, not because of the pain she was in but because she knew she had missed her wedding. At least, she thought she had. There was no telling how long she had been wherever she was. Poor Paxton. And her family had to be worried about her.

She realized someone had tried to kill her, evidently by hitting her on the head. There was no other logical explanation. Then the person disposed of her body by putting her here. “But where am I?”

Despite the pain, Eve crawled toward the stream of sunlight. She could feel the sun’s warmth and knew now that it wasn’t a wall that the light shown through but an old wooden door. “I’m in the storm cellar.” She moaned, putting both hands on her head as it was pounding fiercely. She couldn’t stop the throbbing and she couldn’t help it when her body convulsed and she vomited. Since her stomach was void of food, dry heaves wracked her frame, making her weak and limp. Finally, she was able to gain some control over her nausea. She had to climb out of the cellar. She clearly needed a doctor.

She tried to yell for help, but all that came out was a strangled croak from her parched throat, and so she gave up the strenuous effort.
It looks like I’m on my own.
She slowly moved so that her feet were up against the wooden door. Summoning up as much strength as she could, she gave the door a giant push with her legs. She was more than amazed when it worked and the door flew open. Dirt fell into her face and the brilliance of the sun was momentarily blinding.

When she realized she was going to have to climb three steps, she wanted to cry. She untied her cloak and pushed it aside, then lay there for a while trying to regain some strength. When she finally managed to turn her body around so she could crawl up the steps, she could only manage to lie across them for a long while. After resting from the effort to turn herself, she was finally able to crawl forward. Almost immediately she retched again. Then after wiping the sweat from her brow with her dress sleeve, she continued to move her legs up another step.

When she reached the green grass, she wanted to take a quick nap but knew she had to reach the house for help. She knew that, if she stopped, she may die.

Where is everyone?
Usually there were servants bustling about, but of course, when she needed one, they were nowhere in sight. As she stood on wobbly legs, she tried to focus on the side entrance of the house. It looked so far away that she felt tears surface.

Her vision kept going fuzzy even after she wiped her tears, but she concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. It felt like she had walked miles by the time she reached the door. When she turned the handle and walked in, she immediately wished the house smaller.

She slowly looked around, trying not to make her head hurt more with sudden movements. Still, there was no one in sight. “Hello,” she called, but her voice came out in a whisper.

She leaned against the wall for extra support as she made her way down the long hallway. She needed to rest but was afraid that, if she sat down, she wouldn’t be able to regain her footing. “Hello,” she tried to call out again.
Where is everyone?
She was becoming angry. She wondered how long she had been in the storm cellar. Who would have done such a thing to her? And why? She decided to think about that later. For now, she needed to focus all her energy on moving, on finding help.

She turned down another hall and saw a chair. The place to rest beckoned her forward and she finally reached it.

She sat and put her throbbing head between her hands, wondering what kind of substance was in her hair for it was all stuck together in clumps.

Then she heard a sound. Someone was in the study. The thought gave her the energy she needed to walk again. With her hands against the wall for support, she made it to the room. The door was ajar and she slowly walked in eager to reach a chair. Her head was spinning and she swayed. She saw the fuzzy outline of Paxton crouched down in front of the fireplace with his back to her. She thought he was crying as his shoulders shook. “Paxton,” she whispered, and then fell to the ground unconscious.

***

He barely heard her call his name and thought he had imagined her voice until he heard her body crumple to the floor. As Paxton carried Evelyn to the couch, tears of joy streaked down his heavily whiskered cheeks. He immediately checked her pulse and then began feeling up and down her body for injuries. Her clothes were filthy, soaked, and in tatters, and her hair was caked with dried blood. He tried to move the matted strands to locate the injury, all the while whispering words of encouragement and love. “Don’t worry, love. I promise you everything will be all right. You will be feeling better soon. I just have to fetch the doctor. I’ll be back in a second.” He kissed her cheek, which was cold and white. Swiping the tears off his face, he ran out into the hall to bellow, not willing to take his gaze off Eve.

“I need a doctor!” Paxton yelled as loud as he could. Servants and family members came running from all directions.

“Barrows, send for the doctor. Tell him it’s urgent!”

“I’ll retrieve him.” Cole was already out the door and running to his horse.

Paxton’s mother came to a halt in front of him. “What is it? Are you hurt? Why do you need a doctor? Are you ill? Oh my, you are ill!” When Paxton smiled, she frowned. “Oh no, you haven’t gone mad?”

Before he could answer, the Stonehaven family came running down the stairs. “What’s happened?”

“It’s Eve!” he shouted happily. “She made her way back to us.”

“Where?” Madeline looked around frantically. “Where is my daughter?”

Paxton pushed the study door open further so the others could see in. Madeline rushed in, falling to her knees in front of the couch. “My precious angel, what has happened to you? Who did this? Is she going to be all right? Paxton, please tell me she is going to be all right.” When he assured her that her daughter would heal, Madeline’s face turned bright red. She was furious. “I want whoever is responsible for this to pay. How could anyone be so cruel to my girl?”

Charles put his hand on his wife’s shoulder. “I’m sure it’s worse than it looks, dear. I don’t want you to worry. We’ll catch whoever did this.”

Madeline brushed a few red locks away from Evelyn’s pallid face. “I need a cool cloth.” Barrows immediately brought her bandages and a pitcher of water.

Madeline mopped Evelyn’s brow with cool water while Cassandra held her sister’s limp hand. Paxton and Charles paced back and forth, and Veronica and Lydia kept the servants calm and out of the way as the household waited for the doctor.

“Will she be all right?” Cassie stared down in horror at her sister’s still form.

“She’ll be fine. The doctor will fix her up,” Lydia said, trying to reassure her new friend.

“Son.” Veronica touched Paxton’s arm to still his pacing. “I think she needs to be taken to your room. It will be better for the doctor to examine her there. And I think we should remove her wet clothes.”

Paxton nodded, knowing his mother was right. Although he was scared of hurting her, he gently lifted Eve into his arms and carried her to their bed, a bed they had yet to share together.

***

Everyone felt much better after Dr. Mathers announced that Eve would make a full recovery. “She has suffered a terrible blow to the head. You have one strong lady there. Most wouldn’t have survived. She may seem disoriented when she awakens due to the knock on her head but also the laudanum I have given her. She should not remove her bandage.” He referred to the monstrous white cloth that was wrapped around Eve’s head. “I will be back before the week’s end to check the wound. Try to get her to eat, even if she claims she is too nauseous to do so. Keep a bucket nearby in case she isn’t able to keep the food down.”

“Is that normal?” Madeline questioned with motherly concern.

“It’s very common with severe head trauma. The dizziness can make one sick. Send for me if she comes down with a fever. Otherwise, make sure she has plenty of rest and fluids. She can have more laudanum to help ease the pain. In a week she will be feeling much better.” He looked around at all the worried faces. “And smile, she is going to be fine.”

“Thank you, doctor.” Paxton shook his hand and Cole escorted Dr. Mathers from the room.

***

“Paxton?” Eve called out in the middle of the night.

“I’m here, my sweet.” He lay next to her on the bed. “Close your eyes and sleep. I’m not going anywhere.”

Eve followed his instructions and her eyes fluttered shut. She slept for two more days, finally waking with a start. “Paxton?”

“Shh! It’s all right, dearest.” Mother patted her hand, smiling.

“Where’s Paxton?” Her voice didn’t sound at all like her own.

“I insisted he go in the other room and sleep. He hasn’t slept in many days, and I told him you would prefer him to be well rested for when you awake.”

“Is he all right?”

“Of course, dearest. He only needed to rest, just as you do. Now lie back and I’ll go tell him you’re awake. He made me promise to rouse him when you woke up.” Madeline blinked away her tears. “I’m so happy you’re all right. You really gave us quite a scare.”

“I gave myself quite a scare too. Someone tried to kill me, Mother. Who would do such a thing?”

“Don’t worry about that. You’re safe now.” She kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

“It’s good to see you again, Mum,” Eve said as she closed her eyes and leaned back to wait for Paxton.

***

When she felt the bed shift with his weight, a smile lit her face and her eyes flew open. “There you are. Did you sleep?”

Paxton grinned. It was just like Eve to be concerned about him when she was the one injured. The color was back in her cheeks and her eyes were vibrant blue, no longer hazy and unfocused. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“But you need your sleep,” she insisted.

“Now that you are awake, I should be able to do so.” He took off his robe and buried himself under the blankets with her.

“How does your head feel?”

“Sore, but at least it’s not throbbing anymore. I must look a fright with my head wrapped the way it is.” She put her hands up and felt her head, laughing at the chunks of her red hair sticking up through the bandage.

He laughed with her, giving her a kiss and then cuddled in closer. “You’re beautiful.”

“Why didn’t you meet me in the stables?” Eve asked, rubbing her foot along one of his legs, which he enjoyed immensely.

“I didn’t send you that note, Eve. I’m sorry to say that I didn’t send you any of the notes or gifts you received.”

“Then who did?”

“That is precisely what Cole and I have been trying to figure out. At first, we thought it was Henri. You see, he has escaped, the slimy bastard. It is rumored that he is in France, and knowing his dedication to Bonaparte, we believe the rumor to be true, which is why I started considering Bakersfield.”

Eve laughed, then grimaced as pain obviously shot through her temples. “He would never do such a thing to me.”

“Cole and I agree that he is too cowardly to do something this heinous.”

“Plus, he likes me,” Eve added.

“Yes, that too.” He kissed the end of her nose. “So we think it has to be our last suspect.”

“And who is that?”

“Lady Beverly. We believe her jealousy and her prejudices have warped her mind, provoking her to attack you. We believe she thought that, with you out of the picture, she could take your place in my heart. I told you she is mad. And Cole said she was very angry after I had her removed from our engagement party.”

“If what you say is true, she will surely try to end my existence again.” Eve shivered. He assumed she thought she’d have to always be looking over her shoulder to avoid another vicious attack.

“Not necessarily,” he said. At her perplexed look, he explained, “You see, no one knows you’re alive, and until we catch whoever is behind the assault, no one will. You will be safer that way. Besides, your disappearance gives me time to set the trap.”