Seductive Lies (Secret Lives Series) (19 page)

Stepping forward, she tripped. A body! It was one of their
footmen. Tomas! Shot in the back. His eyes opened wide, along with his mouth. He had been taken by surprise. Tumbling forward, Harriet emerged from the thicket beside a river’s bed.

She whirled
around; where was she? Across the river, a cliff overhung the water, as if God’s hand had carved it out of a mold. Trees littered the side of the cliff. Alongside of the banks, rocks littered the shoreline. The sound of running water became stronger.

From the corner of her eye
, she saw movement. Her heart stopped cold. Mr. Padgett held her daughter in his arms, riding up the hillside. She cried, “Stop! Stop!”

Mr. Padgett continued onward up a small hill as if he didn’t hear her. Before her, he emerged on a bridge crossing the river. It sat high above the rushing water. The horse paused. To her horror, the man dismounted with Victoria. Holding her over the edge of the bridge, rain burst forth from the threatening sky.

“No!” Harriet screamed. “No!”

“Harriet. Harriet,” Arthur repeated. “Harriet. It’s okay. Sadie is going to take you back to your room…”

Shaken back to reality, Harriet stared at Arthur. Gripping his arm tightly, she cried, “He’s going to kill her. He’s going to kill Victoria. Oh, my God!”

“Who, Harriet
?” Arthur questioned. “Who is going to kill Victoria?”

Harriet tightened her grip and stared straight into his eyes. “Mr. Padgett. He’s got Victoria. Tomas is dead. He’s lying there in a thicket of trees. Shot in the back…I saw…Mr. Padgett riding away with Victoria. He stopped on the bridge. He’s going to drop Victoria in the river…”

“Sadie, take Miss Harriet…” Arthur began, but Carlisle would have none of it.

“Let her finish, Arthur,” Carlisle demanded. “I think I know the place. Barter’s Gorge. It’s not far from here.” He turned to Harriet. “Can you tell me anything else about the place? The river…do you think it’s the
River Swale?”

Harriet’s hand pressed upon her forehead. “There was a cliff on the other side of the river. I could hear water rushing.”

Harriet caught Carlisle exchanging looks with Arthur.

“It has to be Barter’s Gorge. Come!”

Arthur’s face expressed his confusion at Carlisle. Carlisle shook his head.

“We don’t have time to waste,” Carlisle said. “I know…I know what I said about Harriet being strange, but I never said she wasn’t correct in her assessment. Tomas was seen leaving the manor with a bundle over his shoulder shortly before Victoria was discovered missing. Harriet couldn’t have known. I only just discovered the fact.

“Now she has just described Barter’s Gorge in detail. We have nothing else to go on…”

Arthur motioned to Sadie once more. “Take her to bed and do not leave her. Do you understand?”

“Yes, m’lord,” Sadie agreed. Taking Harriet by the shoulders, she led her to the door.

Harriet paused, looking back at the two. “Is it raining yet?”

“No,” Arthur replied.

“Go, please…hurry,” Harriet urged. “You still have time.”

* * * *

Arthur rode as a man possessed. He had to find his daughter. Nothing else mattered. Never had terror seized him so fiercely. Not in the midst of a roaring battle, faced with the uncertainty of death. His life held little meaning compared to Harriet and Victoria. Nothing meant more to him.

Riding along an overgrown path beside Carlisle, it seemed an eternity. Questions inundated him, none greater than could he trust a distraught Harriet. Was it possible to believe that she could see beyond the realm of reality?

When he had caught sight of Harriet walking up the stairs, the look on her face scared him. Seemingly oblivious
of her surroundings, she called out to their daughter and ignored his call to her.

He followed
her into the nursery only to find her sitting, staring intensely out into blank space. He watched her expression alter to one of sheer terror. Panic surged through him when she cried out “No…No.” He fell to his knees and shook her.

Overwhelmed with the loss of her daughter, Harriet had succumbed to her prevailing fear. There was no other explanation. Though, he couldn’t begin to explain Carlisle’s reaction.

Had Carlisle not been the one to first tell him he thought Harriet strange? There had been a time when rumors abounded that Harriet had been cursed by the gypsies. He gave no credence to the claim then nor would he do so now.

Arthur had never seen Harriet so desolate, not even when she left him. A fire of anger and resolve in her purpose burned in her eyes then. Now, that purpose had been taken from her. He had failed her in the past. He refused to do so today.

Mounting his horse, Arthur gave no protest to the direction taken. Urgency demanded a course be laid. Disregarding Harriet’s vision, Barter’s Gorge made the most sense. The assailant had ridden off in one direction or another.

The village lay to the west. Harriet and he had held their talk at the lake
, which held to the south. He doubted any could have passed by without his notice…which left only the east and north. Given the description of Barter’s Gorge, it made the most logical choice.

The clouds rumbled when a thick line of trees emerged into view. The rain would not hold
off much longer. Carlisle motioned to an opening in the undergrowth. Ducking down, Arthur rode through the brush into a clearing. His heart pounded rapidly at the sight—a body lay still on the ground.

A horse pawed the ground
, tied up to a low branch. Carlisle rode around it and dismounted. Arthur didn’t bother. The bullet hole in the back of the man told there was no life in the body. Carlisle turned the body over. It was the errant footman, Tomas!

Carlisle stared up at Arthur, stupefied. In the ensuing silence, Arthur heard the sound of water rushing rapidly. Arthur rode toward the sound.
Emerging out of the opening, he saw the river…moreover, from the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of a figure on a horse cradling a small bundle. Good Lord! It was as Harriet envisioned.

A
harsh wind blew against him. Fighting back the brutal force, he could make out the rider and…Victoria!

“Carlisle! I see her!”
Arthur cried.

He didn’t wait for Carlisle to mount. He took off after the assailant
. Time blurred before him. The man had a head start toward the bridge. He had to get to him before he got across.

For so long, he had questioned the existence of God. He had not prayed in years. Seeing his daughter in the hands of a madman, he prayed.
He prayed hard.

Racing through the stark grayness, Arthur took only a moment
to consider his options. He spurred his horse into a gallop. He had only one chance. He headed straight toward the steep incline.

Struggling to climb the rugged terrain, Arthur pushed his mount beneath him unmercifully, relenting only when he reached the top. He realized Carlisle would take the hillside path, leaving no avenue of escape for the culprit.

Arthur hadn’t a moment to catch his breath when the rider rounded the bend. The assailant pulled up abruptly. The skittish horse sidestepped backwards in front of Arthur, who got out his pistol and aimed straight at the man. Arthur didn’t need an introduction. He recognized him immediately.

Arthur could not believe his eyes.
Harriet had been correct. He uttered in complete and utter astonishment, “Good Gawd! Padgett! It is you!”

Padgett held Victoria firmly in his arms, framing his body between Arthur and his daughter, but Arthur had already caught the fear in the young one’s eyes. A gag tied around her mouth kept back the sure screams held within the scared child. Tears stained her cheeks.

A contemptuous smile emerged on Padgett’s face in recognition of Arthur’s presence. “Lord Daneford! Thank the
Lord! I have confronted the villain who dared abduct Victoria. I have her!”

“Then you will have no issue handing her over to me,” Arthur said in a cool
, forceful voice.

“And have you once more proclaimed a hero in front of Harriet
? Do you think me a fool?”

“I believe you think I am one,” Arthur uttered, maneuvering his horse to block any escape across the bridge. From the corner of his eye, he saw Carlisle closing in behind them. He commanded, “Hand the girl over to me and go your way. At least you will have a chance of escape.”

Padgett swallowed hard, perspiring profusely. “I think I will hold to her for the time being. It is safer. Seems you have drawn the wrong conclusion. Not that I expected more from you.”

“Tell me, Padgett, what you did expect of me?” Arthur asked, watching Carlisle position himself behind Padgett.

Startled, Padgett glanced back at Carlisle, and then back to Arthur. Suddenly, Padgett tossed his head back and laughed a malevolent laugh. “Expect? Not this. I have to hand it to you— you have surprised me. It means little, though. I have no more reason to stay in this dull, quaint village.

“Bloody hell!
I should never have diverted from the plan. I should have married Harriet before introducing myself to you. That was the plan. Now I understand why. It was to taunt you that she could never be yours. Know, though, it was you who is responsible for what is happening now. You changed the plan. No one was supposed to get hurt...

“
Now, my lord, lower your pistol. I need to cross. As you have discerned, I have an appointment to keep.”

Eyes firmly fixed on his adversary, Arthur responded with a small shake of his head. “You are going nowhere with Victoria.”

Madness gleaming in his eyes, Padgett glared at Arthur. He gripped the reins with one hand and turned Victoria around fully in front of him. Kicking the flanks of his horse, he spurred his mount forward and slammed into Arthur.

Padgett’s attempt to squeeze by Arthur and the railing of the bridge was met with staunch resistance. With fear of hitting Victoria if he shot, Arthur dropped his pistol. He slung his fist at Padgett and landed it along his jaw.

Blocking Arthur with his arm, Padgett whipped around. Reaching desperately for his daughter, Arthur felt Padgett’s boot kicking against his horse. Pulling too tightly on his reins, Padgett’s mount reared back. All before Arthur seemed to slow…and move in a surreal manner.

Realizing his predicament, Padgett thrust Victoria outward over the railing. The little one hung precariously over the rushing river. Padgett looked at Arthur
; his malevolent grin widened. Padgett’s hold loosened on the girl. Then he let go.

The sound of a splash sent Arthur lunging at Padgett. The man lost
his balance and fell back off his mount. Spiraling downward himself, Padgett reached desperately for the railing. His fingers clawed into the wood.

The darkening sky burst forth with a drenching rain. Thunder roared above them
, shaking the foundation of the bridge. Despite the forcible winds, Arthur climbed over the railing.

Arthur disregarded Padgett perilously hanging beside him and ignored Carlisle’s call. There was no time. Down below, the last of the skirt of Victoria’s gown disappeared under water.

Arthur leaped.

* * * *

Time was endless. Harriet stared out the window, blankly, into nothingness. She saw only her daughter, small and helpless. Her heart ached at the thought. Victoria had to be so scared… so terribly scared.

Outside, the promise
d storm had descended with a vengeance. The wind howled unmercifully while rain pummeled down relentlessly against the house. Thunder broke, shaking Harriet’s very core.

“Are you all right, my dear?”

Harriet glanced back at Aunt Eleanor. She had been barely aware of Aunt Eleanor’s presence sitting on the sofa. Harriet had refused to go to bed as Arthur had ordered. Instead, the two women waited in the drawing room.

“I cannot stand this! I should be out there, too, searching,” Harriet cried, choking back tears. “Victoria…my baby…”

Aunt Eleanor rose and crossed the room. She took Harriet’s trembling hands in hers. Looking into the older woman’s eyes, Harriet’s bottom lip quivered. Then Harriet slipped out of her chair and into the arms of the caring woman. The whole of her emotions seized her in uncontrollable weeping. Aunt Eleanor rocked her much as she would have an infant until Harriet’s sobs subsided.

In the foyer, the
grandfather clock chimed twelve times. Noon. Harriet eased back out of Aunt Eleanor’s embrace. Wiping her reddened eyes, she said with a semblance of composure, “I need to see lunch is prepared for everyone searching for Victoria. It seems the whole of the village has come to help. They must be famished.”

“It is not necessary
.” Aunt Eleanor heaved a sigh. “I have already instructed Florence to prepare what is needed as well as instructing Alfred we are not receiving visitors.”

“You are too good to me, Aunt Eleanor,” Harriet said. Tears pooled in her eyes once more. “I don’t know what I would have done without you. You welcome
d me and accepted Victoria. Few would have.”