Claire knew that wouldn’t be enough for Finn.
“I sent her there. And now he has found her.”
Claire had visions in her head of Katherine being tortured. She laid a hand on her own belly. “You’ll have to go to her.”
Finn cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“It’s not as though you won’t come back,” she said, attempting a light laugh. He wouldn’t get hurt, would he? “Maybe you should stay here,” she said, instead, suddenly fearful for him. “Don’t go.”
“I’m afraid it can’t be helped. She’s under my protection. And he’s there with her. She could already be hurt.”
“He wouldn’t hurt his child, would he?”
“You saw her eye after the soiree. He knew full well she was increasing at that point.”
“There’s no end to what he will do to win,” Robin said. “I’ll have horses saddled and go with you.”
“Must you?” Sophia asked, her voice high with worry.
“I’m afraid so. This is my battle as much as Finn’s.”
Finn looked at Robin. “We started this by calling in all his debts. He’s probably rather desperate.”
“There’s no telling what he might do to her as retribution. She’s innocent in all of this.”
“No one has ever claim
ed Katherine Crawfield is innocent.” Finn snorted.
Robin just rolled his eyes. “We’ll have to go there. If we leave now, we can be there in a matter of hours.” He tugged his watch fob from his pocket. “We can ride through the night.”
Finn nodded and turned, drawing Claire into his arms. “I love you,” he said. Claire opened her mouth to return the sentiment, but he laid his mouth on hers, his lips soft and coaxing, a promise of what would come when he returned home. He leaned his head close to her ear. “I will expect you to be naked and waiting in bed for me when I get back.”
“I think I can do that,” she murmured back.
Sophia and Robin stepped into the corner, where he kissed her quite soundly. She staggered when he let her go. “Do be careful, Ashley,” she said, her voice quivering.
“I will,” he said, pulling her to him once more.
Finn wrapped Claire in his arms and held her close, breathing deeply with his head buried in her hair. “I need to speak to your father,” he said, and then he started in that direction. He pulled her fingertips, dragging Claire with him as he went back into the parlor. He placed Claire’s hand in her father’s and said, “Only until I return.”
Her father nodded, pulling Claire to his side as he dropped an arm around her shoulders. “Only until you return.” He pulled Sophia forward with the other arm and did the same with her. She looked up at him and smiled.
“I’ll accompany you,” Marcus said. Finn nodded and the three of them started for the door.
“Finn!” Claire called. He looked back at her with that smile she’d so come to love. She wanted to confess her love for him. But she really wanted to do it at a time when he wouldn’t assume it was forced. “Be safe,” she whispered, instead.
Then the three of them left, the door closing soundly behind them. Claire looked around the room at the remains of the wedding cake and sat down, popping a piece into her mouth. Someone had to eat it. It may as well be her. She shoved a piece at Sophia. “Eat,” she said. Sophia joined her in her misery, the only one who could.
Thirty-Four
It was nearly morning when Finn, Robin, and Marcus reached Bedfordshire. The day was still dark, but faint edges of light hovered on the horizon. Finn drew up his horse to the front of the house and stopped, tethering the horse as Robin and Marcus dismounted. He stretched and patted his horse on the side. He’d done a great job. Finn would bed him down with warm blankets and hay once he’d had a chance to find out what the devil was going on.
“Where’s your man?” Robin asked.
“Probably sleeping,” Finn said. He’d only sent one man, and it was impossible for him to be awake twenty-four hours a day.
“Shall we go see, gentlemen, what’s going on?” Robin asked.