“Good God.” Aunt Sarah uttered the words at the same time everyone sat up straight in their chairs.
“Why did we not know this?” Clementine scowled. “How long have you known? If Roman has kept it a secret from me, I swear I shall—”
“I’ve known for all of an hour,” Violet assured them. “It took me that long to ensure Duke was not around and to gather all of you.”
Clementine’s lips curved. “So he does not wish any of us to know?”
Violet nodded. “He wishes to deal with the matter alone.”
“Typical man,” Clementine murmured.
“Indeed,” Violet agreed. “But he can do little in the condition he is in, and I think it wise that we act quickly.”
“What do these people want anyway?” Ivy asked. “They must be desperate indeed to kidnap a man.”
“I’ll explain it all in a moment but for now, we need to come up with a plan to find out where Duke’s father is, and we need to do it quietly. If Mama gets word of our plans, she will never be able to keep it a secret and father would probably lock us all up.”
“These people must be dangerous,” Clementine said. “I’m surprised you want us involved in this, Vi.” She looked to Ivy and Lilly. “She’s normally so determined to protect us all.”
Her sisters nodded. They weren’t wrong. Her whole life, Violet had been the one to take the boldest of the steps whether it was being the first on the dancefloor or speaking up for her sisters when there was a problem at home.
Only Ivy could really be considered a wallflower but somehow it had always been down to her to play protector. Nothing had changed. She had no desire to put her sisters at risk, but she did need their help. Once they figured out where Duke’s father had been taken, there was no need for them to be further involved. With any luck, it would be a brief investigation and then they could get back to enjoying the festive season.
∞∞∞
Lilly set herself directly in Duke’s path, hands to her hips, her stance wide. Duke glanced over Violet’s younger sister with a lifted brow. Against the pristine, polished surfaces of the grand entrance way of the house, her muddied hem and wild fair hair made quite the impression. He couldn’t claim to be the neatest of men—sometimes his cravat was too loose as he loathed having the thing tied and if he had a penny for every time he’d lost a cufflink and ended up wearing mismatched ones, he’d be, well, marginally richer than he was now he supposed.
Duke tried to step around Lilly, and she mirrored his step.
“Should you not be in bed?” she demanded.
Apparently, all the Musgrave sisters were the same—determined to tell him what to do. “If I spend another day in bed, I’ll—”
“You’ll what? Start a riot?” She grinned. “You are in no fit state to do much, Duke.”
“Well, charming.”
She rolled her eyes. “You hardly need me to flatter you. Violet does a fine enough job of it.”
Scowling, Duke followed the amused curve of her lips. He couldn’t recall Violet ever flattering him. In fact, it was one of the reasons they had become such fast friends. He was too used to women uttering words of how devastatingly handsome he was.
But now he found himself eager to hear what Violet thought of him. It was preposterous really. He had enough mirrors and female admiration to know the truth of his looks, and his ego was well enough intact even after the attack.
“Has she said something of me?” he couldn’t stop himself from saying.
She laughed. “Oh Lord, you sound like a little schoolboy. Anyway, cease changing the subject. You should return to bed.”
“I do not need more bed rest—I’m almost healed,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Oh yes, looks like it.”
Duke would try not to be insulted by a woman whose boots were so muddy she had traipsed dirty footprints across the marbled floor of the hall. “Where’s Vi anyway?”
“Who?”
“Violet. Your sister. She’s about so high.” He gestured to his shoulder. “Fair-haired. Talks to plants...”
“Very funny.” Lilly glanced about the hallway and shrugged. “Why should I know? I’ve been busy.”