“If there was ever a situation that warranted cursing, this is it.” He eased his grip on the reins and gingerly dismounted, biting back another curse when a stab of pain shot through him as he hit the ground. “Your sister is up against some of the most dangerous men in Bath.” He closed the distance between them and mimicked her stance.
Clementine shook her head. “Violet is merely investigating the whereabouts of your father. She’s in a carriage with footmen and a driver.” Her chin lifted. “And Ivy.”
Roman pictured sweet Ivy riding next to her sister. “Oh well now I’m not worried at all.”
She narrowed her gaze to slits. “They are only going to your house, Duke. What could possibly happen there?”
“My house?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. The only time he set foot in that house was at Christmastime and as much as he enjoyed being with his father, it brought him little joy. Being there reminded him too much of what he’d lost. “That’s damn near three hours away.”
“About two, we reckoned.”
“Oh so you all planned this?”
“Duke?” Roman entered the courtyard behind his wife and came to stand at his side. “What are you doing with that horse?”
“About to play a game of chess actually,” Duke said dryly.
“He’s planning to go and find Violet,” Clementine told her husband.
“Well for goodness sake’s, Duke, you cannot ride in your condition.”
Duke scowled at his friend. “You’d be the first one on the road if Clementine was in that carriage.”
“They’re merely paying a visit to your house, Duke.”
Throwing up his hands, Duke retreated to his horse. “Does everyone in the family know of my personal business?”
“Apart from Mama and Papa,” Clementine said lightly.
“Is it not rather our business, Duke?” Roman asked.
“Hardly. I was going to damned well deal with it on my own.”
“He’s becoming so grouchy in his old age. His scowl is almost as bad as yours.” Clementine said to her husband.
“May I point out that I was beaten and left for dead and now my father is missing and potentially kidnapped?”
Roman came to Duke’s side and put a hand to his shoulder. “We are all worried about you, Duke, which is why we wish to help. The ladies are rather good at, uh, investigating.”
Duke glanced at the cloudy skies and sighed. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard about these sisters and this investigating nonsense. “So Violet said.”
“Let them help,” Roman suggested. “You know full well I will not let Clem, or the others put themselves in danger. These women are better than any investigator you could hire.”
“These women are mad and highly infuriating,” Duke muttered.
Roman glanced at his wife, a slight smile curving his lips. “They are indeed.”
Chapter Eleven
The housekeeper guided Violet and Ivy through the house as though a fair wind drove her along. They breezed down long hallways, through rooms filled with chinoiserie lacquered cabinets and mahogany glass bookcases displaying Sèvres vases, Ormolu horses, and gilded ornaments. Endless grand staircases merged into beautifully decorated rooms that apparently rarely saw visitors, despite the many paintings from grand masters upon the walls.
“Are we going to tell her we are here to investigate?” Ivy whispered when they were allowed a brief pause to study a painting of Duke and his father.
Violet shot a brief look the housekeeper’s way. As thin as a reed with pinched features and white hair pulled into a tight chignon, the woman radiated nothing but efficient energy. Any good housekeeper would not speak of their master and Violet had spurred into action so quickly she had not considered whether it was sensible to share Sir William’s situation with anyone or not.
“Is the master at home?” Violet asked, tilting her head to study the painting. “We are acquainted with his son.”
“Oh, you know Marmaduke?” The housekeeper moved to the side of Violet and peered up at the painting. “He always was a handsome man. It is a shame he is not yet wed.”