“Oh I take a sword almost everywhere.”
There were definitely more questions that needed asking. Like how on earth did Aunt Sarah transport a sword everywhere and quite why she thought she needed to bring it to her sister’s house for Christmas. But that would have to wait. For now, they needed to ensure everyone was safe and that these intruders did not access the house. Unfortunately with the size of her father’s house, it could be too easily done. There were so many rooms for a person to hide in and too many doors or large windows to slip into.
“I suggest we all gather in the kitchen,” Violet said. “There is but one door in and out. Then some of us can search the grounds and—”
“Find my blasted husband,” Clementine said.
Aunt Sarah’s eyes widened. “Roman is missing?”
“Along with Duke,” Violet admitted.
“Well, I’m sure they know what they are doing.” Aunt Sarah set the sword down and Violet winced when the tip embedded itself into the wooden floor. She tried not to picture Aunt Sarah sharpening the weapon in her bedroom. There were enough things to worry about at present without imagining her aunt slicing off her fingers whilst polishing a sword.
Namely where Duke and Roman were and if they were in trouble. But, for now, she had to think about her family and sisters and the safety of the household. She glanced at Clementine who still looked unusually fragile. “Come, let’s make haste.”
Violet escorted her sister out of the bedroom and downstairs, almost colliding with her father as he paced through to the main hallway, a shotgun tucked under one arm. Violet bit back a groan. Was her whole family intent on arming themselves?
“Papa, what are you doing?”
“Keeping watch. Newport tells me there were intruders.” He glanced briefly at all of them. “I see you are armed, Sarah. Excellent. You can protect the girls.”
“But of course.”
“We do not even know who was out there, Papa,” Violet said softly. “I am certain it is nothing.”
“Why should someone be skulking about the grounds all the way out here?” he demanded. “To cause trouble, of course.”
“Where’s Mama?” asked Clementine.
“In the kitchen. There is but one entrance,” he replied.
Clementine lifted a brow and met Violet’s gaze. Their father could be many things, but he was not a silly man.
“Perhaps you should join her, Papa,” Violet said softly. Her father was a notoriously bad shot. He loved animals far too much to hunt or shoot and was ill-practiced. They would be better off handing the gun to Lilly.
“I can protect my family, Vi.” Her father straightened his shoulders and gave her a look that was not to be quarreled with. “I shall gather the men and do a search of the grounds. Now, take your sisters down to the kitchen. Most of the servants are gathered there already.”
It wasn’t worth arguing with him and she did want to ensure everyone was safe in the kitchen so she escorted Clementine into the crowded room where she found Lilly and Violet already huddled with Mama along with all the other servants.
“Why does Aunt Sarah have a sword?” Lilly smothered a yawn with a hand. “It was surely nothing, was it not, Vi?”
“I was snug and warm in your bed,” Ivy grumbled.
“It’s probably nothing,” Violet said vaguely.
Clementine shared a look with Violet. She could be overreacting and the fact there had certainly been a man outside and Duke and Roman having gone missing was all a coincidence. She swallowed past a tight throat and propped herself up against the kitchen table, aware the fear drumming through her body left her feeling as though she could no longer support herself.
One thought kept echoing through her mind. What would she do if Duke did not return safely?
∞∞∞
Duke didn’t make mistakes. He was meticulous in his work and whilst many people might not think his bachelor lifestyle an especially cautious one, he would never fall into the traps that so many men of his kind did. Hell, he didn’t even count kissing Violet far too many times as a mistake at this point.
Coming here might well have been, though.
The man with a gold tooth tugged a pistol from his waistband and tapped the barrel against the palm of his free hand. It might not be aimed at Duke, but the message was clear—do as we say or I will not hesitate.
He silently urged Roman to stay where he was. He didn’t want to reveal their hand too soon. Not that it seemed much of a hand, but he was grateful to Roman for insisting he come. Duke would be no use to his father if he was dead.