Therefore, she put her mind to a means of escape.

  Chapter 27

  Eardly needed a wealthy wife, and the connection to a duke would return him to respectability, therefore, his goal would be to marry Violet. Simply attempted ruin wouldn’t earn her hand, as it had failed when Eardly had attempted the same with Lady Lucinda, therefore, the only choice was marriage before anyone could stop him.

  Thoughts of the terror Violet must be experiencing urged him forward, and Emory vowed that if Eardly harmed even a hair on her head, he would not be long for this earth. He also prayed that he wasn’t making an incorrect assumption by traveling to Gretna Green, but where else would he take her?

  Therefore, he’d follow the road most likely taken, and stop at every coaching inn along the way and ask questions. Eardly didn’t have so much of a start on him that he couldn’t catch him. Eardly’s traveling coach was heavy, and the horses would need to be changed often. The curricle was light and swift. Therefore, Emory would find and rescue Violet, lecture her on taking risks, and then deliver her back to the safety of her brother.

  He may hold her first. To comfort her of course, as she’d be upset. Women were fragile, and a kidnapping would be quite upsetting, and he’d be able to calm her and offer safety and security.

  Violet was madness. She rejected him after a bone searing kiss, then avoided being alone with him. She professed a friendship but had turned cool and distant. It was clear that she did not care deeply for him, yet here he was, racing across the country to rescue her from a desperate lord. Her brother should be doing this, not Emory. But, even if Epworth were free to do so, Emory would still insist on accompanying him. He’d not rest until he knew Violet had been rescued and was safe.

  This overwhelming panic that burned in his chest was not something he was used to, and Emory didn’t like it one bit. He was just as certain he’d feel the same for any female caught in the clutches of Eardly. But, Eardly didn’t have just anyone. He had Violet. His Violet, and Emory was not going to allow her to be harmed in any manner without someone paying the price.

  He also accepted that much of the blame rested on his shoulders. He should have insisted on remaining with her last night, whether she liked it or not. Instead, he let her drive the wagon away from him.

  He needed to find her. He needed to find her in time. Before…

  He urged the horses faster, as if the demons of hell were on his tail.

  Eardly’s chin had finally dropped to his chest as much as his extra chins would allow, and his mouth hung open, spittle leaking from the corner as his snores filled the carriage.

  At least he was getting rest, whereas even though Violet was exhausted, it wasn’t possible for her to relax, let alone sleep. Her mind was too busy formulating escape plans and potential scenarios. She could sleep once she was away from Eardly.

  If she could trust the driver, she’d force Eardly to allow her to leave the carriage, but as she could not determine his loyalty, Violet kept her one weapon hidden for the time being, but was prepared to use it if necessary. At least she hoped she’d have the nerve.

  Yes, she would, she insisted to herself with determination. If not, then she might end up married to the snoring lump, and that would never do.

  As the carriage slowed, she leaned close to the window to determine where they might be. If they arrived at a coaching inn while Eardly still slept, she could escape and prevail upon the owner to offer safety. Certainly, once she explained her circumstances, and who her father was, he’d offer assistance no matter what claims Eardly might make.

  Satisfied that all would be well, Violet frowned when the carriage came to a halt at the side of the road with no coaching inn or any type of building in sight.

  The carriage shifted, then the driver jumped to the ground and raced toward the bushes.

  The man simply had to relieve himself, and she quickly calculated her chances of escape.

  They’d passed few carriages, but that didn’t mean one wouldn’t be along soon.

  Sliding to the other end of the seat, she looked for signs of any type of shelter, but there was only a thicket of trees on the opposite side of the road, and they were too thick to see what was beyond. However, it was possible that she could hide within. If she were lucky, she could leave quietly and neither the driver nor Eardly would know she was gone until Eardly woke.

  Violet glanced back out the opposite window to gauge how soon the driver would return when she noted that he was squatted behind a bush.

  With a smile, she determined that she certainly had time, then reached for the handle on the door and slowly pushed it open, watching Eardly for signs that he was waking. All he did was mumble then continue his snoring, so she slowly stepped out of the conveyance and gently shut the carriage door behind her before sprinting across the road. Even from here she could almost hear the grating snores of the viscount. The driver had probably heard him as well and knew that he could stop without disturbing the gentleman, which had worked in her favor.

  However, she mustn’t tarry as the driver could come back at any moment and discover her. Therefore, Violet rushed into the woods, scrunched herself down behind bushes, and waited. Should she go farther and keep running until she was far away, or should she watch to make certain they left and that Eardly didn’t wake.

  Her heart pounded with indecision. She’d lose precious time in her escape if she waited to see if he drove off or not, but if she ran before she knew for certain that the driver would continue on, she’d wonder if they were hunting her.

  The driver returned and launched himself back onto the seat without even a glance into the carriage, then set the horses back on the road to Gretna Green.

  Violet blew out a breath and stepped to emerge back onto the road to walk in the direction of home then changed her mind. Eardly could wake at any moment and notice her gone. There was no doubt that he’d order the driver to turn the carriage around to search for her, so Violet decided to stay within the woods and walk deeper in, but not so far that she’d not be able to hear a carriage approach. And when the woods thinned, and she no longer had shelter…she’d decide on a course of action then.

  However, after not even an hour of picking her way through the brush, she heard a carriage approach from the opposite direction and ducked behind a tree in fear that Eardly had awakened and was looking for her.

  “Do you see her?” Eardly yelled out the opened window.

  “Not yet, Lord Eardly,” the driver called as he drove the carriage slowly along the tree line.

  “You bloody fool! This is your fault and when we return home, you are being let go without reference.”

  “Yes, Lord Eardly.” Odd, the driver didn’t seem all that worried at the prospect of being unemployed.

  “Who is that?”

  Violet’s heart nearly stopped. Had she been spotted?

  “It’s a curricle, Lord Eardly. I cannot make out the driver.”

  A curricle!

  “What the blazes is a curricle doing out here?” Eardly demanded.

  “You’d need to ask the driver, sir.”

  Violet nearly snorted at the response. Perhaps the driver was happy to be let go.

  “Ah, it’s Lord Ferrard, I believe.”

  She could swear her heart skipped for a moment as relief shot through her being. If she believed in luck or providence, Violet would consider that it had turned in her favor to have decided to escape near the time Lord Ferrard would pass this way on his return to Sussex.

  Violet edged closer to the road, keeping out of sight. She needed to see that it was Ferrard for herself to be certain. It wouldn’t do to rush out and reveal herself if the driver of the curricle turned out to be a stranger unwilling to offer assistance.

  Chapter 28

  Emory slowed the bays as he noted the carriage moving slowly in the opposite direction, the driver scanning the woods as if he were looking for something…or someone. As he drew closer, he noted the black lacquer of the carriage and knew that it could only be Eardly, or so he hoped.

  He pulled the curricle before the carriage to keep it from moving forward.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” Eardly demanded as he exited the carriage.

  Setting eyes on the viscount sent Emory into a rage the likes of which he’d never experienced, and he jumped from the conveyance and stormed forward, ready to do bodily harm.

  “Don’t go near him,” Violet called, and Emory turned to find her pushing her way through the brush.

  Relief shot through him at seeing her safe.

  “Why not?” Had she gone with him willingly? Surely that was not the case.

  “Eardly may be suffering from the measles, and I’d not have you infected.”

  She was worried about him?

  Violet was the one who’d been kidnapped, and apparently had tried to escape. Shouldn’t she be hysterical or something and not worried that he might become ill?

  “I don’t have the measles,” Eardly argued as he pulled a pistol from the inside of his suitcoat.

  “You’ve been coughing, sneezing, and sweating. You also complained of the heat in the carriage, when it was not warm, which is indicative of a fever. Therefore, even if it is not the measles, you are still ill, and I’d not see Lord Ferrard made ill as well.”

  Emory studied the pistol aimed in his direction. His fists were of no use against a steel ball tearing through flesh and muscle.

  “Come along, Lady Violet,” Eardly ordered. “You’ve caused enough trouble for one day.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” Violet retorted.

  “Yes, you are.” Eardly lengthened his arm, the end of the pistol aimed at Emory’s heart. He held his arms out so that Eardly didn’t see him as a threat, though it was likely he intended to shoot Emory anyway so that he didn’t interrupt their trip to the border. And, as much as he didn’t wish to get shot, Emory wasn’t going to make it so easy for Eardly to get away either.

  “No. I am not,” Violet said once again. “I will be returning to Laswell with Lord Ferrard.”

  “You’ve little choice. Either get into the blasted carriage or watch me shoot him.”

  “That would be a mistake.”

  Emory could hear Violet, amazed at the calmness of her tone.

  “Mistake?” Eardly laughed and glanced in her direction. He immediately drew still as his eyes grew wide.

  Emory edged away so that he could find shelter beside the phaeton and glanced over at Violet and stopped. Where the blazes had she gotten a pistol? Did she even know how to shoot the thing? Was her shot even accurate?

  At least it was aimed at Eardly, though that was little comfort to Emory since Eardly could still shoot him.

  “I will not hesitate to shoot you if you harm Lord Ferrard in any manner.”

  “Don’t be foolish, Lady Violet,” Eardly cajoled. “Put that away before you are hurt.”

  “Before you are hurt,” she corrected.

  She didn’t so much tremble as she gripped the pistol pointed directly at Eardly, her finger poised on the trigger.

  “I’m accurate, Lord Eardly. Do you wish to test just how so?”

  “You’re a lady, thus incapable of being able to shoot a man, despite your current bravado. Yes, I’m calling your bluff.” He focused back on Emory and aimed once again.

  Emory turned and ducked behind a horse just as two shots rang out.

  “Bloody hell! You shot me,” Eardly cried.

  “I did try to warn you.”

  Amazement and pride filled Emory at the calm tone from Violet, and he drew himself away from the horse and approached Eardly, who was holding his injured arm, the gun dangling from his fingers at his side while the other hand pressed against his wound as blood seeped about the fingers. Either the first or second shot had come from Eardly, but it had missed its mark, thankfully.

  “An excellent shot, Lady Violet,” Emory congratulated her.

  “I was aiming for his chest, but I suppose his arm shall do.”

  As Eardly still held his gun, Emory crossed the distance to relieve him of it. But before he could get near, Violet had reached Eardly first and took it. “I told you he is ill, and I’ll not have you becoming sick.”

  The situation was quite ludicrous. Emory had been sick with worry as he chased after Eardly, fearful for Violet and convinced she was terrified, and likely in a panicked state. Instead, she’d had the presence of mind to find a means of escape, protected him, and now was worried that he might be exposed to the measles. Perhaps it was simply relief to see that she was safe, or everything combined from a tension-filled day, but Emory found himself laughing. And the more he considered the situation, the more he laughed until he had tears.

  “This situation is certainly not entertaining,” Violet insisted.

  “If you viewed it from my perspective, you’d think so.”

  He knew that Violet didn’t always see humor as others did, but he couldn’t imagine admiring anyone more.

  His heart swelled when he looked into her green eyes, and in that moment, he finally admitted the one thing he’d tried not to consider before—he was in love with Lady Violet Claxton.

  It was a shame she did not return his affection, but he was going to try and earn it regardless, and he wasn’t leaving Laswell until she was his.

  “Into the carriage, Eardly,” Emory stated.

  “I will not.”

  “Then bleed to death in the middle of the road. I’m happy to wait for it to happen.” Actually, it’s what Emory preferred, given what the man had done.

  Eardly turned to his driver. “You’ll get me away from them,” he ordered.

  “I don’t take orders from you. You’ve already sacked me.”

  “You’ll do as I say, or you’ll never find employment again.”

  The driver shrugged and looked to Emory. “Are we to return to Laswell?”

  “I’ll not stand for this insubordination,” Eardly yelled and took off at a run toward the thicket.

  It was all rather hilarious, at least to Emory, as Eardly was a poor runner, and he dripped blood as he ran, and would soon collapse.

  “I’ll get him and bring him back.” The driver climbed down from the carriage.

  When Eardly tripped and dropped to his knees, the driver hauled him to his feet, none too gently then led him back to the carriage and pushed the man inside, slamming the door on the viscount.

  “I apologize for whatever part I played in your kidnapping, Lady Violet,” the driver claimed. “I didn’t know what Eardly was about last night until it was too late.”

  “You could have stopped him.”

  “I was not armed and knew that he was and didn’t want to risk injury to you. So long as I knew you were not being harmed, I waited for an opportunity.”

  “If he had attempted to harm her in the carriage?” Emory demanded.

  “It would not have been allowed,” the driver insisted. “Once Lord Eardly got to snoring like he was, I knew that he’d likely sleep for hours, so I pulled over and pretended to go about my business until I saw Lady Violet exit the carriage and run across the road, then continued on my journey.”

  “What if I wouldn’t have done so?” Violet asked.

  “Then you’d prove to be a lot more foolish than most,” he answered with conviction. “I’ll follow you back to Laswell, Lord Ferrard, and yell if Eardly starts giving me any trouble.”

  “See that you do,” Emory said as he led Violet to the curricle and helped her up before taking his seat and then the reins to turn the horses back in the direction of Laswell.

  “Thank goodness you hadn’t left any earlier for Sussex or you might not have come upon us.”

  Emory frowned. “Violet, I wasn’t returning home.”

  “You weren’t?” then she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter what you were about, I’m just thankful you came along when you did.”

  “Violet, I am here because I was looking for you.”

  She pulled back and looked up into his eyes. “You were? How did you know where to find me?”

  He then told her how he’d come to his conclusion that it was Eardly who had taken her, and that he was likely headed to Gretna Green.

  “Thank you for rescuing me.”

  Why was she so calm? He’d been more anxious in his search for her than he’d ever been in his life.

  “Violet, I’d do nearly anything for you.”

  That was the closest he was willing to make as a declaration of his heart, but once they returned to Laswell and Eardly had been handed over to a magistrate, he’d proclaim himself and hope she’d accept his suit.

  He supposed he could kiss her until she agreed, except the last time he’d kissed her, she’d asked him to leave.

  Well, that certainly didn’t bode well for his future.

  He’d do nearly anything for her!

  Of course, they were friends, and he was a gentleman, Violet reminded herself before she began to read more into his words than he probably intended.

  Now that the rush of excitement from her kidnapping, escape, and shooting of Eardly had passed and Violet was confident in her safety, her body relaxed. She’d not realized how anxious she’d been, nor had she recognized the signs of the strain in her body and tightness in her shoulders, but suddenly it was all gone, and she was weak with exhaustion.

  Tiredness had never come over her so quickly before, and she raised a hand to cover the yawn.

  It was logical that she would be tired, as she hadn’t slept in nearly twenty-four hours, but the sudden heaviness of her eyes was similar to that of being given a sleeping draught.

  In a blink, she righted herself after leaning into Lord Ferrard. It was becoming increasingly difficult to remain awake.

  He took up the reins in one hand then put an arm around her shoulders.