The Complicated Earl (28 page)

             
Isabelle turned in surprise, but her expression soon changed to one of disdain as the coachman entered bearing a tray of tea and sandwiches. He did not look at Isabelle as he placed the tray on an occasional table, but nodded to Mr Ollerton before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

             
“Come now my dear, we may as well refresh ourselves while we wait for your brother.”

Chapter 20

              Mary knew some of Isabelle’s plight soon after she had been taken. Isabelle’s maid, worried about the catastrophe waiting for her at home had run all the way to Great Pulteney Street, arriving hot and breathless. When asking questions about the sudden illness of Mrs Crawford and receiving blank looks from the other members of staff, she was astute enough to realise that they had been fooled. A demand to speak to Mrs Crawford had been granted at once when she started to babble about Miss Crawford being in danger.

             
To Mary’s credit she remained calm throughout the recounting of the story, recognising at once the description of Mr Ollerton. She thanked Isabelle’s maid and left her to seek out her husband. The panic that threatened remained contained while Isabelle could be in danger.

             
James was in the drawing room with Mr Beckett and Tom when Mary burst in. Tom had decided that enough was enough, he had given Isabelle enough time to reflect on their words and this silence between them was ridiculous, but more than that, he missed her company. He was thankful though, that he had met Mr Beckett outside the property and they had dismounted and entered the household together. As much as he was prepared to face Isabelle, he knew his path would be made easier by the presence of a third. With Isabelle being absent, James had offered the gentlemen to join him in a drop of brandy. The scene of the three gentlemen being comfortable was disturbed by Mary rushing into the room.

James had never seen Mary so
pale, she looked almost deathly. “Mary, what on earth is wrong?” He asked approaching his wife. That she was obviously upset was unusual enough, but added to that her pallor, James was immediately alert.

“James, it is terrible, oh Tom, I didn’t realise you were here, but it is for the best that you know immediately.”

“Mary, what has happened?” James asked sternly.

“We cannot know for sure but we think she has been taken by
Mr Ollerton,” Mary said hurriedly.

Tom blanched at her words, “H
ow the devil could he have taken her against her will?”

Mary quickly explained everything the maid had told her. “I know Isabelle was uneasy in his company. She mentioned that she would be glad to be leaving Bath and never coming into contact with him again, but I don’t know what he can achieve by this.”

“I think I can guess what his intention is,” Mr Beckett interjected, so far having remained out of the conversation.

“Please explain,” James said.

“As you are all aware Ollerton was one of Miss Crawford’s suitors, he even renewed his addresses the last time he held a ball,” Mr Beckett started.

“I remember,” Tom said quietly, remembering the night that he had first kissed Isabelle and first rejected her.
An event that filled him with shame.

“Did you know he made the proposal going above and beyond that of gentlemanly behaviour?”
Mr Beckett asked.

“No,” Tom growled.

“Miss Crawford confided in me about it some time ago, I think she felt she needed an ally. Anyway, Ollerton is deep in debt, very deep. He is in danger of losing everything any day now. He had been hoping to persuade Miss Crawford to marry him, but I am afraid that once the announcement of her engagement was made, a desperate man emerged.”

“And you did not think to warn us?” Tom almost spat, his head spinning that Isabelle could be being compromised as they spoke.

“I did not think his desperation would turn to such dark actions as abduction,” Mr Beckett said calmly. “He will not harm her.”

“That depends if he refrains from
trying to force himself on her before we arrive,” Tom snapped. “I must find her.”

“I am coming too,” James said walking to the door.

“Wait,” Mr Beckett interjected. “My horse and his Lordship’s are ready and waiting for us. We can be on our way before your horse is anywhere near ready.”

“Where can he have taken her?
To his home?” Mary asked.

“No, he will want enough time for the gossips to have a field day if they should find out they have been alone. We would find him too soon if he was at home. He must have gone to
one of his friend’s homes,” Mr Beckett replied, pulling on his gloves.

“Do you know any of these friends?” Tom asked, moving with
Mr Beckett to the door.

“Enough that I hope we may find her before too long,”
Mr Beckett replied.

Tom faltered at the door and turned to James. “I will bring her back safely, if it is the last thing I do.”

“Don’t be foolish Tom,” Mary whispered.

“I am going to kill
him,” Tom replied and walked out the door without looking back.

*

The two horsemen rode in silence, Mr Beckett leading the way. Calling at each household would be time consuming, but he would avoid the ones located within the City, he did not think Ollerton would risk being found so easily, or risk Isabelle making a commotion and attracting attention to themselves. So, he started the search outside the City.

Tom rode as fast as
Mr Beckett, but his mind was not on what he was passing. All he could think was that he had let Isabelle down. If he had been honest and open with her from the start, she would have cut Ollerton and would not be in danger now. He also berated himself time and time again. What had he been thinking, leaving her alone for days? If he had not been so pig-headed and top-lofty, they would have probably been together and she would not have been alone. Ollerton may have abducted her, but Tom felt no less responsible.

The first two calls they made were fruitless. Tom’s anger was increasing with his sense of frustration. “I will rip him from limb to limb,” he said viciously as they mounted their tiring horses.

“I will hold him down for you when we find him. I have only one more place to go, then the other friends are either in Bristol or in central Bath. I cannot believe he would take her anywhere in Bath, but if we have to go to Bristol we will need to change horses.”

“Damn this time wasting!” Tome snapped.

“We will find her,” Mr Beckett responded, although he did not feel as confident as he had when they had set out. The tiring horses set off once again.

*

Isabelle knew her actions would put her life in danger, but she could no longer stand being so out of control and helpless. If she remained inactive, she had no idea how things would turn out. There was a good chance that James or Tom, or both were looking for her already and if they arrived, if Tom arrived, he would put his life in danger. There was too much bitterness on Tom’s side before this madness had happened for him to approach the situation calmly. She could not bear the thought of anything happening to the man she loved.

Mr
Ollerton had kept trying to blame this situation on Tom, but Tom had done nothing other than post a wedding announcement. Isabelle could not have patience with a man who had had a fortune, but had gambled it away, had not listened to her first refusal of his proposal, never mind her second refusal. A niggling sense of responsibility did keep gnawing at Isabelle though. Her vanity was such that she had enjoyed being surrounded by suitors. She had been vain enough to expect they would accept the terms she offered, attention and flattery on their part, with no commitment on hers.

Isabelle now realised that she had been as foolish as a girl straight out of the school room. How she had not been faced with a similar situation before now was due more
to good fortune than any sense on her part. Well, perhaps not as an extreme situation as she was faced with now, but she did recognise the folly of what she had expected. It was this feeling of responsibility that helped to make her decide what to do. If she waited for events to unfold, Tom would arrive and he would be in danger. It no longer mattered that he did not love her, she loved him and could not face a world in which he would be injured or worse. She could not take the risk that Mr Ollerton would not carry out his threat of harming anyone trying to recover her. If she acted before anyone arrived though, Tom would not be in danger and hopefully it would be the magistrate who dealt with Mr Ollerton. Tom and her family would be safe.

She stood and moved away from the chair that she had been instructed to sit in.
Mr Ollerton’s face registered surprise at her movements, which gave Isabelle courage. “Mr Ollerton, this whole situation is ridiculous, you cannot have seriously expected this scheme to work.” Isabelle stood proudly, in the centre of the room, facing her capture with a determined set of her chin.

“Miss Crawford, please be seated. I shall not expect such impertinence when we are married,”
came the calm response.

Isabelle was concerned at his
words, they suggested she was dealing with a man who had lost all sense of reality. She had the feeling that the time was running out in which her words would have any impact on him. “Mr Ollerton, how do you really think we shall ever marry? Are you absolutely convinced that the Earl of Standish with accept you kidnapping his betrothed. He is no longer the boy you dealt with many years ago.”

“His Lordship will definitely throw you over my dear. If it is not en
ough that we have been alone, I will tell him that I have compromised you. Do you think he will want to take the risk that you are not, especially as I will spread it from coast to coast that I have made love to his mother and his future wife. I will also inform everyone that his little sister spent days alone in the company of her husband in a dash to the border and that I aim to make her my next conquest, keeping it in the family so to speak. Oh, I think you will find his affection for you will wane somewhat.”

Isabelle paled slightly, she had no idea how he had heard about the dash to the border, but Tom would recoil from having his private family business spread far and wide. He would avoid such exposure and he could not always protect Sophie if
Mr Ollerton decided to harm her. For the first time Isabelle felt the possibility that Mr Ollerton might actually achieve his goal. Panic rose in her chest, but she fought it back.

“He would not respond well to such threats,” she said calmly.

“A desperate man often finds he is an excellent shot Miss Crawford, should I have the need or be challenged in any way,” Mr Ollerton replied fingering one of the pistols that had constantly been his companion since he had loaded them.

“You forget I have two brothers
Mr Ollerton,” Isabelle said stiffly, ignoring the cold feeling creeping over her at the expression in Mr Ollerton’s eyes.

“Ah, yes your brothers. I am more than happy to meet James in a duel, a pity to make
Mrs Crawford a widow so early in her marriage, but such is life. As for your other brother, he has been trying to marry you off for years, if the rumours are correct. I feel he may prove to be an ally,” came the mocking response.

Isabelle had to acknowledge the truth in his statement. She had no idea if he could beat both Tom and James in duels, even if it got so far, but if he did, Frank would certainly see her married off. If that nightmare happened, she would have lost everything, the love of her life, a dearly beloved brother and her standing in society. She would never survive the scandal, but
Mr Ollerton would not care, as he still would have her fortune.  She took a deep breath, this was all untenable and time that it ended.

“
Mr Ollerton, you should have listened to me, I am sorry if my actions gave you hope. I never and I repeat, I never will marry you. If you kill those I love my life will not be worth living and I shall find a way to end it, before we are married. My fortune will then go to my nephews and not to you. I am here against my will, but you cannot keep watch over me every moment until you find someone to marry us. I will take my life rather than marry you. Is that clear enough? Please give this foolish scheme up.” Isabelle stood firm and hoped that she would convince him.

“Brave words, but you would not attach such scandal to your family,”
Mr Ollerton sneered.

“You really don’t understand do you?” Isabelle said in exasperation. “You are threatening to take away those I hold most dear. My life would mean nothing without them. Mary would understand and forgive my actions. Frank do
es not warrant any concern. You are correct, he would force me into a marriage that I did not want; so I shall not dwell on any discomfort of his. He will be reconciled with his children receiving my fortune. In fact, once he has heard of my plan, he may help me, there has never been overmuch affection between the two of us. My death would benefit his family far more than my marriage would.”

Mr
Ollerton rose slightly, as if he wanted to leap across to her. “You are a cold bitch!”

Isabelle flinched at such language, but her
voice remained calm. “And you sir, have threatened the lives of those I love. I refuse to stand by meekly and allow this to continue any further.” She moved to the door. “I am ending this now.”

Mr
Ollerton jumped to his feet, but Isabelle kept walking. She did not know if the doors were locked, or if she would come across the coachman, who may prevent her leaving, but she continued. The doors were unlocked, probably he thought the threat of the guns would keep her in place and his goal was to have them discovered after all. No use if doors were locked. If she showed any sign of weakness her opportunity would be lost, so she walked through the entrance and onto the steps outside. There were only five steps, but it felt as long to descend as if there were fifty. When she reached the gravel at the bottom, she sighed, but her elation was short lived.