h no, Oi don’t have to toike that from ye now, do Oi?” Ally shook his head and moved his hand inside his jacket to allow his gun to show. “This here note be something yer precious Sir Edward would be wanting to have, he would, and make no mistake of that.”
The butler frowned over this. It was a fact, that the nobility were given to quirks, and if Sir Edward had rubbed shoulders with this creature’s employer for a lark of sorts, well, he might want this letter. He reluctantly and gingerly took up the missive with his white gloved hand, eyed Ally haughtily and with great disdain commanded, “Wait outside.”
This was precisely what Ally wanted him to say. He waited only for the door to close in his face before he put distance away and made for his horse tethered at the hitching post. A moment later saw him riding hard and away.
Upstairs, the Stamford butler found Sir Edward standing on his balcony absently viewing the stretch of green lawns before him. He cleared his throat and waited for Sir Edward to notice him, upon which he went forward with an apology.
“I am sorry, sir, but there was this dreadful man who insisted you would want this letter.”
Sir Edward’s mobile brow went up with surprise. “Really?” As the letter now rested upon a silver salver, he took it up and went to the writing desk at the opposite end of his room where he broke open the wax seal.
Well now Guv,
Mayhaps ye shouldn’t have come to grips with me. Oi ain’t no snirp to be snabbled so easily. Come to think on it, Oi mean to have an apology from ye, Oi do and wit that apology, it would be nice if ye handed over five hundred English pounds.
Ye see guv, if ye see fit to come to Deadman’s Creek tonight at midnight and do as Oi ask, then Oi would be willing to give ye the lady, ye know the one Oi mean, the one ye be sweet on, Miss Berkley that is.
If ye don’t do as Oi say, then Deadman’s Creek will be a good place for her body, as it were.
Come alone,
Yer friend and servant,
Farley
Sir Edward felt his mind explode. He felt the color drain from his body into a pool at his feet and his heart began pounding so hard in his chest he was certain it would break out. A violent sensation shook his nerve endings. All he could think was, Star, Star, Star!
Her face, her dark eyes, her voice, her spirit swirled around his conscious. His Star, his beloved, his reason now for living was in a scoundrel’s hands!
All at once, he knew without any doubt what he had to do and damn anyone who got in his way.
Quickly he moved into action. He turned to the butler and demanded, “The man who delivered this, where is he?”
The butler sniffed but answered that he had asked the man to wait outdoors on the front portico.
“Damnation and Hell! May he still be there,” Sir Edward cursed as he ran to take the stairs. On the way he encountered Jules, who had just walked in and demanded to know what was afoot.
Edward didn’t have the time or the patience to answer him but asked, “Did you encounter anyone as you came in?”
“No…no…why?” Jules followed him outdoors.
Sir Edward stood outside and peered down the drive—no one about. The man had already vanished.
Sir Edward saw a passing gardener and asked if he had seen anyone leaving. The gardener answered scratching his chin, “Aye, wondered what the loikes of him was doing here.”
“What was he wearing? What color horse? Did you see what direction he took?” Sir Edward demanded.
“What the devil is going on?” Jules demanded.
For answer, Edward handed him the note he was still clutching in his hands, while the gardener answered, “Aye, Sir Edward. He was wearing old clothes…warm for this time of year…and his horse, a dark chestnut. They didn’t go down the drive, and I yelled after him not to go across the lawn, but that he did, and over the fence…west.”
Jules had been cursing and exclaiming unintelligible remarks at Sir Edward’s back, only to ask at this juncture, “What is this? Is it for ransom then…shall I send my man to the bank? Edward, why does he think you will pay ransom? Why ask you and not her brother?”
“Because I would give him anything he wants for her, that’s why and her brother can’t. Somehow, he figured that out,” Edward said as he put his thoughts together. “Come on, there isn’t a moment to lose.”
“Yes, but we need…” Jules started.
“Jules, I’ll explain on the way to Berkley. You have your man ready our horses. I just need a few things.”