Lord Valorous(41)

"You won't," Jacob said. "Some poor woman will see your faults and decide you can be changed. That she can reach through that ice-cold veneer you portray to everyone but us and save you."

Leo shuddered. "Lord, that sounds painful."

"It is," Jacob said softly. "Extremely."

The rest of the drive to Poppy's house was conducted in tense silence. He prayed he would find her there, and if he did he would do whatever it took to beg her forgiveness. Jacob had the door open before the carriage had stopped.

Please, dear God, let her be up there.

He rapped on the front door, but it was not answered quickly enough for him, so Jacob turned the handle and entered.

"Who are you?"

An elderly woman was stomping toward him, leaning heavily on a cane. Dressed in black, she had a thick gray shawl around her stooped shoulders. Her cap was black, face showing the lines of age, but her eyes were sharp, like two blackcurrants pressed into dough.

"I am Miss March's brother, and this is a friend of mine, Mr. Pudding."

Leo didn't blink, he was more than used to carrying off an alias, even Mr. Pudding.



       
         
       
        

"How do you do." Leo took the lady's hand and bowed grandly over it.

"One of them nine March siblings, are you?"

"The eldest," Jacob said, looking to the stairs. Was Poppy up there? "And I wish to see my sister one last time before leaving London. Do you know if she is currently in her room, Mrs.?"

"Miss Pithier," she said. "Poppy missed tea with me yesterday, and it is not like her."

The tension inside Jacob coiled tighter.

"When did you last see her, Miss Pithier?"

The elderly woman thought about that for a few seconds, and Jacob wanted to roar at her to hurry, but Leo gave him a look that suggested he kept his mouth shut.

"Three days ago, but then I haven't been out a great deal. Too cold. I asked after her with Mr. Beedle, and he has not seen her either." Miss Pithier shook her head. "'Tis not like Poppy, you understand. She reads to me, you see, and we are at an exciting chapter in the Romley adventures."

"Book four?" Leo said, and the woman nodded. "It is the best book of the series to my mind."

As he looked ready to settle in for a nice chat over the Romley Adventures with Miss Pithier, Jacob elbowed him.

"Thank you, Miss Pithier, I shall go up and check my sister's room." Jacob took the stairs at a run, and did not stop until he had reached the top. Knocking on Poppy's door got no answer. Trying the handle, Jacob found it locked, so dropped his shoulder into it. The door sprang wide.

"Lord, will you look at this place. It's no bigger than my bedroom. In fact, my bedroom is bigger."

"You know how people live, Leo, and that most do so in conditions worse than this," Jacob said as he moved around the small space. Everything was neat. Her bed was made, coat and hat gone, but nothing else. Her clothes still sat in a neat pile on the floor. Where was she?

"I don't know them, Jacob. But I know Poppy, therefore seeing how she is forced to live is a shock."

He grunted but kept walking around the small space, as if some clue as to her whereabouts would materialize. Where is she?

"You!"

Jacob turned at the roared word and found Niven Hardy in the doorway, his face clenched in anger.

"When did you last see Poppy?" The man blinked at Jacob's demand. "She did not turn up for work yesterday or today. I am trying to find her, and have no time for your theatrics, Mr. Hardy. Therefore, speak or step aside." Jacob could hear the anger in his words. Anger and fear. Something was very wrong. It had been simmering inside him, but now, standing here among her things, the feeling had intensified.

"She was due to come for a meal with my family last night, but did not make it." 

Every word confirmed something was not right. Poppy would never let people down; it was not in her nature, even considering his treatment of her.

"Do you fear she has met with trouble, sir?"

"I do, Mr. Hardy." Jacob handed the man a card. "If you receive word from her, then contact me at this address at once."

Running back down the stairs, he told Hamley to take him to Lord Revel's house.

"You fear he has done something to Poppy?"

"Poppy believed him responsible for the previous attempts on her life, so following that logic, it must be he who is now responsible for her disappearance."

Fear rode him as he leaped from the carriage once more and ran up the path to Lord Revel's front door. He banged the knocker loudly, and it was answered seconds later.