Married By Midnight(35)

“No, he was dressed only in his nightshirt. He is not wearing shoes.”

Garrett faced his mother. “Where are Devon and Blake? Have you told them?”

“They have already left for London with Chelsea and Rebecca to see the solicitor and banker about the will. They won’t be back until late tomorrow. I don’t know what to do. Where could he be?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll find him.” Garrett glanced around the room for signs of something—anything—out of order. “Was he distraught when you left him?”

“No more than usual.”

“And you’ve searched all the rooms?”

She nodded. “The servants are still looking everywhere. Perhaps we should send a search party outside. What if he went to the lake house? It’s been sunny and mild the past few days. The ice isn’t safe.”

Garrett hurried to the door and called the footman. “You there, come here at once. Go out to the stables and tell the grooms to take a few horses to the lake. We must find the duke.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Garrett swung around to face his mother. Her brow was creased with concern. “Was he talking about the ghosts again?”

“Not that I know of. He just seemed frightened and restless.”

“Has anyone checked the chapel? Could he have gone down to the tunnels?”

She sucked in a breath. “Possibly. I didn’t think of that. Why didn’t I?”

He squeezed her hand and moved quickly to the door. “I will go and search there. In the meantime inform Lady Anne about what is happening. She is a good person to help search. She has a calming effect on him.”





* * *





Just as Garrett had suspected, the chapel door was wide open, the loose stone that concealed the key was dislodged, the key was missing, and the door to the catacombs was ajar.

He had come prepared with a lantern and blanket, and was about to duck his head low to pass through the small door when he heard rapid footsteps on the flagstones outside. Turning to look, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Anne, dressed in a warm cloak, rushing up the chapel steps. She, too, had come with a lantern. He could have kissed her.

“There you are,” she said, out of breath. “Your mother told me you came here to search.”

“Yes.” He waved her over. “I see you brought another lantern. Good thinking. Perhaps we can split up this time. You can go left, and I will go right.”

“That is precisely what I was thinking.”

Together they ducked through the entrance and descended the steep steps to the underground level where the air was cold and damp. Holding Anne’s hand, Garrett led the way to the end of the first long corridor. When they reached the T, Garrett turned to her. “If you find him, shout as loud as you can and I will come to you. I will do the same. Otherwise, I will meet you back in the chapel. If you do not return within an hour I will send another search party after you.”

“But what if your father has escaped out the other door? If he has done so, I will follow his footsteps in the snow.”

“Yes,” Garrett replied. “I will do the same. We must each leave that door open to signal that we have left the passages to pursue him.”

With a steady nod, she disappeared into the left vein. Garrett hurried to the right, grateful for Anne’s clear head and helpful presence.





Chapter Eleven





“Father!” Garrett shouted as he rounded another curve. A mouse scurried along the wall at his feet. “Are you here?”

He had been calling out to the duke since he entered the catacombs, and could hear the faint sound of Anne doing the same, but there had been no replies.

The passageway narrowed before him and he held the lantern aloft to slip sideways through the tight space.

He stopped when he heard a moan up ahead, like that of a child. A boy. All the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. For a moment he could not move.

“Who’s there?” he called out. “Where are you?”

Garrett’s insides flooded with sickening dread as recurrent images of that frightful day on the water came crashing into his brain. The wind in the sails, the stinging spray in his face, the thunderous sound of the water filling his ears...

Garrett shut his eyes and strove to control his breathing. This was not Johnny, returned from the dead to haunt him. There were no ghosts here, only guilt and regret.

“Where am I?”

Garrett’s eyes flew open as he recognized the sound of his father’s voice. His turned in that direction.

“Father! You are in the tunnel network beneath the chapel.” He moved faster through the narrow passageway until he reached the duke, who was frozen with fear, trapped against the wall, dressed only in a white nightshirt.