Page 60 of His Sinful Touch

“Oh, for goodness’ sake.” The duchess walked briskly to the bellpull and yanked it several times. “Let’s do something useful.”

His mother’s unflappable demeanor calmed Alex, and while the panic didn’t leave him, he was able to tamp it down to a manageable state. He drew a deep breath, and his brain began to work again.

A maid hurried into the room and stopped abruptly, her face going pale at the sight of the group. “S-sir?” She looked from Alex to the duchess. “Ma’am?”

“Where is she?” Alex barked. The guilty look in the girl’s eyes hinted at some secret knowledge, and Alex was convinced of it when she didn’t offer any answer, just swallowed and cast a desperate glance toward Con. “Did they pay you off to get inside and take her?”

“No!” The maid gasped. “Who? I never—I never meant... I didn’t know it was wrong...” The girl ended on a wail and began to cry.

Alex cursed, fighting the urge to grab the girl by the shoulders and shake her. Con went to the maid, his voice soothing and low. “Of course you didn’t mean anything wrong, Milly. We aren’t angry.” The maid cast an uncertain glance at Alex, but Con took her hand, drawing her attention back to him, as he smiled down into her face. “Just tell us what happened.”

“She asked me to. I didn’t know it was bad!”

“Sabrina?” Alex stared. “She asked you—”

Con shot him a dark look and turned back to the maid. “Now, Milly, what did Miss Blair ask you to do?”

“She wanted my cap and...and one of my dresses.”

“The maid!” Alex straightened. “The devil! I didn’t even glance at her.”

“What? Who?” Lilah and Con said at the same time.

“A maid was walking past the house while we were watching the carriage,” the duchess said. “I registered the clothes and didn’t really look at her. How terrible of me, to dismiss her because she dressed like a servant.” She frowned.

“Let’s worry about your social conscience later, Mother,” Alex said drily. “Right now, we have to get Sabrina back. Milly, did she say anything else? Where she was going? Why she wanted your clothes?”

The maid shook her head. “No, sir. I didn’t ask—it’s, well, Broughton House...”

“Where odd things often happen?” Con asked, smiling, and the girl nodded gratefully. “Are you sure that’s all Miss Blair said? Nothing else at all?”

“She said, ‘Thank you, Milly.’ And she give me this.” She pulled a silver coin from her pocket, extending it toward him. “I guess you want it back now.”

“Keep the coin, Milly,” Alex told her. “She meant for you to have it. And I apologize for snapping at you. It wasn’t your fault.” Alex turned to Lilah, who was staring at him in even more astonishment than the maid.

“You apologized to your maid?”

Con laughed. “As Milly pointed out, things are odd here, Miss Holcutt. We actually have the bizarre belief that servants are people.”

Lilah’s cheeks reddened. “I didn’t... I don’t—Of course. But your father is a duke.”

Con laughed again, and the duchess seized the opportunity to start a lecture on one of her favorite subjects, but Alex cut through them all. “Con, do shut up, and, Mother, please, not now.” He gazed intently at Lilah. “Miss Holcutt, did Sabrina say anything, anything at all, about going somewhere? Did she mention any place, even if she didn’t say anything about going there?”

“No! I would tell you if I knew. I’m worried, too.” She hesitated. “Do you suppose—You don’t think it happened again, do you?”

“A recurring episode like Dearborn suggested?” Alex retorted scornfully. “I thought you were her friend.”

“I am.” Lilah’s eyes flashed. “Don’t snap at me, Lord Moreland.” Con, who had opened his mouth, shut it with a small smile. Lilah went on, “I didn’t hide Sabrina nor do I know where she went. Furthermore, I have to point out that she is a grown woman and has a right to leave this house if she chooses. What I’m saying is that perhaps suddenly her memory returned. And when it did, she didn’t remember what had happened in this time between. We know nothing about what happened to make her forget everything or what would happen if she recovered her memory. Who’s to say it might not happen again?”

Alex drew a deep breath. “You are right. I apologize. Again.” He thought it over. “If she found herself in a strange house, she might flee. But why would she bother to disguise herself as a maid? I think she did that to escape the attention of the man watching the house. I think she’s fleeing because of the Dearborns. I’m sure she was careful not to tell you she was leaving or where she was going. Sabrina is too clever for that.”

“And rather accomplished at escaping,” the duchess interjected.

“That, too. But perhaps we can find a clue in what she did say. If you would tell us what she was talking about before you left her...”

“She was very concerned about you and your family and what might happen to you for harboring her. She was afraid she would get you into trouble. She didn’t want you to have to make the choice of giving her up or bringing harm to your family.”

“Blast it. She said as much to me, too, but I thought I had reassured her.”