Page 130 of A Devious Secret

“We should go speak to Nathaniel before we do anything,” Hugh encouraged.

Stephen knew that Hugh made a good point, but he wasn’t thinking clearly. He just wanted to get Gemma back and he refused to let Lord Winsley get away with abducting his daughter.

Hugh must have anticipated what he intended to do because he said, “You can’t go into the card’s room and accuse Lord Winsley of abducting his daughter without proof. You will be thrown out of the soiree.”

“I don’t care,” Stephen grumbled. “I only care that Gemma is returned, unharmed.”

“Then we must go speak to Nathaniel. He will know what to do,” Hugh asserted. “Besides, he is only a short distance away. What is the harm in speaking to him?”

Stephen glanced over his shoulder and saw Hawthorne and Dinah were conversing with Lord and Lady Haddington. Normally, he would groan at the sight of Haddington, but he might prove himself useful this evening.

Turning on his heel, Stephen approached Hawthorne with a resolute stride.

Hawthorne had a smile on his lips, but it slipped when Stephen came to stand next to him. “What is wrong?”

“Gemma is missing,” Stephen admitted.

“Missing?” Hawthorne asked, his eyes scanning the room. “But we only just arrived.”

Stephen nodded. “I spoke to her and she informed me that her father wished to speak to her in the gardens, but Hugh saw Lord Winsley enter the card’s room,” he explained. “When I rushed outside, Gemma was nowhere to be found.”

Lady Haddington stepped forward and lowered her voice. “I will go see if I can see any signs of a struggle.”

“I looked, but I didn’t see any,” Stephen said. “The gate door was slightly ajar, though.”

Lady Haddington acknowledged his words with a tip of her head. “I understand, but I want to see for myself.”

As Lady Haddington walked off, Hawthorne turned his attention towards Haddington. “We need to go speak to Lord Winsley.”

“I agree,” Haddington said.

Stephen glanced between them, having no intention of staying back. “I want to go.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea,” Hawthorne said. “I daresay that you are too close to this.”

“And you aren’t?” Stephen asked.

Hawthorne gave him a pointed look. “If we allow you to accompany us, you must let us do the talking.”

Stephen would agree to just about anything if it meant he could help Gemma. “I can agree to that.”

Hawthorne shifted his gaze towards Hugh. “Would you care to join us, as well?”

Hugh shook his head. “I will see to escorting Dinah and Marielle home this evening. I believe that will be a better use of my time.”

“Very good, then,” Hawthorne said before he started walking towards the card’s room.

Once they stepped inside the square room, Stephen’s eyes roamed the room until they landed on Lord Winsley. He was playing at a table near the front, and by the looks of it, he was losing.

Stephen didn’t wait for Hawthorne or Haddington as he had promised but quickly skirted the tables until he stopped next to Lord Winsley.

Lord Winsley glanced up at him and annoyance flashed on his features. “What do you want?” he grumbled.

“We need to talk,” Stephen growled.

With a huff, Lord Winsley said, “I think not.” He turned his attention back to the cards in his hand. “Go away. I have nothing to say to you.”

Stephen remained rooted in his spot. “It wasn’t a request.”