Page 99 of To Wed a Wild Scot
What if Cowden was in even greater financial troubles than Fitz realized? If Cowden was desperate enough to send his man to open Logan’s throat, what else might he do? How far might he go? Was he desperate enough to try and hurt Juliana, or Grace?
There was only one way to find out.
Struggling into his clothes was harder than Logan had anticipated. The boots were the worst, but he managed it. Juliana was going to be furious when she caught him out of bed, but he couldn’t wait for her to return to his bedchamber. He needed to see her at once, as much to find out if she’d taken the paper as to reassure himself she and Grace were all right.
But a search of the house didn’t turn up either of them, and none of the servants knew where they’d gone. Neither Juliana or Grace had been seen for several hours.
Damn it, where were they? Grace was injured, and though she was recovering quickly, she still grew tired in the afternoons. There was no way Juliana would have taken her far from Graystone Court.
Not willingly.
Logan’s heart pounded as he made his way as quickly as he could to the stables. By the time he got there he was out of breath, and his arm was bleeding again. He called for James, and to his great relief the lad appeared at once.
When he saw Logan standing there, he winced. “Begging yer pardon, sir, but shouldn’t ye be in yer bed?”
Logan waved this off. “No. I’ve been in bed all day. I’m looking for Lady Juliana, James. Have you seen her?”
“I did see ’er, yes. She and Miss Grace was out again this afternoon, wandering about in the rose garden. That were some time ago, though.”
“How long?”
James’s face creased in thought. “Hour ago, maybe? Maybe more.”
An hour? That was an eternity. If Cowden was intent on harming someone at Graystone Court, an hour was plenty of time to accomplish it. “Think carefully, James. Where were they exactly the last time you saw them?”
James caught the panic in Logan’s voice and his eyes went wide. “Toward the woods, I think, sir. Miss Grace likes the bluebells—”
The woods. Anyone could have come upon them there, and no one in the house or the stables would be any the wiser. “Saddle Finnegan for me, James. Quickly, lad.”
James swallowed. “Yes, sir. Right away, sir.”
Logan waited in an agony of impatience as James ran off to do his bidding.
Lord Cowden was either going to be very surprised to see him, or not surprised at all.
* * * *
Logan returned to Graystone Court less than two hours later. It hadn’t been a pleasant visit. At least, not for Logan. Lord Cowden had seemed to find it much more satisfying.
His lordship had been overjoyed to find Logan once again in his drawing room, and no wonder. To have the chance to tell Logan, in explicit detail about the bargain he’d made with Juliana—a bargain Logan clearly didn’t know a thing about—had likely given Lord Cowden more pleasure than any other moment in his life.
It rankled, but that was the least of it.
Logan went straight to his bedchamber upon his return. Juliana was there waiting for him, pacing and wringing her hands. She whirled around when he opened the bedchamber door and started to rush toward him, but when she saw his face, she stopped. “Logan! I was worried sick! Where have you—”
“Where were you and Grace this afternoon, Juliana?” Logan was more upset than he’d ever been in his life, but he took great care to keep his voice calm.
Juliana’s gaze swept over him, and her green eyes went wide with shock. “You’ve been outriding? After the doctor specifically told you to stay in bed? Why, Logan?”
“I went to call on Lord Cowden. We had an interesting talk. But you haven’t answered my question, Juliana. Where were you and Grace this afternoon?”
Juliana didn’t seem to hear him. Her gaze darted between his arm and his chest, her face going pale when she saw the blood that had seeped through the white bandages. “You’ve opened your wounds again. You’rehurt. Why, Logan? Why would you go there again? He nearly had you killed this morning! Don’t you understand what he’s capable of? He’s dangerous—”
“Stop it, Juliana.” Logan crossed the room and grasped her by the shoulders. “Iknowhow dangerous he is, so you can imagine how terrified I was to find you went to see him earlier this afternoon, alone, without telling anyone where you were going!”
He jerked away from her and crossed to the other side of the room, his hands clutching his hair.Mo Dhia, he couldn’t remember ever being in such turmoil in his life. Part of him wanted to shout at her, and the other part wanted to snatch her to his chest, bury his face in her hair, and beg her never,neverto risk herself like that again.
Juliana didn’t answer. When Logan turned around she was standing where he’d left her, as white and still as a marble statue.
