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With a quick nod, Jackfor his butler

In rand staircase, overlooking two dozen liveried servants Their upturned faces watched hi theirl who had delivered the note to Grier thatto her

"There she is Marie" At Cleo’s announcean anew

Sev stepped down oneto hide his anxiousness lest she becoitated "Marie, did you deliver a note today to Miss Grier?"

Shesoftly beneath her breath, her wide eyes fearful Sev cocked his head in an effort to better hear her and resisted the urge to storive her the shake his tightly stretched nerves urged hihtened to speak

"Speak up, girl Answer hi her jump

Sev flicked him an annoyed look andaze Using a gentle voice, he asked, "Who gave you the note to give to Miss Hadley?"

"He was out back Just a driver He asked me to deliver the letter for his entleaze over everyone in the foyer "Did no one see Miss Hadley outside?"

"I saw her through an upstairs ," a entleman"

"Who?" Sev demanded

The servant shook her capped head "I’ve never seen him before and I would have remembered for certain"

"Why?" Sev pressed, desperate for so that would lead him to Grier "Why would you have reht red--alht it could hurt one’s eyes He knew one such man Or rather, he didn’t know him Not in the least Not if he would abduct Grier

"Malcols flooded him Betrayal ConfusionWhy would Malcolm steal Grier away? Simply because he didn’t wish Sev to marry her? He couldn’t wrap his head around it

Even as he failed to understand why, the reality of the situation pressed down on hione

Malcole burned through him His hands curled into fists at his sides until he wanted to break soled her head "What would he ith Grier?"

"To keep us fro, I suspect He wasn’t keen on our matchunfortunately now I realize just how much"

Jack blustered, various shades of red and purple churning over his face "If he harms one hair on her head--"

"She will come to no harm," Sev swiftly cut in, his voice an icy wind, even as he knew nothing any fear inside hi Why should he care so much whom Sev married? It didn’t affect hihts, looking at hih he should know

Sev shook his head, despising that he didn’t That this terrible thing had so

"You don’t know?" Jack bellowed

"No He didn’t exactly infored a hand through his hair "Look," he said in a calm voice that reflected none of his turmoil "He doesn’t know I know that he took her"

As , scour the vastness of London and the world beyond--that would be senseless He hadn’t a clue where to begin searching

"So? What does that help?" Jack snapped

"He’ll return With nothing to fear, Malcolm shall return Either here or to his mother’s residence"

"So ait?" Cleo shook her head, looking as frustrated as he felt

"We haven’t another choice" Asaround while Malcolm did God knehat to Grier, he saw no other solution

He’d wait

And be ready for Malcol face "While ait your cousin could be doing anything--"

"We’ll wait out his return," Sev cut in, not wanting to discuss the wretched scenarios already playing out in his thoughts--all the possible horrors that Grier could be suffering at his cousin’s hands

"I don’t think Malcol but felt the need to placate Grier’s sister

"He abducted her I’m certain you didn’t think he would do that, either!" Hot color splashed Cleo’s cheeks

"No I confess, I did not," he replied uneasily, ad that he did not know his cousin at all

"What if he kills her," Jack gris "While ait , as you suggest, what if your cousin decides to kill h Sev as he was forced to nize that a piece of hi would matter to him in the event of Grier’s death--not his life, not his future

Nothing would ever , he turned andtherand show "You five there" He snapped off directions to his Aunt Nesha’s rooms in Seven Dials "Wait there in case my cousin returns Watch the street for him I want him and the driver that conveys him Do not let the driver leave, do you understand? If ood coin should break the driver’s silence Coe"