Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

J oseph seethed. How dare his father think so ill of Holly! He was of a mind to propose to her right then and there!

He blinked once, twice. Great Scott! Why shouldn’t he? He knew he had growing feelings for her, but enough to propose? Or did he just want to spite his father?

“Ah, dessert,” Mrs. Pettigrew announced. “How lovely.”

Mr. Tugs placed a beautiful chocolate cake on the table as Abigail set a stack of plates down. The two proceeded to cut the cake and serve it as everyone watched, jaws tight. Okay, Holly’s was trembling. Joseph looked at her, met her despairing gaze, and gave her a reassuring smile. “Any man would be proud to call you wife.” He reached for the coffee Abigail just poured and smiled again.

Her jaw stopped trembling as she sucked in a breath and held it.

“That’s very true, m a petite . I could match you in no time,” Mrs. Pettigrew said. “But I am loath to part with another assistant so soon.” Her eyes flicked to Joseph and back.

Mr. Bradshaw was watching Mrs. Pettigrew, his own eyes darting between her and Holly. When he finally looked at Joseph, he frowned. “Did I tell you that Joseph and Rebecca Harrington are courting?”

Joseph spewed coffee. “WHAT?!”

Holly yelped in surprise when some of it hit her chest, and she immediately wiped at the hot brew with her napkin. “Oh, goodness!”

“Rebecca Harrington is the worst sort of harpy,” Mrs. Pettigrew said. “And judging from your son’s reaction, you just made that up.”

“I did no such thing,” Mr. Bradshaw said. “Rebecca told me herself. I’ve been waiting all evening for Joseph to make some sort of announcement, but it seems he’s tongue tied.”

Joseph laughed. “ Rebecca told you? And when was this?”

“The other day. I don’t see why you felt you couldn’t tell me, other than the fact it proved I’m right,” Father huffed.

If he was mad before, it was nothing compared to the way his chest tightened, or how he was breathing like an angry bull. “Rebecca lied. I have not and will never, have any interest in the likes of Rebecca Harrington. Do you understand?”

His father huffed again but said nothing. If there was one thing Father hated, it was being wrong. And in this instance, it was on all counts.

Holly drew in a breath as she set her napkin on the table. “I’d like to be excused. I’m afraid I’m not feeling very well.”

Abigail set the last plate of cake down, in front of Mrs. Pettigrew, and went to her. “I’ll see ye to yer room.”

“Thank you, Abigail,” Holly said with as much dignity as she could muster, poor thing.

Joseph narrowed his eyes at his father. “I’ll help you, Abigail.”

Father gasped. “What? Help a lady to her room!”

“Calm yourself, Humphrey,” Mrs. Pettigrew drawled. “It wouldn’t be the first time he’s carried her to her room.”

Father sucked in a breath and tried to talk, but nothing came out.

Joseph arched an eyebrow at him before he left his chair, went around the table, and swept Holly into his arms. “Shall we?”

Her eyes went wide as he began to carry her from the dining room.

“Joseph!” His father bellowed. “Put her down at once!”

He turned to him from the hallway. “What’s the matter Father, afraid I’ll cause a scandal? It’s too late for that. But know this. I will not see this woman brought to harm, either physically or emotionally because you’re too stuck in your ways to see that I want to marry for love!” With that he turned and started down the hall for the grand foyer.

Holly wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can walk.”

“I know, but since you’re holding onto me, why would you?” He crossed the grand foyer to the staircase and started up.

“You… you want to marry for love?” she hedged.

“I do. My father wants me to marry for more money. He married my mother for love, but now that she’s gone, his grief has blinded him. He just can’t see why I wouldn’t want to marry for money and increase our holdings.”

She stared at him as he reached the top of the stairs, Abigail hurrying ahead to open Holly’s bedroom door. “It’s good to want to marry for love, Joseph.”

He reached the door and set her on her feet. “I agree.” He looked at her chest and gave her a sheepish grin. “I’m sorry I spit coffee on you.”

She giggled. “You were upset. After meeting Miss Harrington, I can see why.”

“Indeed.” He took her hands in his. “You’re alright? The coffee didn’t burn you, did it?”

“No, besides, it wasn’t that much. I was more worried about the dress.”

Abigail cleared her throat and made a show of fluffing the pillows on the bed.

Holly blushed a deep red. “I should go. I’m sorry your father doesn’t like me.”

Joseph let go a sigh. “Father doesn’t like a lot of people. He’s very set in his ways. But don’t worry. He’ll come around.” He took her hand and kissed it. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Holly blushed again and smiled. “Did you really mean what you said? About… me making someone a good wife?”

He looked into her eyes. “Every word.”

Her cheeks went pink as she slowly nodded, and he noticed a sadness filling her eyes. “I’ll say goodnight, then.” She pulled her hand from his and went into her room, closing the door.

Joseph was left with the unsettling feeling he needed to do something, and do something he would!

The next day Holly dressed, went downstairs and straight to the breakfast room. “Good morning,” she greeted Mrs. Pettigrew and went to the sideboard. She hardly slept a wink, her mind tossing back and forth the possibility Joseph might yet have some feelings for her. But no, the words he spoke last night were too generalized. Besides, if he had even an ounce of feelings toward her, wouldn’t he have said something by now?

His father was right. Joseph might want to marry for love, but how often did that happen among his class? She wasn’t the only one to hear that the rich married for advantage and not much else.

She brought her plate to the table, said a quick blessing, and began to eat.

“Something troubles you, this morning, ma petite ,” Mrs. Pettigrew observed.

“What makes you say that?” Holly blushed just thinking about last night.

“Mr. Bradshaw is only looking out for his son…”

She set down her fork. “He thinks I’m not good enough for the likes of his son.”

Mrs. Pettigrew gave her an innocent shrug. “And why should it matter? Unless…” she smiled. “Joseph is falling in love with you.”

“Ha! Don’t be ridiculous.” She got back to shoving scrambled eggs into her mouth when there came a commotion in the hall.

“Now what can… oh dear!” Mrs. Pettigrew exclaimed and got to her feet. “What’s the meaning of this?!”

Holly turned and gasped. “Randall!”

Her brother gave her a slow smile as he held one of Abigail’s hands cruelly high behind her back, a knife to her throat. “Miss me, sister?”

A hand flew to Holly’s chest as all the color drained from her face. “Wh-what… how…”

He shrugged as another man entered the room and sneered at Mrs. Pettigrew. “Sit down.” He pulled a gun out and pointed it at her.

“Tie her up and let’s go,” Randall said.

The man looked around the room, went to the sideboard and started stuffing bacon into his mouth.

Mrs. Pettigrew watched him. “At least use a plate, mon cher .”

He eyed Mrs. Pettigrew over his shoulder before stuffing biscuits and bacon into his pockets.

“I said tie the lady up!” Randall ordered. He shoved Abigail into the nearest chair, pulled some rope from his pocket and began to lash her wrists behind her.

“Stop it!” Holly cried.

The man with the gun, not to mention a mouth full of bacon, pointed the weapon at her. “Shut up or I’ll shoot you.”

“Not her, you idiot. Shoot one of the others,” Randall said. He finished tying Abigail to the chair, then began to do the same with Mrs. Pettigrew.

“I must warn you, my cook is exceptionally cranky, and my butler is a fine shot.” Mrs. Pettigrew gave the two men a stern look. “And really, I don’t see why you’re fussing over tying me up when I could bring you a fine ransom.”

“Mrs. Pettigrew!” Abigail wailed.

Randall gagged her.

Holly sat, paralyzed with fear. He’d found her! “How…?”

“One of my new partner’s men happened to hear your name called by a carriage driver outside a café not far from here. He saw you get in and followed the carriage to this house. We had to wait for the right moment to fetch you and this was it.”

Randall’s cohort was tying up Mrs. Pettigrew. “This lady’s rich. We should take what we can.”

“We have what we came for, Bill. Now tie up my sister.”

Bill pulled a piece of bacon out of his coat pocket and stuffed it in his mouth. “The food’s good.”

Randall rolled his eyes. “Shut up and tie her up!”

Holly cringed as Bill came around the table, a menacing look on his face. Before she could bolt for the door, he grabbed her by the wrists and proceeded to bind them. “Mrs. Frammmpphh!” Okay, so calling for help didn’t work. She was now gagged as well as bound.

Randall went to the sideboard, grabbed a muffin, and took a generous bite. “Hmmm, you’re right, the food is good.” He looked around the room. “If this Pettigrew woman wasn’t so rich, we’d take her. But the police would shoot us on sight. My sister, they won’t care if she’s gone. Let’s go.”

“But the rest of the food…” Bill groused.

“Forget it. Besides, Holly here will earn us enough to live on.” He yanked her to her feet by the arm and shoved her toward the door.

She screamed into the gag when two things happened at once. Mrs. Fraser entered the room from the direction of the kitchen with a platter of potatoes, and Joseph entered from the hallway. Both took one look at the scene before them and all chaos broke loose.