To tame an Earl (four hoydens #2)

Chapter 23

Ralph knocked on the door frantically. When no one answered, he knocked again.

Finally, Wolf pried the door open half dressed, looking thunderous. Oh thank god.

He blinked at Ralph.

"What the hell are you doing here in the middle of the bloody night, Orford?"

"I need Bates's records," Ralph muttered.

"Now?" He asked with so much disbelief that Ralph would've laughed at his expression had the situation not been so dire.

"Yes," Ralph ground out.

"Can you please be more specific? What has happened?" Wolf asked, having collected his wits.

"Alice was kidnapped. By Bates."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Wolf exhaled and then shifted his weight from one leg to the other.

"This is exactly why I don't get entangled with females. So much trouble," he muttered under his breath.

Ralph had never wanted to harm another human more.

"Darling, who eez eet?" came a decidedly feminine voice from within.

Ralph smirked. Or tried to.

"This is a more casual entanglement," Wolf muttered, going in to silence the obviously French wench.

When he came back out, he had donned the rest of his clothes.

"Let's leave now, shall we?"

"We? We're not going anywhere, I am," Ralph said firmly.

"You can't do this alone."

"I'm capable of finding my wife on my own, thank you very much."

"Orford, we can find her faster if we work together. It won't make you any less of a man if you take my help."

"Fine. But I'm agreeing to this because I need to find her as soon as possible. The thought of her at that bastard's mercy makes my stomach churn. I had sworn to protect her and cherish her. Now look what I've done," Ralph said hoarsely.

Wolf patted his shoulder comfortingly. "We shall find her. Now tell me everything."

Ralph did. He felt like laughing at his predicament. He was such a private person and here he was, sharing his affairs with two people in the same day. Desperate for their reassurance and comfort.

"Why didn't she tell you the moment you went home?" Wolf asked, appalled.

"She didn't want me going after Bates," he replied. "She was concerned about me," he added more softly.

"Women," Wolf muttered derisively.

Ralph threw him an annoyed look, silencing him.

"Alright. Where do you suggest we start finding them?" Wolf asked.

"I thought we could go through his records. So we search in all his previous hideouts first. Bates has been known to occupy the same hideout more than once."

Wolf nodded. "As villains come, George Bates isn't particularly an intelligent one."

Ralph swallowed, fervently hoping Wolf was right.

***

Alice was alternating between a state of consciousness and deep sleep. Bates was plying her something, but she didn't know what. She was too exhausted to think. But every now and then, she'd focus with the force of sheer will. She'd hear sounds. And she'd discerned that she was in a barn.