Two hours after the messenger arrived informing Marcus that Price had arrived at Danvers, a messenger arrived at the Josephine directing Marcus to come immediately to Price Ardsley's home. Half an hour later, Marcus was shown into his private study. A fire crackled in the hearth and Price sat behind the mahogany desk he had occupied when they had explained Elise's situation to Landen Shipping's board of directors. A tumbler of whiskey sat before Price. How would this man explain Elise's situation when the board members appeared here later this morning?
"Please," Price motioned to the chair in front of the desk, "have a seat."
Marcus sat.
"Would you like a drink?" Price asked, straightening.
"Nay."
Price leaned back. "Word will arrive any moment that Elise has been safely deposited aboard the Josephine."
"You had until this evening. Why bring her so early?"
"I thought her speedy return would please you."
"Her not being abducted would have pleased me."
"Rest assured she is safe. So long as she—you both—remain in Scotland. You've said nothing about the boy." Price sipped his drink.
"He is no threat to you."
"He won't take lightly that I kept his sister prisoner."
"I have convinced him to accompany us to Scotland," Marcus gave the planned answer.
Price seemed to contemplate this. "The longer the stay, the better."
"Aye," Marcus agreed.
The sound of boots on carpeted floor were heard, and Price said, "That would be our young friend now."
As if on cue, the door opened and Steven entered. "Elise is safely on the Josephine."
"She is well?" Marcus asked with as much calm as he could exert.
Steven turned his glare to Price. "She has a dislocated shoulder and looks as if she hasn't bathed since her abduction."
Marcus jerked his gaze back to Price and barely managed to check the compulsion to lunge across the desk.
"Your brother-in-law will now take a message to the captain that he is to set sail before the hour is up," Price said.
"I will not leave," Steven shot back.
"Aye, you will." Marcus prayed the boy wouldn't pull the pistol he'd noticed stuffed into his waistband. "You have pen and paper?"
Price produced paper from a desk drawer and laid it before Marcus as he scooted the quill, sitting at his left, up alongside the paper. Marcus wrote the note instructing the Josephine to set sail immediately, then folded the missive and extended it toward Steven.
"Anyone can deliver this," Steven protested.
Marcus shook his head. "You take it, lad, and be on the ship when she sails." This Marcus had not discussed with Steven, for the boy would not have agreed. Chances were, he wouldn't obey now.
Steven looked from Marcus to Price, then snatched the note from Marcus's grasp. He settled his gaze on Price. "We aren't finished."
Price nodded with a sigh and Steven faced Marcus. "You shouldn't have come here."
"Take care of Elise," Marcus said.
"That I will," he said, and left.
Marcus focused on Price. "My father, the Duke of Ashlund, will be waiting for the Josephine when she arrives. If anything happens to Elise or Steven, if any attempts are made to harm either of them, someone will set sail from Scotland before I step onto Scottish soil."
"I have no intention of harming Elise."
Aye, neither will you harm her brother, Marcus silently added. "How long am I to wait here?" Marcus asked.
"Until word arrives that the Josephine is well out of Boston Harbor. I estimate two hours."
"A guard stands outside this door?"
Price gave a single nod.
"I would have preferred to wait at one of the harbor taverns," Marcus said, not feeling the slightest twinge of guilt at the lie. He had planned all along to be here when the men of Landen Shipping arrived on Ardsley's door about the same time the Josephine left Boston Harbor.
"Shall I have refreshments served?" Price asked.
"Nay," Marcus replied. "I dine only with friends."
Nearly two hours of silence later, there came a quick knock on the library door. Price looked toward the door as it opened and Simons entered.
"Sir," the butler said out of breath, "Mister Brentley and the other gentlemen from Landen Shipping are downstairs. They are demanding to see you—" A pounding of footsteps in the hallway intruded into Simon's speech. "There they are, sir. I feared they would not wait."
Brentley appeared in the doorway. The rest of Landen Shipping's board of directors piled up behind him. Brentley stepped inside the room and looked at Marcus, who rose.
"We have just come from the Josephine," Brentley said.
"The Josephine?" Price asked evenly.
"Yes," Brentley replied, and the room broke out into a babble of voices. "Gentlemen," he shouted. "Gentlemen, please!"
Another figure appeared behind the men. The din quieted as Steven pushed past them and halted beside Marcus.
"You should have sailed on the Josephine," Marcus said.
"As should you have," Steven replied.