He wanted that despite all his other responsibilities. To her sister, for one. To his own estate. His search of his brother’s diaries had yielded nothing even after days of tracking patterns and comparing dates. And Reynolds, who had sent a detailed report about Anne and Maitland and this other fellow, Rook. There was still very little about him in any record, but it was believed he might be on one of dozens of uninhabited islands that dotted the channel between England and Scotland.

Not much help on the whole. So he was feeling like a failure and a liar and like he’d lost something he didn’t even know he wanted.

“…perhaps we should leave tomorrow then.”

Jasper jerked his attention back to his companion and stared at Mr. Shelley in shock. “You’re leaving despite your promise you would wait? I certainly hope it is to go looking for your daughter in Scotland, as I have asked you to do three times in the last week. As you have agreed to do multiple times and then not done.”

Shelley shook his head. “Look for her there? Why? We both know the girl didn’t go to Gretna Green or we would have heard something from her by now. She might have even returned, a new husband in tow, to crow that she thwarted our plans and followed her utterly foolish heart.”

Jasper blinked. Shelley was constantly proving he was a bastard of the worst order, and yet it always shocked Jasper somehow. “And that doesn’t make you want to chase her even more? The knowledge that she was taken in by a villain who had no intention to wed her? Who has certainly taken advantage of that so-called foolish heart in the most ungentlemanly way?”

Shelley seemed to ponder the question a moment, then shrugged. “Some people must learn from their own mistakes. Anne is one of those people. If she suffers, it is only the consequences of her own actions.”

The thin wire of control Jasper had been exercising with this man broke at last. He took a long step toward Shelley, catching his lapels in both fists and yanking him closer. Across the room, he heard Thomasina and Juliana both gasp, but he ignored them.

“Listen here, you pompous ass, I have kept my patience in the face of your utter disregard for not only your missing daughter, but for the ones that have been left behind. I will bear it no longer.” He shook Shelley and the other man squeaked his fear as he clawed at Jasper’s hands. “You will go to Gretna Green tomorrow morning, with a man or two of mine in tow, and you will do some bloody searching for your daughter. I swear on everything holy that if you run off to London, I will destroy you with a smile on my face. Am I understood?”

Shelley grunted as he wrenched himself from Jasper’s grip and nearly deposited himself on the carpet at his feet. He smoothed his wrinkled jacket as he glared at his son-in-law. Jasper saw his rage, but also his weakness. His emptiness. How he had produced three daughters of substance and character, he had no idea. But he was certainly glad their apples had fallen so far from the tree.