His reassuring tone calmed Natalie. Of course. The distant sound of music might have lured Leo out of bed. Then her gaze sharpened on a piece of folded paper that lay on his pillow, and she snatched it up, hastening to examine it by the light of the candle.

The message printed in black ink sent an arctic chill down her spine. She uttered a cry, spinning toward Hadrian. “Dear God! Leo’s been abducted!”

Grim disbelief on his face, the duke read the note aloud. “‘If you wish to see the boy alive again, Miss Fanshawe must come alone with five thousand in banknotes to the dam in Hyde Park by eleven tomorrow. Leave the sack underneath the mulberry bush at the east end. If anyone should attempt to accompany her, the boy dies.’” His stark gaze met Natalie’s as he flung the paper back down onto the bed. “What blasted foolery is this? How the devil could a villain have broken into my house? Where were the nursemaids?”

“Flora was needed in the kitchen tonight. But Tippy should be here.”

Natalie darted out to the next bedroom and rapped hard on the door before opening it and hurrying inside. Hadrian had seized the candle before following her, and the feeble light fell upon Mrs. Tippet lying on the floor beside her bed. Clad in a gray flannel nightgown, she was bound and gagged, her brown eyes wide as she made muffled noises of distress.

Hadrian sprang to remove the strip of cloth from the servant’s mouth, and Natalie gave the gasping woman a drink from the water glass on the bedside table. “Are you all right?”

“Aye … though I fell from the bed just now … whilst trying to wiggle out of these bonds.”

“Who did this to you?” Hadrian demanded, untying the ropes that secured her wrists and ankles. “Did you see him?”

“’Twas two men … dressed in black … wearing masks.”

“Were they tall, short, stout? Anything you can remember will help.”

Rubbing her wrists, Mrs. Tippet managed to sit up with Natalie’s aid. “It happened so fast, Your Grace. Heard a noise that woke me out of a dead sleep. Soon as I opened my door, they grabbed me. One was big, hulking, foulmouthed. The other was slighter and … he talked like a gentleman.”

“How long ago was this?” Natalie asked.

“Mayhap half an hour.” The woman clutched at the duke’s hands. “Where is Master Leo? Is he safe?”

“He’s been abducted.”

She crumpled in horror. “Oh, my darling boy! I feared they meant him ill. Pray find him, Your Grace!”

Hadrian’s face was carved in stone. “I shall. But I must ask you to remain here, lock your door, and don’t speak a word of this to anyone. One of the men may still be in the house and I won’t have him warned.”

As he pivoted on his heel and strode out of the room, Natalie dashed after him. They passed swiftly through the schoolroom and headed toward the stairs. “It’s Wymark,” she hissed, with sickening certainty. “That must be why he was out in the garden. He seemed nervous, glancing over his shoulder.”