Good Dukes Wear Black Read Online Free Page B

Clinic’. Signed by A. L. Hayes, M.D.”
    On hearing the words, Maggie’s eyes widened and she paled. “George did this?”
    Ophelia’s heart broke for her. But she knew where the real blame for this debacle lay—with the Lords of Anarchy. Trent might have said he was going to root out the bad elements of the club, but his support for Grayson last night had shown he wasn’t serious. If public shaming of his wife hadn’t gotten Grayson kicked out, why should he fear having her kidnapped would have consequences for his membership?
    Whether he knew what his men were up to or not, Trent was the club’s leader. He was responsible.
    He might be the close friend of Leonora’s and Hermione’s husbands, but Ophelia knew better than to trust him. Not when Maggie’s life was on the line. And not when the Lords of Anarchy had shown themselves to be open to violence and even murder in the past.
    Leopards, she knew from experience, didn’t change their spots.
    Stepping in front of her friend, Ophelia drew herself up to her taller-than-the-average-lady height. “Insane?” she asked them, adopting the air of a dowager duchess facing a defiant underling. “Mrs.Grayson is no more insane than the man in the moon. Leave her be this instant.”
    â€œCan’t do it, miss,” said the man nearest her. “Orders is orders and if this here paper says Dr. Hayes says she’s insane, then she’s insane.”
    â€œLet me see that paper, then,” said Mr. Watson, the owner of the haberdashery, who along with his clerks had been watching the scene with wide-eyed interest. With a shrug the beefy attendant took the paper from Ophelia and handed it to the shop owner.
    Putting on his spectacles, Watson scanned the paper and looked up apologetically at the women. “It does look official, Mrs. Grayson. Though I don’t think you look any madder than Miss Dauntry does.”
    â€œSee here, miss,” said the talkative attendant, “we’ve got our orders and if we don’t get back before too long we’re going to get in trouble. We’ll take good care of your friend.”
    Even as he said the words, the other fellow had gone behind Ophelia, and by the time she turned, he’d already put her friend’s wrists in irons.
    â€œUnhand me,” Maggie said, trying and failing to pull away. “This is absurd! My husband would never do this! Go see him if you don’t believe me!”
    â€œWait,” Ophelia said, alarmed at how quickly they’d got round her. “You can’t do this. It isn’t right!”
    But the two men ignored her pleas and began marching Maggie toward the door, where a crowd of gawkers had gathered to watch the show.
    â€œWhy don’t you help me stop them?” Ophelia demanded to them. “Can’t you see she’s being taken against her will? That writ could be a forgery for all we know.”
    â€œNo offense, miss,” said a man dressed in a military uniform near the door, “I don’t know the two of you from Adam’s cat. Maybe this lady is insane. I’ve heard of Dr. Hayes and he’s a Harley Street specialist. Happens he knows what he’s talking about.”
    Even as he said the words, Ophelia felt the hopelessness of her argument. These men didn’t know them. And clearly logic wouldn’t sway them.
    As the men hauled Maggie toward the door, her friend cried out, “Find my notes, Ophelia. There must be something in them that will settle this.”
    But even if she did find something in the notes, Ophelia knew that if she allowed the men to take Maggie it would be that much more difficult to get her away from them later.
    Desperate, she grabbed hold of one of the kidnappers, and pulled with all her might. But to her frustration, he only flung her off like a giant swatting a fly. In fact, he threw her back with such force that she flew into a shelf