Bought for Revenge (20 page)

Belle looked up. ‘But I came looking for Lucas, Papa knows that.’ She trailed off, her eyes darkening. ‘You did not tell him.’

‘Of course not, but I wanted you to be seen walking alone out of Stanton. Everyone will think Lucas picked you up on the road.’ He looked up, a sudden smile lighting his face. ‘They might even think you were eloping, especially when Samuel explains to everyone that he had forbidden the banns. But you need not worry, Cos, as new lord of Morwood Manor I shall give you a decent burial in the family tomb.’

‘So it is to be murder, is it?’ Lucas taunted him. ‘You just cannot wait to climb into my shoes.’

Hugh swung round, the smile replaced instantly by a ferocious scowl. ‘I have waited five-and-twenty years for what is rightfully mine!’

‘Oh?’ Lucas raised his brows. ‘And how do you work that out?

‘You were meant to die in the fire. As the next male relative, I would have inherited.’ He was pacing up and down, staring before him, his face contorted in rage. ‘You should have burned like your mother. I thought you were asleep, like everyone else in the house. That was my mistake, but it is not one I shall make again.’

‘A mistake?’ said Lucas sharply, his brows snapping together. ‘What do you mean, a mistake? What do you know about the fire?’

Hugh giggled. ‘Have you not guessed? I started it. I went downstairs after your mother had locked herself in her room. It was late. Havenham had gone and your father staggered in. He wouldn’t let the servants put him to bed, but went into the dining room to get another brandy. I followed him.’ Duggan’s lip trembled. He put a hand up to his ear, saying plaintively, ‘He c-cuffed me. He had no reason to be angry with
me
, but he railed and ranted. He t-told me it was time I went home. Morwood
was
my home.’ His face twisted. ‘He was going to throw me out.’

‘When my father was angry he was prone to say things he did not mean.’

‘He should not have been angry with
me
. It wasn’t my fault your mother was going to leave him. I thought it would be a good thing. I told him if she left Morwood And took you with her then he would have
me
and I would be his son. We could go fishing together. And hunting. All the things I could only do at Morwood, because Mama was too poor to bring me up as she should! But, no. He s-said—’ Hugh stopped, his mouth working as he relived his memories. ‘He said I was out of my mind. So I showed him. While he was snoring at the dining table I started
a fire in the library. I didn’t want to cross the hall in case any of the servants heard me, so I climbed out of the window and went round to the west wing and set fire to the hangings in the drawing room. Everything was so dry, it was easy. Then I hid myself in the woods to watch. Once the servants began milling about outside I came back to join them.’ He giggled again. ‘No one even noticed.’

Lucas stepped back and leaned against the table, momentarily stunned.
‘You
started the fire at Morwood? And you let me believe it was my own father.’

Sheer animal rage filled him. Bound as he was, he wanted to hurl himself at Hugh, to bite and tear at him, even if he died in the attempt, but from the corner of his eye he could see Annabelle, her arms tied and with one of Strutt’s oafish sons standing beside her. Belle’s safety was his priority. By a supreme effort of will he curbed his anger, fighting it down, clearing his head. When the chance came he must be ready to act.

Belle listened to Hugh’s explanation with shock and surprise. Despite her own discomfort and their fearful situation she felt an overwhelming relief for Lucas. If only she could talk to him. He met her eyes briefly and her heart lifted slightly at the faint smile of reassurance
he gave her. Darling Lucas, even now he was trying to protect her.

Hugh was bundling the signed papers back into the case. ‘Get them into the coach,’ he barked.

The landlord checked that the passage was clear and they walked out of the inn, Lucas and Belle with their arms bound tightly to their sides and Belle all the time aware that the men behind them carried a shotgun and one of Lucas’s duelling pistols. Her spine was quite rigid with nerves, making every step difficult. A shabby travelling chaise was waiting in the yard, the blinds drawn down. Belle looked around, wildly hoping that someone might be there to help them. She thought she caught the tinkle of bells on the wind. A packhorse train, possibly, crossing the moor, or even perhaps putting up for the night in the fold behind the inn, although she could see nothing in the darkness.

They were bundled unceremoniously into the chaise.

‘Hobble them,’ ordered Hugh. ‘I don’t want them escaping on the way.’

‘Why not kill ’em out now and be done with it?’ muttered Zac, the eldest of the Strutt sons.

‘Daft lump.’ His father spat on the ground. ‘I don’t want any mess in me carriage, nor any signs that we was involved in this night’s work.
Now do as you’re told, then you an’ Amos can take ’em to the ridge.’

Zac quickly bound their ankles and stepped back. Hugh looked in, the flare from the carriage lamp throwing black shadows across his face. He ignored Belle and addressed Lucas, his tone genial, as if they had just enjoyed a sociable evening.

‘This is where we say goodbye, Cousin. I am going to take the gig back to Stanton and make sure I am seen at the Red Lion tonight, drinking your health.’

The carriage rocked as someone climbed up on to the box. the door was closed and the next moment they were clattering across the cobbles and on to the rough lane. With the blinds drawn down, the interior of the chaise was completely dark. Unable to move her arms, Belle fought hard against her panic.

‘Lucas!’

‘I am here, love. Give me a moment to get out of these ropes.’

She could hear him grunting and moving beside her. She strained against her own bonds, but the cord only bit into her flesh through the thin sleeves of her walking gown. It was hopeless.

‘At last.’

She guessed he had struggled free, for the next moment she was in his arms.

‘My poor darling.’ He reached around her, feeling for the knot at the back of her bonds. ‘Did he hurt you very much?’

‘No, not really.’ She rested her head against his chest, listening to the reassuring thud of his heart. ‘But I have never been so frightened.’ She felt the rope grow loose and fall away.

‘There.’ Lucas began to chafe her arms. ‘You will soon feel more like your old self.’

‘Yes, thank you.’ Tentatively she tried moving, reaching out in the darkness until her fingers encountered Lucas’s body and she slid her hands around him. ‘I feel much better already.’

His hold tightened and he held her close for a moment, resting his cheek against her hair.

‘My brave girl,’ he muttered. ‘But we are not quite out of the woods yet, my love. Can you untie your ankles, do you think?’

‘Yes, I will try.’

Soon they were free, but the coach was rocking too wildly on the stony lane to risk jumping out. When they reached a smoother section of road Lucas pulled aside the blind to peep out.

‘We are on the new road.’

‘How far will they take us, do you think?’

‘They will not risk going through the toll. My guess is that they plan to drive the curricle off the road on the first bend, where the drop is
steepest. That is not far now. Be ready to move when I say.’

The chaise slowed and came to a halt. It rocked as their driver alighted and rough voices sounded outside the door as he talked to his brother.

‘This is it, Zac. Let’s get ’em into the curricle and be done.’

‘Nay, Amos, hold on, I bin thinking.’

‘There’s nowt to think about. We have to drive ’em over th’edge and make it look like an accident. The Captain’s payin’ us good money to do it.’ They heard a savage laugh. ‘And he’ll have to keep on payin’ us, too, if ’e wants us to stay quiet.’

‘Ah, but them horses is valuable,’ protested Zac. ‘I’ve never driven anything like ’em afore. They’d fetch a pretty penny at market.’

‘And get us hanged for it, too,’ growled Amos.

‘But we could take ’em to market elsewhere, Skipton, mebbe. No one knows us there.’ A long silence followed, then Zac said persuasively, ‘It’d be a sin to waste such grand cattle. Prime ’uns, they are. Best bits of horseflesh I’ve seen in many a day. We should sell ’em.’

‘Nay, Zac. If it’s to look like an accident then the horses would have to be trapped with the carriage. There’d be broken legs at best.’

‘But who’s to say it needs to be an accident? Duggan’s the one they’d suspect, not us.’

‘I dunno…’

‘Come on, Amos, think on! We can still put the bodies in the curricle and push it over th’edge, but the horses comes back with us. We’ll take ’em away afore it gets light in the morning, and no one will be the wiser.’

‘But Father said—’

‘You leave Father to me. He’s not one to turn his nose up at a small fortune and that’s what we’d get for these two.’

Another pause. Belle found herself holding her breath until she heard Amos speak again.

‘All right, Zac. Let’s do it. Get the cattle unharnessed and tether ’em to the coach wheel while we gets rid o’ the curricle.’

The voices grew more distant and Lucas pulled Belle close. ‘This is our chance,’ he breathed. ‘When I say—’

‘Lucas!’ She gripped his arm, shaking. A thin sliver of light was widening around the door as it began to open.

Lucas pushed her behind him. After the complete darkness of the closed carriage the light of the half-moon seemed very bright and it flooded in as the door swung wide. A man stood in the opening, the wide brim of his round, shallow-crowned hat shadowing his face. She was thinking he did not look big enough to be one of
landlord Strutt’s sons when Lucas growled softly, ‘By heaven, George, you took your time.’

‘Lord love you, Major, we was waitin’ fer the right moment.’ George Stebbing cocked his head as a confused mix of grunts and thuds was heard. ‘Sounds as if Rudd and Clegg have made the acquaintance of your captors.’

As the man stepped back Belle saw the left sleeve of his coat swinging empty.

‘Your valet?’ she asked, unsteadily.

‘Aye, it is,’ said Lucas. ‘You stay with him while I go and see what is happening to my horses.’

Lucas was out of the carriage even as he spoke. George Stebbing put out his hand to help Belle to alight, but his grip tightened as she went to follow Lucas.

‘Beggin’ your pardon, miss, but you’d be best stayin’ here.’

‘At least let me
see…’

She stepped out to look beyond the carriage. The curricle was drawn up directly before it and the two highly strung bays were snorting and shifting nervously as a brawl took place on the road in front of them. Even at a distance Belle could see that the Strutt brothers were much bigger than their opponents and had the advantage, until Lucas reached the first grappling couple, pulled them apart and felled the bigger of the
two with a punishing fist to the jaw. The other Strutt was similarly dispatched and Belle heard George Stebbing’s grunt of satisfaction.

‘Thought I was going to have to give a hand, but it seems the Major has dealt with that very nicely. Just have to decide what we’re going to do with ’em.’

‘The rope they used to tie us up is in the carriage,’ offered Belle.

‘Excellent idea, miss.’

Minutes later the two brothers were securely bound and shut in the closed carriage. Annabelle leaned against the door, suddenly weak now the immediate danger had passed.

‘Are you all right, miss?’ Clegg peered at her anxiously.

‘I am well,’ she assured him, ‘but how did you know where to find us?’

‘I told them to follow me,’ said Lucas, coming up. ‘However, I didn’t expect them to leave it this late to intervene!’

George Stebbing pushed up his hat and scratched his head. ‘Well now, Major, there was too many men at the Boar’s Head and with the rascally landlord holding the shotgun we couldn’t be sure of getting you away unharmed. But we saw Strutt’s lads getting the carriage ready and heard them saying how their father didn’t want you killed on his property. But Rudd and Clegg
would have come in if they’d heard anything amiss coming from that private room.’

‘You were in the taproom?’ said Annabelle, bewildered. ‘I thought there were only packmen there.’

‘Me and Rudd,’ said Clegg, grinning. ‘We paid the teamster to borrow three jaggers’ coats and his ponies for the night.’

She looked at Lucas. ‘Then the bells I heard, when they took us out to the carriage…’

‘That was me,’ explained George. ‘I stayed out in the fold with the ponies—’

‘Aye,’ chuckled Rudd, ‘Clegg and I might pass for jaggermen, but there was a fair chance they would have rumbled George with his one arm. Someone might’ve remembered he was Mr Blackstone’s man.’

‘Since you tell me the ale was pretty poor stuff I’m glad I stayed outside,’ retorted Stebbing. ‘Anyway, it meant I could ring the leader’s bells, just a touch, like, so the Major would know we was on hand.’

‘And, of course, no one would take any notice of packhorses on that trail,’ said Annabelle. ‘How clever of you.’

‘It was the Major’s idea,’ explained George.

‘Something we picked up in the Peninsula,’ added Lucas. ‘People don’t notice the obvious. But enough, we have not finished yet. George,
Rudd, will you take the carriage? Take our friends to the lock-up in Stanton for the night. And you had best inform Sir John Rishworth, he will want to send the constable to bring the landlord and his other boys in tonight, too. By morning Strutt will know something is wrong and may well make a run for it.’

‘And Captain Duggan, sir?’ asked George.

‘I shall deal with him.’ Lucas held out his hand. ‘Let me have the Manton, George. Duggan already has its mate.’

‘You mean to kill him,’ stated Belle.

‘I do.’

She caught his sleeve. ‘No, Lucas, you cannot do that.’

He took the pistol and placed it in his pocket. ‘I must,’ he said shortly. ‘He is a murderer.’

‘And killing him would make you one, too.’ She placed herself in front of him. ‘Let the others tell Sir John what has occurred and Captain Duggan can stand trial. The law shall punish him, not you.’