Come the Night (The Dangerous Delameres - Book 1) (26 page)

“She went in there.” The boy pointed inside. “Told her not to go into the Green Man, so I did. Not a place for no lady. Reckon she wouldn’t listen.”

Luc cursed softly. Not listen? That
had
to be Silver.

He felt fear tighten his throat as he slung his satchel over his shoulder and dropped from his horse.

What kind of mess had the woman tumbled into now?

Luc took a quick glance about. No one had noticed him yet, and he would have the element of surprise in his favor.

Quickly, he pulled a small silver-butted pistol from his satchel and slid it beneath one cuff. He didn’t know what he would find inside, but he wasn’t going anywhere unarmed.

The Green Man hadn’t changed since his last visit. It was still a rickety two-story structure with worn steps that looked like they dated back to William’s time. A large taproom occupied the front with a private room to the left, and perhaps half a dozen bedrooms in the rear and upstairs. Peering through a grimy window, Luc saw the bald proprietor standing before a chipped counter, wiping beefy fingers on a soiled apron.

Luc pushed through the doorway. There he blinked and came to an abrupt halt, certain his eyes were failing him.

But they weren’t.

Silver was standing in the middle of the taproom decked out fine as fivepence, all frilled muslin and soft satin ribbons, looking for all the world as if she were off on a shopping tour of Regent Street. Nothing in her expression revealed fear over the fact that four of the ugliest villains in Norfolk were scowling down at her — and the pistol she held level.

Luc’s fists clenched. He realized the danger she was courting.

She didn’t notice his arrival, but the seven men in the room did. When the publican began to inch toward the back door, Luc pulled out his own pistol and aimed it carefully. “You’d do best to stay right where you are, my good man.”

Silver spun about. “You!”

“Surely you didn’t expect the magistrate,” Luc growled. “Get over here.”

Color washed through Silver’s cheeks. “Not until I’m finished.”

Luc’s fingers tightened on his gun. He watched a big man with a zigzag scar and no front teeth reach under the table. Very carefully Luc snagged the second pistol from beneath his cape. “Whatever you were doing is
done,”
he growled to Silver. “Start walking.”

She thrust her little parasol down on the table with a snap.
“No.”

Toothless started to smile. Luc moved his second gun into clear view.

“This is hardly necessary,” Silver said curtly. “I am certain that these gentlemen—”

“Will slit your throat without a shred of remorse,” Luc finished flatly.

Silver snorted. “On the contrary, they were just answering a few questions for me. Weren’t you, gentlemen?” She turned about and treated the men to a comradely smile as she raised her pistol higher.

Toothless smiled back — only
his
smile was cold and very ugly.

“Now,
woman! Before it’s too late.”

By then it was too late. The man with no front teeth shoved the heavy table forward. Cutlery and tankards went flying, and one heavy leg caught Silver’s knee, sending her reeling backward, her pistol gone.

Right into Toothless’s greasy fingers. The next moment a knife gleamed at her throat.

“Put down the barkers, guv.”

Luc bit back an oath. But with a knife leveled at Silver’s throat he had no choice but to comply. He dropped the pistol on the nearest table.

“Both
of them. Less’n yer want the little lady’s dress to git soiled.”

A second later Luc’s other pistol hit the floor. His eyes didn’t leave the man’s face. And Luc didn’t like the determination and delight he saw there.

“Now move back against the wall, highwayman. Slow like.”

“You’ve got the knife,” Luc said, shrugging. He moved his arm slowly, making a great business of sliding the leather satchel from his shoulder.

Silver’s captor gave a grunt as Luc dropped the satchel on the table, then eased back, one broad shoulder propped against the wall.

Toothless scowled at the other men clustered at a greasy table nearby. “Get out,” he ordered.

They complied without a single protest. Somehow that worried Luc more than anything else.

“An’ now mebbe we’ll have us a little talk with Miss Lavender here.” The innkeeper joined Toothless in laughter at this bit of humor. “And then we’ll remove that bleedin’ mask o’ yours, highwayman. We’ve all been wondering who you are and now we’re going to find out.”

The innkeeper came strolling forward, all arrogance now that Luc was unarmed. “Reckon the gentry coves’ll relish the sight of you dangling from a noose. Me, too, since Lord Carlisle’s offering a hundred gold guineas for any information on Blackwood’s whereabouts. Nothing but proper civic duty to let him know, don’t you think, Amos? Who knows
what
he’ll offer if we bring him the highwayman in the flesh!”

“Mebbe,” the man named Amos said darkly. “An’ mebbe not.”

Silver looked at Luc. “I never thought they’d—”

“Shut up,” her captor growled. His knife pricked her neck.

Luc blocked out the sight. If he gave way to his fury, he’d never get them out of this. Instead he raised one booted foot against the chair beside him and studied his polished toe, as if he had no other concern in the world.

“Intriguing thought, my friend,” he said coolly. “Except for one small problem.”

“An’ what might that be, highwayman?”

“The fact that you’re not going to get out of this room alive,” Luc growled, his eyes very cold behind his black mask.

“Shut up,” Silver’s captor ordered. “Lessen yer want me to shut yer both up!” He darted an uneasy look at the sweating publican. “Go check the front door.”

His accomplice waddled off, looked outside, then swung back around. “No one out there but the boy.”

Amos laughed, then motioned toward Luc. “Tie him up.”

Abruptly the publican lost his grin. “Who, me?”

“Do it! Then we can send the boy over to fetch Millbank. He’s offered me two hundred pounds to find Blackwood.”

“Then we split the money!” the publican hissed. “We’re in this equal like, don’t forget.”

Out of the corner of his eye Luc noticed the flap of his satchel quiver. Seconds later a small, pointed nose appeared, followed by a sleek black body that twitched free and sank out of sight down one leg of the table.

“Who put you up to the raids on Lavender Close Farm?” Luc asked curtly.

“None of yer questions, highwayman.” Amos glared at his friend. “Tie him up and gag him, damn it!”

“What about the girl?” The landlord’s fingers twisted nervously in the greasy folds of his apron. “When he paid us, he didn’t tell us nothing about—”

“Shut up and
do
it.”

The innkeeper ducked behind the chipped counter and emerged holding a length of stout rope. Warily, he approached Luc.

“Paid you in advance, did he?” Luc said silkily. “Didn’t you wonder about that? Most men wait until the deed’s done before paying. But maybe your employer had his reasons. Maybe he means to see he gets his money back as soon you turn me over.” Out of the corner of his eye Luc saw his ferret slink along the base of the counter. “Oh, yes, my friends, I’d say it’s certain that you two are going to have a very nasty accident as soon as your business is settled.”

“Stow it, Blackwood,” Amos growled. “Ow, I’m scared proper, so I am, highwayman. Aye, can’t yer see my fingers trembling?” As he spoke he made a sharp gesture with his knife. It was more drama than real movement, but Luc heard Silver gasp as blood welled up on her neck.

Stay calm,
Luc told himself harshly.
Too soon and everything will be lost.

He raised his hands before him with exaggerated amiability. “Don’t let me interfere with your plans. I’ve got an afternoon to while away, and I wouldn’t dream of ruining your fun.”

This only made the publican frown all the harder. “Not in front, fool. Do you think I’m an out-and-out sapskull?”

“One never knows,” came Luc’s lazy reply.

“Turn around!”

Luc turned his shoulder to the landlord and stretched his arms out behind him. “Who has been offering you money to clear everyone off Lavender Close Farm?”

“None o’ your bloody business.”

“Whatever it is, it won’t be enough. You can’t enjoy money when you’re dead.”

“Hurry it up, can’t ye?” Amos shouted at the innkeeper.

The publican caught Luc’s wrists with a savage twist, lapped the rope around four times, and then pulled it into two hard knots.

They weren’t tight enough. Bram could have tied a better knot, Luc thought. But his captor wasn’t going to find that out quite yet. “Ow!” he thundered. “You don’t have to make it so bloody tight.”

The landlord laughed coldly. “Wait till Millbank gets you. Then you’ll be howling for real.”

Amos frowned. “Ain’t going to Carlisle or even to Millbank in the end, fool. There’s other as’ll pay more for him.”

Luc’s breath caught. Others? “And who might that be?” he asked calmly, even as he felt his heart begin to race. Who else was playing such a deep game here in the Norfolk
countryside?

“Shut up! I reckon you’ll find that out soon enough!”

A shadow ghosted around the legs of the table, directly to Silver’s right. Tail flat, Luc’s pet ferret crept along the floor and disappeared beneath an adjoining chair.

“Now git his pistols,” Amos ordered.

The publican was sweating as he gathered up the nearest gun and studied its silver decoration. “Fancy this ‘un will fetch a tidy few guineas.”

Luc watched the man through slitted eyes as another knot sprang free beneath his fingers.

Meanwhile, Silver was frowning at him. Luc looked pointedly at the parasol lying on the table beside her.

Her eyes narrowed and she gave a tiny nod of assent.

As Luc eased down into a chair and stared at Silver’s captor out of the corner of his eye, he saw his pet slip around the table.

A moment later six inches of quivering muscle exploded into action. Eyes agleam, tail atwitch, the ferret bounded up Amos’s arm and locked a line of razor-sharp teeth on the man’s knife hand. At the same instant Silver broke away and seized her parasol, while Luc caught the stunned publican and wrenched his pistol free.

Amos was howling with pain.

The innkeeper was cursing.

And Silver was free, holding her parasol protectively before her chest.

Not bad for five seconds of work, Luc decided.

He whistled once, low and sharp. A gray ferret appeared from his satchel and darted over the dirt floor to Luc’s boot. There the creature stood a teeth-bared vigil atop Luc’s second pistol.

Luc motioned to Silver, who backed across the room with her parasol leveled. When she reached Luc’s side, he pulled her behind him. “I do believe it’s time to go. Come on, little ones.” At his order the two ferrets streaked across the room. “Well done. Now in you both go.”

After a round of inquisitive squeaking the larger black ferret disappeared into the satchel and was followed by his mate.

Smiling darkly, Luc moved toward the door.

“But what about
them
? Those snakes know something, I’m certain of it!”

“It will have to wait. I fancy we’ll be having company if we stay here any longer.”

“But—”

Luc cursed and gave Silver a little shove toward the door. They’d been lucky, but he wasn’t about to press his luck any further. “Go, woman!”

“But what about the fire they set, nearly killing Bram? And what about the man they said is after
you?
Don’t you want to find out who he is?”

Luc’s voice dropped to a hiss. “Any minute this place is going to be filled with friends of theirs. When that happens, I won’t be able to help you, damn it!”

Without a word Silver reached down, hiked up her muslin skirt, and pulled out an engraved brass hand-pistol from beneath a fetching lavender-colored garter. “I expect
this
will help.”

Luc blinked. He had known few women who could surprise him, but this one managed to do it again and again. “Sweet Lord above, Sunbeam.”