HisLadysKeeperfinal.wps (29 page)

“Neither do I. Now, off with you, before Richard sees the ships and decides to head out on his own.”

“He’s probably into the Port decanter by now. He’ll be rip roaring drunk before midnight.” He gave her a cheeky grin, and walked out the door. She turned back to the window, and sighed.

As soon as she knew he was out of hearing distance, she went into action.

Reaching for a riding dress, she put it on and then fastened a warm pelisse around her shoulders.

She had to follow Hart. If she didn’t, and Mallory did the unthinkable, she’d never be able to live with herself.

Her love for Hart had grown until just thinking about him not being with her made her heartache.

Slipping her shoes into sturdy riding boots, she moved toward the bedroom door.

Opening it, she looked to see if the coast was clear. In order to get out of the castle undetected, she’d have to leave by one of the side exits.

She walked toward the nearest side exit. Finding a horse and getting it saddled in the stalls without drawing attention was going to be fun as well. She had no choice. She couldn’t ask for help in case they inquired as to where she was going. It wasn’t exactly normal for her to go on a night ride … not without Hart.

Hearing footfalls behind her, she stopped. She pressed her hand to her chest. She daren’t breathe, lest they see her in the semi-darkness. Fortunately, enough light flooded this area of the castle, and the candles wouldn’t be dimmed for a few more hours.

Her hair bristled on the back of her neck. Something just didn’t feel right. The presence behind her was making her feel like her skin was crawling.

Could it be Richard?

She moved forward and slammed into something hard. Bouncing off it, she

backed up into something not quite as hard, but still as terrifying.

She let out a scream that was quickly strangled.

“Shut up, or I swear I will slit your throat, you little bitch!” Coldness seeped through her. She shivered. She didn’t recognize the voice, even though, she knew this man would go through with his threat if she didn’t obey him. She would have continued HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 139

her struggle if only to call out for help, but the feeling of the cold tip of a dagger blade pressed against her jugular made her as silent as the grave.

How had they gotten into the castle unnoticed? What the hell was going on?

Hart
.

She wanted Hart with every fiber of her being.

“Hey, we aren’t supposed to hurt the lass, Stan. We were just supposed to take her into our custody so she could be put up for ransom.”

Ransom?

Saliva gathered in her mouth. She swallowed past the dread and fear building inside of her.

“Humph,” Stan muttered, obviously displeased. He lowered the dagger, instead pressing it to her side. “Don’t get any new ideas of getting away from me, lady. I’ll give you a cut deep enough to make your next few days miserable. Just don’t try me.” He still had his hand clamped tightly over her mouth.

She had to do something. She couldn’t let them take her from this place—if they did, she had a feeling she’d never see Hart again. Not alive anyway.

Summoning all of her strength, and hoping that his dagger wouldn’t actually do that much damage, she bit his hand.

He let out a yowl of pain. He hadn’t knifed her yet, thank God. She let out another scream. He pushed her down to the floor.

“You shut her the hell up, or I swear I’ll be carving into her kidneys.”

“Yeah.” His companion reached down toward her, touting a gag in his hand.

“I wouldn’t move if I were you,” Richard was using the tone of Don Herrer. She shivered.

Help had arrived. Just not the sort of help she wanted.

“Who the hell do you think you are? We aren’t alone, mate. I’d go off and hide in your rooms until we finish carting off the Countess here.”

“I don’t hide,” Richard declared, the air crackling with energy.

She had to hand it to Richard, he sounded pretty threatening. But hadn’t she seen three shadows? Where was the third brute?

Gunfire deafened her. She tried to move out of the grasp of the man holding her.

Stan went down, howling with pain. He didn’t look like he was going to survive the shot that Richard had put into him. Her stomach rolled.

Then, another shot rang through the air. She hoped Richard’s aim was true since she was so close to the man holding her down.

She waited.

Instead, the man pulled her up and tied her hands. When her eyes focused, her heart did a triple jump.

Richard.

Dear God. He’d been shot.

The third man finally stepped out of the shadows. Her eyes widened, and her heart froze.

Kilworth.

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“Hello, Lady Gemma.” Kilworth’s voice made her insides twist. She had to get a hold of herself and control her raging emotions. Her eyes went to Richard again. He was still awake, and breathing heavily. He clutched his right arm, the pistol he held had fallen somewhere out of sight.

He was losing a lot of blood, and his face just kept getting paler.

“Grab the Spaniard and let’s get moving.” Kilworth motioned his hand for a few more thugs to step forward.

This couldn’t be happening to her. Where were all of Hart’s men? Ah, yes, Hart had probably taken them with him when he’d gone to see Mallory. Where had Kilworth come from?

“I am truly sorry for what I am about to do, Gemma. I hope you forgive me.” He nodded to someone that stood holding a handkerchief. They came toward her and though she struggled like a hellcat, she couldn’t get loose from the man holding her. The man pressed the handkerchief over her mouth, and within seconds, she fell into darkness.

* * * *

Rain opened up from the heavens, fortunately, he’d donned his greatcoat before setting off.

He could see the ships in the distance. Jollyboats had been brought up onto the beach. Slowing his horse down in the sand, he dismounted.

Holding his hand up, the men that rode with him stopped and stayed at a safe distance.

The mournful wind ripped through the clearing making it hard for him to hear the voices of the people that approached. He didn’t have to hear Mallory’s voice though to recognize him. There was someone walking closely beside him. At the last moment, Mallory pulled her close to him, keeping her from falling in the sand. He didn’t know why Mallory had taken Elizabeth along for the journey. Squinting his eyes through the downpour, he focused them again. It wasn’t Elizabeth. The woman was far too tall and though not quite as slim as Gemma she was of a slighter build than Elizabeth.

Who was the mystery woman?

“Ann, I told you to remain behind on the boat,” Mallory almost shouted.

“I didn’t want to because I feared you’d throttle Hart. I know Gemma loves him

.…” Her voice trailed off. She’d finally looked up past the rim of the hat she wore.

“Is that him?” she asked, her voice slightly choked.

At that moment, Mallory looked up. Their gazes met. He saw Mallory rest his right hand comfortably on the hilt of his cutlass.

Hart did the same.

“No weapons!” Ann ordered, studying him more closely as she gained ground on him.

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Mallory didn’t listen to her, his hand still rested firmly on his cutlass.

“I think you should turn back. Go back to Seamus, he’s waiting to row you back to the Valiant.”

“No,” her voice didn’t waver this time. He marveled at how alike she and

Gemma sounded. If he didn’t know Gemma so well, he’d have a difficult time telling the difference between hers and Ann’s voice. By her stubborn refusal to return to the ship, he could tell that the same single-minded mule headed attitude was a character trait shared by many of the St. Martin women.

“Where is she?” Mallory demanded. “I thought you would have been smart

enough to bring her with you, to protect you from me. This time, I’ve brought enough men to squash your little empire here on the island.”

“I’m quite certain you have. Alas, my wife has instructed me to make peace, not war with you. She wishes for me to relay a message to you. She says that the prince must always bow to his princess.”

At his announcement, Ann pulled on Mallory’s arm. “There! You see! I told you Gemma had fallen for him. Look at him! How could you think he would do anything to our dear Gemma?”

“He married her no doubt against her will. No matter, that marriage can be annulled once we get everything sorted out between us.”

“I don’t think that’s going to go over well in Gemma’s camp,” Hart said, smiling.

“I should kill you were you stand, MacKinnon,” Mallory roared.

“If you did, you’d have Gemma out for your hide. I don’t think you’d like having her on your back for the rest of your life. I’m telling you, she wouldn’t be the merry widow.”

“Stop it, this instant, Mallory. Mother told you to settle things in a calm headed manner. There’s no point in blowing a gasket, especially since we know that Gemma has not been hurt, nor held against her will.”

“Indeed, she has not.” Hart relaxed his grip on the hilt of his cutlass.

“What do you expect me to do, Ann? Return to his castle and dine with him?”

“Who are those men riding at a breakneck speed toward us, Lord MacKinnon?”

Ann asked.

“Hart, please.” He smiled at her.

He looked back. They weren’t all men. Maeve was among one of the riders.

Instantly, apprehension prickled along his scalp.

“Gemma,” he whispered, fear stabbing his heart.

He ran toward the riders.

Maeve quickly dismounted, holding her reins as if she was anxious to get back on.

“The Countess has been taken.”

“What?” Mallory and Hart both bellowed at the same time.

“Taken by whom?” Ann asked in a trembling voice.

“We don’t know. Whoever it was, Richard, I mean Lord Richard managed to kill one of them. In the scuffle, he was shot and taken prisoner.”

“How do you know he was shot?” Mallory asked suspiciously.

“Because he left behind the pistol you gave him for his last birthday, your Lordship,” she explained, speaking directly to Hart whilst ignoring Mallory. “Plus, we HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 142

tracked a trail of blood through the castle, and we found this.”

She handed him Richard’s signet ring.

He swallowed, hard. He couldn’t let them get off the island with Gemma. They wouldn’t take Richard with them that he felt for sure. Instead, they’d dispose of him before setting sail.

“You don’t have any idea who it could have been?”

Maeve reached inside of her coat. “We did find this.” She handed a handkerchief to Hart, and Ann snatched it out of his grip before he could get a good look at it.

“Kilworth,” she breathed. “Just as I thought. That sick little bastard. I told you he was no good, Mallory. If only you’d allowed me to show you the evidence I had stacked against him, we would have been able to stop this from happening.”

“We still can, Ann.” Mallory turned his attention to Hart. “Tell me where

Kilworth could possibly have a ship docked.”

“You’ll need horses.” He gestured to two men. “Callum, Scott, please dismount and ride back with the others to Skylark Castle. Lord St. Martin and Lady Ann will need these mounts.”

“I .…” Ann’s voice trailed off nervously.

“Ann, you can stay behind, or ride with me,” Mallory offered.

She drew in a deep breath. “No. Gemma needs me. We shall all ride together. I can do this—I’m not a novice when it comes to horseback riding.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Mallory said gently, helping her up onto one of the abandoned horses.

“Yes, I do. Gemma would do the same for me. We stick together … that’s one thing the St. Martin’s have always been known for. Family never abandons family.”

“Maeve, get back to the castle and be ready to attend to Richard, when we return.

I’m going to kill Kilworth for this attack against me and mine.”

“No. You aren’t.” Mallory looked over at him already astride on his horse.

“And why not?” Hart asked.

“Because I’m going to kill him first.”

“She’s my wife!”

“She’s my sister!”

“My Lords!” Ann chastised. “If we continue arguing, Kilworth will get away with Gemma, and your brother will be tossed into the sea.”

“She’s right,” They both said.

With that, they set off to save Gemma.

* * * *

She woke up. Her head was splitting in half with pain.

“Hart?” she mumbled, a bit disoriented. Her mouth felt as if someone had

crammed cotton into it. She licked her lips.

“No, it’s Richard. Wake up, now! I think they’re going to take you away soon onto a ship. We have to think of something before that happens.”

She wearily cracked her eyes open. “I still feel so sluggish.”

“Fight it. Whatever was on that handkerchief has addled your senses.”

“You shouldn’t want to help me anyway,” she muttered, trying to fight past the pain and tiredness coursing through her.

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“You are my brother’s wife. I’m a low down dirty rotten bastard, but God help me, I love my brother. I wouldn’t do anything to you … it would shatter him.”

She shook her head, moaning when more pain cracked through her skull.

“Where are we?”

“We’re almost off the island, that’s where we are. I don’t know why Hart hasn’t tracked the carriages Kilworth has yet. That damn little bitch, the Widow Baker must have given Kilworth all of the information he needed. I’m going to kill that slut.”