The Forbidden Lady (24 page)

With a flash, the flame ignited a puddle of rum, engulfing the key ring with fire. She gasped and froze in her steps. Hungry flames sought out more liquor, streaming out in all directions. Loose rushes caught fire, and the flames swept into an empty prison cell.

She backed away.
No, anything but fire
. She covered her face to shield her mouth and nose from the rising smoke. A loud, clanging roar assailed her ears, humming through her shocked mind without registering. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t hear. The fire completely blocked the corridor with Quin on the other side, so far away, lost forever behind a wall of flames.

“No!” she cried out and covered her eyes.
No.
She could not give up. She had come to rescue him. The clamor in her ears divided into discernible sounds.

The church bells were ringing. Loud voices shouted in anger outside on the streets. And Quincy, he was yelling at her. He needed her.

“Ginny!”

She opened her eyes. Flames licked at the white breeches of the soldier. She seized him by the boots and dragged him away from the blaze. She rolled him on the stone floor to keep him from burning.

She ran at the fire and flung her cloak at it ’til the corridor was clear. The fire still raged inside the empty cell—the floor of rushes ablaze along with the cot. Breathing heavily, she stared at the fire. The walls of stone and brick should keep the fire from spreading. She lifted her gaze and groaned.

The roof was made of wood. The entire jail would burn.

“Ginny, we need the keys.”

She turned to her husband.

He smiled through the bars. “Find the keys, Ginny. Let’s get out of here.”

She searched the floor to locate the keys. “Why did you try to stop me from hitting the guard?”

“He was holding a candlestick. I thought you would catch him on fire with that rum. I was hoping to get him close enough to knock him out.”

“Oh.” She found the keys and jerked her hand back as the heated iron burned her fingers. With her singed cape, she lifted the key ring and scurried to Quin’s cell. “Which key is it?”

He pressed against the bars, overlooking the lock. “I don’t know. Try them all.”

She inserted one, using the cape to insulate her fingers from the heated iron. She turned the key. The metal twisted in her hand.

He jiggled the gate. “It didn’t work.”

She yanked at the key. “Oh, no, it won’t come out.”

“Let me try.” He reached his hands through the bars to grasp the key. Heated from the fire, it bent in his hands. “Damn.”

“No! I was so close.” She covered her face. “Oh, God, don’t let this happen.” Her worst terror had returned. Once again she had failed to save a loved one.

Her husband remained locked away, soon to be lost in the flames.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY-FOUR

“G
inny, listen.”

She lowered her hands. “I’m so sorry. Dear God, I have failed you.”

Quin stretched his arms through the bars and cradled her face with his grimy hands. “Listen to me. You have not failed. I’ve never seen you so strong and brave.”

Tears streamed down her face. “I did it for you. I love you so much.”

“I know.” His heart filled, erasing years of loneliness and despair.

“I wanted to save you.”

“Ginny, you have saved me. Now if you’ll help me, together, we can get me out of here. I have a plan.” He bent over to remove his silver shoe buckles.

“What are you going to do?”

“Blow my way out. Drag that redcoat back into the office, will you?” He grabbed one of the mittens Caroline had knitted and emptied the gunpowder from one buckle into the thumb. He squeezed it into the lock. After filling the other mitten with gunpowder from the second buckle, he wedged it also into a strategic place by the lock.

Virginia returned. “What do I do now?”

“Find some liquor, rum, whatever. And remind me later to thank Caroline for her presents.” He grabbed the knitted scarf and tied the fringed end by the lock. Then he carried his bench to the back of the room and turned it over on its side. This would be his barricade against the blast.

“I found this canteen. ’Tis full of rum.” Virginia slipped the wooden canteen through the bars.

“Good. Now I need a source of fire so I can light this.” As she dashed off once again, he opened the canteen and doused the mittens and scarf with rum. He spilled a trail of liquor leading to his barricade.

She returned with a lit candle.

“Good. Now return to the office and wait behind the door.” He watched her hurrying down the corridor, then darted to his barricade against the back wall. The sound of musket fire echoed outside his cell. What the hell was happening out there? The entire population of Boston seemed to be in the streets, screaming.

He dropped the lit candle into the trail of rum. Instantly the flames raced toward the scarf. He ducked behind the bench.

The explosion deafened his ears. Thick smoke filled his cell. He stayed low as he dashed to the gate.

It was wide open.

“Ginny!” He sprinted down the corridor.

She opened the heavy door.

He seized her in his arms, laughing and hugging her close. “We did it!”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh, Quin, I thought I’d never hold you again.”

“My brave Ginny.” He kissed her and brushed the tears from her face, leaving smears on her cheeks with his dirty fingers. “Let’s go.”

He hefted the unconscious guard over his shoulder and hurried from the jail. Immediately he and Ginny were bombarded by a screaming, pushing mob. Ginny held fast to his arm as the crowd swept them west.

“We’re going the wrong way,” Virginia yelled over the noise. “We’re to meet my father on King Street.”

“I don’t think we can.” Quin pulled her into a deserted side alley and lowered the guard onto the ground. “What is happening here?”

“I don’t know. George and Josiah were planning to torment a sentry with some other lads, and your friends were supposed to distract the redcoats.”

“They did a hell of a job. I’ve never seen such a riot. At least we’ll not be noticed.”

“I see you, old boy.” Clarence stepped from the shadows, dragging Mary with him.

“Aunt Mary!” Virginia lunged forward.

Quin swept out an arm to hold Ginny back.

Clarence yanked Mary against him, pointing a knife at her neck. “Did you really think I’d leave town without your money?”

Quin tamped down on the growing fury inside him. “Let her go.”

Clarence motioned with his head toward Virginia. “Give me your wife, and I’ll let this one go.”

“No. Virginia’s still married to me, and in spite of your efforts, I’m very much alive and intend to remain so.”

Clarence’s face hardened. “You’ll be a hunted man, Quincy, forever on the run. ’Twill be a miserable existence for your wife. Give her to me, and she’ll live a life of luxury in London.”

“I’d clobber you on the head again the first chance I get,” Virginia warned.

Clarence sneered at her. “Don’t worry, my dear. You’ve lost all your appeal to me. I only want to deliver you to my father so he can control the business through you.”

“You’ll not have my wife nor my business,” Quin stated.

Clarence gritted his teeth and tightened his grip around Mary. “I’ll kill this one! ’Twill be your fault.”

Virginia stepped forward. “I’ll come with you.”

“No!” Quin yanked her back. “Fine, Clarence. You win. Take my bloody ships and leave these women alone.”

Clarence squinted at him. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, the women are worth more than a few ships.”

“Damn, you’re a fool.” Clarence smiled slightly. “I’ll need it in writing.”

Quin nodded. “Agreed.”

Clarence loosened his grip on Mary, who pulled away and ran to Virginia.

Quin advanced toward his brother, balling his fists.

Clarence jumped back. “I expect you to honor the agreement.”

“Haven’t you heard? I’m a bastard.”

“Damn you!” Clarence pointed the knife at him, his face reddening with rage. “How many times must I turn you in? Why couldn’t you just
die
?”

“I have as much right to live as you.”

“No! The title will be
mine!
” Clarence threw the knife.

Quin leapt to the side as a flash of metal flew past him. Anger exploded inside him, muffling the sound of Ginny’s scream and the clatter of the knife landing on cobblestones.

He grabbed his brother and threw him against the wall. Clarence hit hard and sank toward the ground.

Quin jerked him up and pinned him to the wall. “Why are you so determined to see me dead?”

Clarence grimaced with pain. “You fool. You still haven’t figured it out, have you?”

“Figured out what? I know you’re a greedy little bastard who wants my money. But why the obsession with killing me? I’m not a threat to you.”

Clarence spoke through clenched teeth. “Father will disown me if I don’t deliver the business to him. I’ll lose the title, everything I ever wanted.”

“How can he disown you? You’re legitimate.”

“No, dammit. You are. Father kept his marriage to your mother a secret so he could marry my mother and get all of her money. If I don’t deliver, Father will claim you as his heir.”

Quin stared at his brother, stunned. All these years he’d believed himself a bastard. With a shout of rage, he gripped both hands around Clarence’s neck.

“No!” Virginia yelled. “Quin, you cannot kill your own brother.”

Quin paused with his hands around Clarence’s neck. The look of terror on his brother’s face sickened him. He loosened his grip. “Go. The title is yours. I want nothing from you or your father. Edward is my father.
This
is my country.”

“Hold still!” A voice shouted behind him.

Quin released his brother and turned.

Captain Breakwell marched into the alley, his brace of silver-handled pistols cocked and aimed at Clarence and Quin.

Clarence greeted the officer with a nervous laugh. “Thank God you’ve come, Captain. I caught the traitor, trying to escape.”

Quin slowly eased back.

Captain Breakwell motioned with a pistol. “Stay next to your brother.”

“William, please.” Virginia stepped forward. “Don’t do this.”

“They’re both criminals—a traitor and a thief.” The captain studied his prisoners.

Clarence cleared his throat. “But being a traitor is so much more serious. If you turn Quincy in, you’ll be a hero. They’ll probably promote you.”

William narrowed his eyes. “Possibly.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Virginia pleaded. “Please, it would kill me to lose my husband.”

William nodded. “I understand how you feel. I would hate to lose Priscilla.”

Clarence snorted. “You cannot possibly control the two of us. You’ll have to let one of us go.”

“I believe you’re right.” William pursed his lips. “So shall I be a hero for King George and turn in Quincy, or turn you in, Clarence, and be a hero for Priscilla? An interesting choice.”

Clarence shrugged. “I merely helped myself to a few baubles, but my brother is guilty of treason. You should let the worthiest man go free.”

“I agree.” William bowed his head to Quincy. “I suggest you get as far from Boston as possible. And take good care of Virginia.”

Quin nodded. “I will. Thank you.”

“
What?
” Clarence shouted. “This is an outrage.”

Quin didn’t wait to see what happened to his brother. Grabbing his wife and Mary Dover, he hurried away. At the end of the alley, they turned west, away from King Street, on a roundabout route toward Edward’s house. The crowds had thinned, but tension still ran high as shouts of murder echoed in the cold night.

A cart rolled up beside them. “Let me give you a lift,” a youth called out.

Quincy stopped. The boy looked familiar. “Do I know you?”

The boy grinned. “Aye, I once helped you out when some sailors were after you.”

“You’re the boy from the print shop. Which direction are you going?”

The youth looked around and leaned toward Quin. “I’ll take you to where your family is gathering. I promise.”

Quin helped the ladies into the back of the cart, then jumped in beside them. The boy drove the cart, serpentining through the lanes and alleys ’til he arrived at the back gate of a plain house with brown riven siding.

“This way.” He led Quin and the women into the house through the back door.

In the parlor, Quin found Jamie with the two boys, George and Josiah. Virginia ran to hug her father.

“Uncle Quin!” Josiah leapt at him.

Quin gave Josiah a big hug. He noticed another boy in the corner. “I know you. You’re the boy who sold chestnuts by Mary Dover’s house.”

The boy grinned. “I was doing me job.”

Jamie ambled over to Quin and offered his hand. “Good to see you free, laddie.”

“Thank you.” Quin shook his hand. “Do you know whose house this is?”

“No. The mob overturned the carriage, so we were making our way to the jail on foot. Then the lad in the corner said to come with him, that he knew where ye would be. He seemed to know a great deal, and Josiah and George recognized him, so we came.”

The youth from the print shop joined the boy in the corner, and Quin noted the similarities between the two. “Are you boys related?”

His question went unanswered for Edward and Caroline arrived, accompanied by another youth.

“Mary, you’re safe!” Edward grinned at her, then his face lit up when he saw Quin. He grabbed him and hugged him tight. “Thank God you’re free.”

Quin patted him on the back. “I thank God I had you for a father.”

Edward’s eyes filled with tears. He turned to Mary and enveloped her in his arms.

Caroline took a turn hugging each person and laughing.

Quin leaned close to Virginia. “Does the boy who came with Edward and Caroline look familiar to you?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “He’s the boy who delivered the books you ordered, and he gave me a ride to my aunt’s house when I escaped from Clarence.”

Quin noted the boy’s brown hair and brown eyes, just like the other two in the corner. “There’s something odd going on here.”

“Welcome. I see you have all arrived.” A feminine voice sounded at the parlor door.

Quin blinked. “What the hell?”

Virginia gasped. “Sukey? What are you doing here?”

She smiled as she entered. “I live here. I’m so delighted to see you safely together once again. I told Father I’d never forgive him if you two were separated.”

Quin frowned. “Your father?”

“Aye,” Sukey replied. “Come along, boys. ’Tis time for you to be in bed.”

The three boys grumbled and shuffled from the room.

“Thank you for helping us,” Virginia called after them.

“Who are you?” Quin shouted.

“They’re my children,” Johnson answered from the hallway. “Good night, boys. You did well.” The short man, dressed as usual in brown, paused by the parlor door. “You said it once yourself, Quincy. A child can go about unnoticed. My children are spread all over town, learning different occupations and hearing bits of information they pass on to me.”

“Wait a minute.” Quin held up a hand. “The boy selling chestnuts—he was stationed outside Ginny’s house before I even asked her to stop spying.”

Johnson shrugged. “I suspected she was the woman you were protecting. I knew how you felt about her, even if
you
did not.”

Quin frowned at his know-it-all employer.

Virginia grinned. “How many children do you have, Mr. Johnson?”

“Nineteen, at last count.”

Quin snorted. “Johnson, you randy old goat.”

His mouth twitched. “I shall miss you, Quincy. No one makes me laugh like you.”

Quin exchanged a doubtful look with his wife.

Sukey chuckled. “For my father, that was a laugh. I hope you didn’t take offense at my behavior in the coffeehouse. I was merely teasing two fellow spies.”

“Enough with the pleasantries.” Johnson walked to the center of the room. “Edward, you will return to your house. Whether or not Mary Dover continues to live with you, will be for you to decide.”

Edward looped an arm around Mary and pulled her close. “Mary has agreed to be my wife. George, you’ll be staying with us. And I have good news. Your sister will be arriving soon.”

Congratulations and hugs circled the room.

Johnson cleared his throat. “How quaint. Now back to business. Mr. Munro, you will borrow another coach and leave with your family. An acquaintance of mine owns a tavern along the Boston Post Road. He’ll be expecting you. If the redcoats stop you, you will say tonight’s horrid events frightened your girls so much, they wanted to go home to North Carolina.”

“What did happen tonight?” Quin demanded.

“Death,” Edward answered. “I saw it. The bloody redcoats shot Americans down in the street.”

Johnson shrugged. “It was supposed to be a mere demonstration, but there is a faction that is pushing for war. They may have succeeded.”