Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

K atie awoke with a gasp, breathing in through her nose, as she recalled struggling against her kidnapper, who'd muffled her breathing and rendered her unconscious with some noxious substance. She could still smell the acrid scent of the gag in her mouth. Trying to keep a level head, she realized that she was lying on a cold, dirty floor. She had no idea where she was and was thankful for the few rays of moonlight that filtered in through a window, giving her enough light to see that she was alone.

She tried to move but realized her hands were bound in front of her. With her eyes now adjusted to the darkness, Katie looked around her, trying to find something she could use to slice through the rope. Spying the rough edge of a table, she scooted across the floor and began to saw through the ropes on her wrists.

She bit her lip as she grazed her hands a few times but kept going until she was finally able to unravel the rope. Katie immediately ripped the nasty gag from her mouth. She stood on wobbly legs and searched for a weapon she could use. A sob of relief escaped her as she spotted her parasol across the room. She hurried over and grabbed it, thankful that the men who'd abducted her were somewhat dim-witted enough to bring the parasol with them. Perhaps they thought they could sell it for some quick coin.

Pressing the button on the underside of the handle, she withdrew the foil and walked to the door. She tried the doorknob, but it was locked.

Where were the men who had abducted her? Had they abandoned her here, hoping she would die in a ramshackle shed, tied up and with no food or water? Well , she refused to give up without a fight. She strode to the window and peeked outside, hoping she could discern where she was, but all she saw were patches of dead grass around the shed and trees in the distance. Her nostrils flared and she detected a musty smell, but there was something else. Perfume ? How can that be? She looked around and noticed an old tarp in the corner near the window. She started toward it but heard voices outside.

She rushed back to the corner where she'd woken up, taking special care to conceal the foil beneath her skirts, where she could easily reach it. Retrieving the foul rag, she placed it back into her mouth, trying not to gag as she did so. Next , she wrapped her hands with the rope, hoping the men wouldn't notice the frayed ends. Willing her heart to stop pounding, Katie leaned back against the wall, slumped her head to the side, and closed her eyes to feign sleep—just as the door opened.

" Look , Gummy , the chit is still out cold," a deep, raspy voice said. " She doesn't know what's in store for her."

Gummy cackled. " Maybe we can have a bit of sport. She don't even have to be awake."

" Never mind that just now, we have to attend to Endo —the widow. She's over here."

Heavy footsteps followed by shuffling ones worked their way to the far corner of the room. Katie opened one eye to peek and saw them lift the dingy tarp she'd seen earlier. It had been dark over there, Katie recalled.

" That's a dead body," Gummy said.

" That's the widow. I finally got her out of the Tower , and she's where she belongs…with me."

Katie swallowed a gasp and kept as still as she could.

Oh Lord , I was unconscious, lying here for who knows how many hours with a dead woman in the corner.

Did they plan to kill her too and leave her under that tarp?

" Where are you gonna put her?" Gummy asked.

" You'll know soon enough," the big man said. " By the way, I went to Doogan's place, and he wasn't there. What happened to him?"

Gummy shrugged. " Maybe he's gone to visit his mum in Spitalfields . I hear she's been ailin', and that boy do love his mum." He pointed at the dead woman. " If I'm gonna get stuck with Doogan's duties, you'll have ter pay me more, 'else Molly'll 'ave my hide." The stout man heaved a deep sigh. " If only she'd find herself another bloke. She's getting on m'nerves lately with all her grousing about money. ' Sides , since I met Daisy , it's too much work to go between The Rooster , where Molly works, and the Skinny Goat , where Daisy works. But I do like Daisy more. She's got a body a man could get lost in." He threw his head back and guffawed.

" Heh , heh! Women can be more trouble than they're worth," the raspy voice said.

" But …but what happened to the widow? I thought you liked her," Gummy pressed.

" Of course I do! I love her, you dolt. But something had to be done about that screeching of hers. She was enjoying the bonbons I brung her and that rag she likes to read, and then all of a sudden she started shrieking at me…yelling like the others did. Callin ' me names. I asked her to stop, but she kept on. It makes my head hurt so bad. So , I showed her how to be quiet. I put my hands 'round her neck, and she stopped. I could tell she liked it, though. She's a wild minx, she is."

Gummy chuckled. " Those are the best kind. How did you get her out of the Tower ?"

" I had to roll her up in that dingy old carpet she hated. But when she finds out the rug came in handy to help her escape, I'm sure she'll change her mind."

" But ain't she dead?" Gummy asked, obviously speaking of the widow.

" Sleeping ," the raspy voice corrected. " And when she wakes, she'll be happy because I finally got her out of that prison tower. When she wakes, we'll have a big laugh. And she'll be happy to see we finally got that skinny chit. She complained it weren't enough that we killed Colborne . She wanted me to kill the Latham girl too. She wanted to make Latham and his whore, and that old crow suffer. And they will. Mark my words. Maybe she'll even want ter kill the girl herself. She'll like that."

Oh my God ! The widow in the Tower is Endora Deville ! Or rather, she was Endora .

The hateful woman had succeeded in ruining Thomas and Frankie's relationship years ago. Frankie was forced by her uncle to marry an elderly Earl who held his debts. As a result, Thomas had sailed the high seas, going from port to port with his shipping line for years, trying to escape his pain and anguish, all the while believing Frankie had left him. After five long years, they met again at the Duke of Clarence's ball. Frankie was widowed, and Thomas was still unmarried. Katie's eyes filled with tears as she recalled how happy the Lathams were when Thomas and Frankie had been able to heal the past and allow their love to bring them together once more.

Endora Deville had then tried once again to come between them, but this time she was caught with the dowager's help. The widow had been investigated and arrested when it was revealed that she'd killed her first and second husband.

Katie's heart thundered in her chest and she worried they could hear it. She fought to slow down her breathing.

He plans to kill me, too! I have to get out of here.

She heard a noise outside and prayed it was Sebastian . Did he even know she was missing? No , he had said he would see her later in the afternoon. Even if he hadn't shown up at the dowager's, she and Paula would have gotten word to him. But how in the world would he know where to find her? Katie knew he and Nelson were conducting their own investigation over the past few days since Paula had made those sketches, but he hadn't given her any details of what they'd found. Perhaps he didn't want to add to her anxiety when she was doing so well with her fencing lessons. But the dowager mentioned she wanted to speak to Sebastian and Nelson about it.

Oh , why didn't I ask Sebastian when I had the chance? Perhaps what they'd found out might have been useful to her now, when she so desperately needed to escape. But she'd been so caught up in her lessons, and truth be told, the magic of Sebastian's kisses.

You have no time to feel sorry for yourself!

With cold awareness, she realized she was on her own. She'd have to use everything she'd learned to save herself.

" Someone's outside," Gummy said. " I'll go have a look."

" Fine , but hurry back. I'll need your help with the girl."

Katie pretended to still be unconscious, she opened one eye just a sliver and watched Gummy walk past her, unlock the door, and leave. But she noticed he had left it open. She had to make her move. This could be the only chance she had. She peeked at the hulking man who stooped over the body in the corner, talking to it as if she were still alive.

It's now or never.

She was about to get up and make a run for it when a shadow moved in the open doorway. Oh , God ! I'm too late. But wait, the shadow was tall and lean, not short and squat. And then wonder of wonders, Katie saw Sebastian appear in the doorway. Her eyes widened and she must have moved and alerted him to her presence because he turned and looked directly at her. He held a finger over his mouth, instructing her to be quiet.

She would be as quiet as a church mouse. But inside she was giddy with relief. He had come for her!

" Go !" he mouthed. But she couldn't leave him. Not now. Gummy would be back any moment and two men against one wasn't fair, even if Sebastian was strong and an excellent fighter.

He shook his head and held up his hand for her to stay put. Slowly , he approached the kidnapper huddled over the prone form in the corner and cleared his throat.

" Shut up, Gummy , I don't want her to wake up. She's sleeping so peacefully. If she wakes up too sudden-like she gets crabby and will start yelling again. "

" I'm not Gummy ," Sebastian said.

The man turned and Sebastian plunged a fist into his gut and then leveled another blow with such force, it flattened him.

Sebastian reached down to grab him, but the man rolled to his feet, a lethal blade in his hand.

" Katie , run," Sebastian yelled as he faced down the killer. The two men moved in a slow circle, staring at each other.

Katie cast off the ropes and gag. Reaching for her foil, she stood and was about to hurry over to Sebastian to toss him the epee when she was grabbed by the neck from behind and felt a blade against her neck.

" I've got yer woman," Gummy said, holding Katie from behind and pressing the tip of a knife to her throat.

" Yer mine, now," the brutish kidnapper said, pulling another blade from around his boot. " Sit ," he demanded, dragging a chair to the middle of the room. " I plan to carve you up and let her watch."

Sebastian sat down calmly. Katie watched in horror as the man she loved was about to get flayed alive. The kidnapper held a length of rope and reached for Sebastian's hands. With a move so quick that Katie would have missed it had she blinked, Sebastian swiveled and kicked the man into the wall before springing back onto his feet.

The kidnapper was bigger and beefier than Sebastian . But Sebastian was taller. Katie knew his reputation as a fighter was legendary. But the kidnapper was a maniac and a cold-blooded killer and that made him very dangerous.

The two men circled each other once more until the kidnapper lunged with both knives but Sebastian did something that left Katie in awe. He leapt into the air and spun, kicking out his leg and landing a blow to the kidnapper's chest with his boot. The kidnapper toppled backward, losing his grip on both blades. The knives skittered to the floor, where they landed below the window.

Realizing she still had the foil but could not use it, Katie remembered a move Sebastian had shown her. She'd made him show her several times since it required him to get close and prayed she'd remember it when she so desperately needed it.

Slowly she allowed the foil to drop, feeling it hit noiselessly against her skirts. Without drawing attention from Gummy , she slowly moved her two hands up in front of her body, within range of her neck. He's not much bigger than me. Please , God , let this work.

In a flash, her hands came up, hitting Gummy's arms as hard as she could to push the knife away from her throat. She used the heel of her foot to strike him in the groin. When Gummy screamed, Katie yanked as hard as she could at the knife and kneed him again between the legs.

She picked up her foil and rushed to Sebastian's side. The brute was groaning and beginning to shift on the floor.

" Run , Katie . I mean it!" Sebastian yelled.

" But I can help. I can tie his arms and legs."

" No . I want you to leave. Now !"

Not wanting Sebastian to see the tears in her eyes, she turned around and saw that Gummy had fled. Damn ! I should have tied him up instead.

The brute let out a low growl, and Katie turned back, fearing for Sebastian , but she moved forward, holding her foil ready to do battle, when Sebastian pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the kidnapper.

" Move and I'll kill you. I want to kill you, so please do move."

Sebastian had a gun? Why didn't he use it sooner? And then she realized something he told her once when they were discussing guns over blades. Sebastian told her that a gun could be dangerous in a smaller space, especially when there were innocent people nearby who could get shot by a stray bullet.

Katie sighed with relief. Sebastian had everything under control.

" I've got this one. Need any help?" a familiar voice said from the doorway.

Katie turned and saw Nelson standing at the entrance to the room, holding Gummy by the scruff of his collar.

" Nelson , I'm so glad to see you," she said as he dragged Gummy in.

" I tend to have that reaction on women," he quipped with a grin. " If you would be so kind, Katie , and hand me that rope."

Glad to be useful, Katie reached for the rope and handed it to Nelson , who quickly and efficiently tied Gummy's arms behind his back.

" Is that a dead woman in the corner?" Nelson asked as he tied Gummy's feet.

" Nooo . Endora's mine. You can't have her…" the man screamed and suddenly leaped up and lunged at Sebastian .

Katie screamed. The kidnapper looked like a bull charging at Sebastian .

Sebastian fired the gun, sending the kidnapper flying back and landing on Endora Deville's body.

" I suppose he meant it," Nelson said with a smirk.

" Check for a pulse, will you, Nelson ?" Sebastian said, still aiming the pistol at the prone man.

Nelson strode over to the kidnapper and placed his fingers against the man's throat. " He's dead."

Katie collapsed in a heap on the floor, sobbing, " Thank God !"

Sebastian knelt beside her and gathered her in his arms. " I thought I'd lost you."

The tears were pouring down her cheeks. " I thought I'd never see you again. How did you find me?"

" Doogan told us about the cemetery when we questioned him," Sebastian said, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiping her tears.

" Thank you," Katie whispered. " For the handkerchief."

" I will always have one for you," he said in a tender voice.

" The drawings, really," Nelson said. " I suppose this wa s Rosco ." Nelson gave a derisive laugh. " Now I know where I've seen this one before. The Tower of London —he was a guard there."

" He killed Endora Deville ," Katie said.

" Yes . His name is Rosco Black ," Sebastian said.

Nelson checked the ropes around Gummy's feet and hands.

" You took your time getting here. How far away did you park the carriage?" Sebastian arched an eyebrow at Nelson .

" Sorry about that, Slice . But I figured you'd have everything under control."

Sebastian rolled his eyes at his friend.

" It was Endora ," Katie said. " I heard him talking to Gummy . It was her idea to kill Wendel and—and she wanted me dead too so my family would suffer. She hated Thomas and Frankie and the dowager." Katie began to tremble again. " I — I thought Wendel was killed because of the pearls, but the robbery was just a pretense. Wendel was meant to die. A —and so was I . Only Thomas and the footmen came running before Rosco could finish the deed. And he must have waited until I began to emerge from the house again, and he—just waited for the right opportunity to kidnap me and…"

" Hush , sweetheart, it's all right. Everything is all right now. We'll talk about it all, I promise you, but right now, I want to get you out of here." He kissed her forehead and stood up, lifting her in his arms as he did so.

Katie felt a mixture of emotions—grief and anger at the tragedy of losing Wendel in such a horrific way by such a diabolical woman bent on revenge, disbelief at how close she'd come to being killed not once—but twice in fourteen months, relief that Sebastian had come in the nick of time.

Sebastian . I love you.

As if he could read her mind, he tightened his hold around her as he carried her out of the cottage.

She closed her eyes knowing she had to tell Sebastian how she truly felt. She knew he cared about her, but was he in love with her as she was with him?

I will tell him, no matter what.

Katie had lived in fear for more than a year. Rarely venturing out, she'd become, in effect, a prisoner herself.

Well , that ends tonight.

She would tell Sebastian that she loved him. And if he didn't feel the same, then so be it. But she refused to hide away from life anymore.