James had received a piercing glance from Blackborne after a search of the grounds revealed three sets of man-size footprints in the snow leading into the garden and then out again onto the main road. The indentations of carriage wheels showed Beatrix must have been removed in that manner. The duke had not spoken his words of accusation out loud, but before James left he had reminded the older man he was at liberty to voice his suspicions, and also James’s assurances Beatrix would come to no harm to her brother.
It had never been James’s intention to worry or upset anyone. But neither could he continue to be the rejected lover waiting upon Beatrix’s whim.
By the end of tonight, their situation would be settled, one way or the other.
There were only two ways that could happen.
Beatrix would agree to become his wife.
Or James would remove himself from her life forever.
Beatrix blinked rapidly as, the hood having been removed, she was able to see her kidnappers for the first time in the glow of the candlelight supplied by an ornate three-pronged silver candelabra. No doubt, judging by the men’s appearance, it was a stolen candelabra.
There were three of them, their hair overlong and all of them dressed in the same ragged clothes she had seen on the many street urchins since coming to London.
Except these men were much older than that, possibly her own age of six and twenty. Nor did they appear as dirty on the face and hands as the other street people she had seen. On closer inspection, their clothes, although old and torn, also looked relatively clean.
“Do I know you?” she voiced slowly.
“I some’ow dowts it, me lady,” the red-haired one answered her derisively.
Her chin lifted. “My brother, Lord Benedict Winter, will pay whatever ransom you demand.”
“Ain’t asked ’im fa one.”
She swallowed. “Then what are you going to do with me?”
He grinned. “That’s up ta the boss ta decide.” From the way the other two grinned their approval, it seemed obvious he was their leader and spokesperson.
Beatrix frowned. “And when are you expecting this…boss to arrive?”
“When ’e gets ’ere,” came the unhelpful reply.
She looked at their surroundings. As far as she could see, from the extent of the candles’ glow, they were in what appeared to be an abandoned store that had once sold ladies’, or possibly gentlemen’s, apparel and accessories. There were several broken stands lying on the dust-covered floor, with more in the alcove windows that had probably once been used to display hats and gloves. Blinds were pulled down over those windows so that anyone walking by outside wouldn’t be able to see in.
Her gaze returned to her kidnappers. “Would you mind untying my wrists? The ties are cutting into my skin.”
“Are ya gonna try ta run if’n we do?” the redhead prompted.
“Honestly? In all probability, yes,” Beatrix answered with a grimace once he’d nodded.
He grinned, revealing several gaps in what were otherwise white teeth. “I likes ya,” he approved.
“Under different circumstances, I might like you too,” she allowed. None of these men looked fierce or dangerous or as if they wished to kill her. “Will your boss be arriving tonight?”
He tilted his head as if listening. “I fink I ’ear his carriage owtside now. Time fa ya to be blindfold agen.”
Beatrix barely had time to let out a squeak of protest before the gag that had been about her mouth was now placed over her eyes. She didn’t like having once again been plunged into darkness, but at least she wasn’t completely enshrouded in the black hood this time.
She heard the bell ring over the front door of the abandoned shop, as indication someone else had entered. There was the sound of a whispered conversation, and she thought she might have overheard the name Billy, followed by the sound of the door opening and then closing again.
Leaving Beatrix in the tense and silent darkness. “Is there anyone there?”
Surely they hadn’t just left her here? There might be mice or worse, rats, living in the derelict building. If they were hungry enough, they might even try to eat her whilst she was still alive. A horrifying thought that was enough to set her heart pounding and her pulse racing.
Chapter Seven
“The ovvers ’ad ta leave. I’m the one ’as is goin ta stay ’ere wiv ya fa now.”
Beatrix stilled at the sound of that husky voice. Not the red-haired man, but someone else, talking in a tone of voice, if not the accent, which seemed vaguely familiar to her. “Who are you, and where did the other men go?”
“They ’ad ta leave, me lady,” the new voice taunted without answering the first part of the question.
“So you are the boss they referred to?” Beatrix persisted.
“Must be,” he mocked.
Her mouth tightened. “Your friends removed the hood but put this blindfold on when you arrived. They had no problem with me seeing their faces, but perhaps you are too cowardly to do the same?” It was, in fact, a little worrying that those other three men hadn’t feared showing her their faces, implying as it did that perhaps Beatrix would not be alive to recognize or incriminate them in her abduction.
“Yers got spirit, I’ll give yer that,” the new man drawled. “Oo do we send the ransom note to? Ya farver? Brovver? Or maybe a luvver?” he added suggestively.
“My father died years ago. But my brother is Lord Benedict Winter, and I am sure he would happily pay a ransom for my safe return.”
“An’ ya luvver?”
“I do not—” Beatrix was once again assailed with that feeling of…well, familiarity.
Which was utterly ridiculous. She hadn’t been to London for many years until two weeks ago. Nor did she have any acquaintances who looked and behaved like the three men who had just left.
But with sight denied to her, Beatrix’s other senses seemed to have sharpened.
For
