“A marriage doesn’t need to be annulled to befinished,Mrs. Ward.”
“What—” Minnie’s voice died away as she realized just exactly what he was referring to.
“Widows can also be remarried,” Blackwood finished. Tommy could hear the smug grin in his voice.
That wasn’t good news for Tommy.
“You said you would leave my husband alone,” she said, her voice still strong, although Tommy could hear the slight tremble.
“If you come with me, I will. Mr. Bellingham the Third is an American seeking the most beautiful, polished English bride. You are exactly what he is looking for. Once he learned you were available, he was willing to outbid any other prospective buyer. You can sail away with him and no one will be the wiser.”
Minnie said nothing, and Tommy’s heart began to increase in pace. She wasn’t actually considering this, was she? She had to understand that the deal would be all for naught ifshe was taken away from him, for all that mattered to him was keeping her safe. Tommy would do anything to make sure that she was looked after, and he was not going to see her shipped off and away from him, to be subjected to whatever this man deemed was her future.
Tommy peered behind Minnie. Surely the police would have what they needed by now?
Suddenly, he realized what was wrong. Garrick was missing, no longer standing to the side and overseeing proceedings. Where had he gone?
He leaned forward but couldn’t see him anywhere. And Blackwood was smiling, looking at — athim. Tommy swallowed hard just before he felt the cold metal against his temple.
“Well, well, what do we have here?”
He sighed, closing his eyes as he cursed himself. He had been so intent on Minnie that he hadn’t watched Blackwood’s second in command.
“Up. Let’s step out into the light and say your goodbyes to your sweetheart.”
Lifting his hands, Tommy had no choice but to do as Garrick said. When they stepped into the clearing made by the crates of goods lined around them, Minnie turned to look over her shoulders, her face falling to see Tommy’s current predicament, making him feel all the more that he had failed her.
At least they had the other men and the police beyond. They would help, would they not?
Tommy didn’t want to peer into the shadows in fear that he might give them away, but suddenly there was a shout and a splash.
“Stay here,” Blackwood ordered, pulling his own pistol from his jacket as he walked over to the ship.
Minnie held Tommy’s gaze, biting her lip, staying strong despite the fear he knew was likely swirling within her, fear that probably matched his own.
It was not his own life that concerned him. It was Minnie’s.
She never should have come here. This was a terrible plan, and he was going to have a lot to say to Jonny once they got out of this.
Because theywouldfree themselves.
They had to.
Then Blackwood reappeared, walking with Rhys in front of him. Rhys’s right eye was swollen shut, but besides that, the only other injury was redness on his knuckles. Meanwhile, Colin stumbled along, another man practically dragging him as it seemed his ribs were hurt. Again.
Rhys looked at Tommy, shaking his head, and Tommy knew what he meant. There was no sign of the police. They hadn’t shown up.
They were alone.
Jonny was also nowhere to be found, and for a moment, Tommy couldn’t breathe. Had the man he considered one of his best friends betrayed them? Had Ada been right?
Either way, there didn’t appear to be an easy way out of this.
They were trapped.
Chapter Thirty
This could not be happening.
