“We cannot remain,” the boatman grumbled at her as the moon ducked under clouds. “Gendarmes come for patrol.”
“We cannot leave.”
A rustle above told a tale of someone’s arrival.
One man, alone?
Another behind him with a horse? A cart?
Inès drew her knife. Years of practice gave her a steady grip. Months without using it doubled her fears.
The snapping of fingers caught her attention. That wasLa Mère’s habit, Giselle had once told her.Oh, surely, that woman is not here.
Footsteps of one person—no, two—made her sit taller. The wooden planks of the quay gave with light and heavy footfalls.
Inès whipped around to her boatman. “Push away.”
He lifted a pole to the mossy wall of the dock. After the small thwack, the footsteps came quicker down the stairs.
“More! Faster!” Inès hissed at him.
But the boat swerved in the current of the river. One dark figure loomed on the last step…then flew into their barge as if he had wings. A loud whack rang up as he jumped to the flat bottom, hands out and legs splayed like a crab.
Inès went for him, her knife out, pointed at his throat.
Another person hit the boat deck and the bateau rocked wildly.
Inès cursed as she slid away from the man she held.
“Not so fast,” the second attacker said with pleasure and an arm around Inès’s waist. As he drew her backward to point his own knife at her throat, Inès felt her assailant’s breasts at her back.
“Bonsoir, Madame la Comtesse de Halsey.” The woman forced her backward into her embrace, the point of her knife at Inès’s throat.
Clutched there, Inès looked up into the face of her captor—and it was La Mère.
“Ah, madame, you have evaded me far too long.” The light of the moon fell over the woman’s refined features and confirmed Inès’s suspicion that the woman was one of the loveliest creatures she had ever encountered.
“Do you have him down?” she called over her shoulder to her partner.
A male voice hissed his response.
“Bien. Tie him up. Push us back to the quay. When Halsey comes, we will be ready for him. Oui. Now then, move to the wall so he does not see you. Oui. Tres bien. Now, my lovely Inès Bechard. Oh, pardon,madame. A comtesse in title and truth, eh?” She grabbed the ribbons to Inès’s hat and tickled under her chin.
Inès jerked away. The knifepoint pricked her beneath her ear.
“Not far, ma petite. Go too far too fast and you risk your blood. A pity, eh?”
More footfalls and Inès held her breath. This was Evan…and another…and another.They had found Luc?
Mon Dieu.Three against two. Odds were good.
Weren’t they?
Above, one man clicked his tongue. That was the signal that they came down.
But their boatman did not answer. Could not. Would they come anyway?
La Mère pulled Inès back against the far side of the boat to the wall.
