“Please,” she implored, her voice cracking. “Do not hurt him. I will go with you, just don’t harm him.”
“Wise choice,” Isaac declared. “Now, let us be on our way before I lose my patience.”
As Isaac started to lead Mattie away, Winston’s voice rang out in a desperate shout, “No! You can’t have Miss Bawden. I won’t let you.”
“He is rather stubborn, is he not?” Isaac muttered under his breath, his tone laced with irritation, before pointing the pistol at Winston and firing.
Mattie gasped in horror as Winston let out a pained groan and clutched his shoulder, blood seeping through his fingers. “What have you done?” she shouted as she tried to free herself from Isaac’s unyielding hold. “Winston!”
Isaac dragged her towards a coach a short distance away and tossed her inside. He followed her in and sat down on the bench. The coach jerked forward, jostling them both.
“It is much more comfortable on the bench than the ground,” Isaac joked.
She moved to sit across from Isaac and asked, “How could you? You promised you wouldn’t hurt him.”
“I lied,” Isaac admitted callously. “Besides, you should be thanking me that I only shot him in the shoulder.”
Mattie glared at him, her voice trembling with indignation. “Thank you?” she repeated. “What kind of man are you?”
Isaac’s expression hardened, his jaw set firmly. “A desperate one,” he retorted curtly. “I will do whatever it takes to get my family back.”
“This isn’t the way,” Mattie protested. “Hurting people won’t bring them back to you.”
Isaac leaned back in his seat, his expression unwavering. “You don’t understand, Miss Bawden. Lord Winston took everything from me. He will pay, one way or another.”
Mattie’s heart ached for Winston, who had been left behind wounded and vulnerable. She could only hope he would find a way to follow and rescue her. “Lord Winston is a good man?—”
Isaac’s bitter laugh cut her off. “Good men do not steal other men’s wives,” he shot back. “And now, you are my leverage. He will give me what I want, or he will lose you.”
The coach continued along the rough road, the wheels rattling loudly and the pace relentless, jolting Mattie against the hard seat. She gripped the edge of the bench tightly, trying to steady herself as she took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She needed to stay composed and find a way to escape.
Chapter Eighteen
Winston winced as the doctor examined the wound on his shoulder. He didn’t have time for this. He needed to find a way to save Mattie and bring her back to him… alive. That was his first, and only, priority. He would do whatever it took, even risk his own life, to ensure she was safe.
Doctor Anderson took a step back, his expression serious but relieved. “You are very lucky, my lord,” he said. “The bullet merely grazed your skin. It could have been a lot worse.”
“Wonderful,” Winston muttered.
“I do believe that stitches aren’t necessary, but you will be left with a scar,” the doctor explained, his tone matter-of-fact.
A scar was the least of his concerns, and he felt it was absurd to even remark on such a thing. Grimacing, he reached for his shirt and struggled to put it on, every movement sending jolts of pain through his shoulder.
His mother stepped forward, her eyes filled with worry. “You should rest,” she urged gently.
Winston stared at his mother incredulously. “How can I rest knowing that Mattie is with a madman?” he demanded, his voice tight with frustration.
“I know it would be difficult…” she began.
“No, it would be impossible!” Winston exclaimed, his anger barely contained. “I have to find Mattie before Isaac harms her.”
His mother’s eyes softened with compassion. “I’m sorry. I don’t know the right thing to say or do at this precise moment.”
Winston took a deep breath, recognizing his mother’s concern. He needed to stay calm, even though every fiber of his being screamed to act. “If I am to be honest, neither do I,” he admitted.
Just then, Grady stepped into the room, his expression determined. “I sent word to Jasper about what transpired. He needs to know what happened.”
“You knew where Jasper was keeping my aunt this entire time?” Winston asked.
