Mad or no, she felt filled with courage. Lord Grayson had not attempted to lure her alone into the garden. Whatever he was, he was not that. Whatever his intentions, if he ever had any intentions, he had not sought to compromise her.
*
Giles stepped intothe back garden. It was eerily quiet. Lady Hathaway’s guests had long ago been ferried in, the footmen had decamped inside, and all that was left was the Viking ship standing alone under the sputtering candles along the walkway.
Giles moved forward cautiously, cursing his luck. He’d been in battle enough times, but rarely had he sought it out. He’d certainly never sought it out without even a weapon in his hand.
He must assume Sir John to be armed. How else could that weaselly person hope to carry off a kidnapping? He might be able to overpower Miss Dell, but without a weapon to threaten her with, it was unlikely he could stop her from raising the alarm with her screams.
Giles paused, listening for any sound. There was nothing, beyond the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze.
Perhaps Sir John had lost his nerve, or perhaps he’d seen that it was Giles who arrived and not Miss Dell and decided to make a hasty retreat.
He slipped along the path that ran next to the Viking ship, its grass beaten down by the footmen who had toiled at pulling the ship back and forth with ropes.
Giles reached the stern of the ship and paused, listening.
A sudden crack exploded in his head and he fell to the ground.
*
Sir John clutchedhis metal helmet. It was all going wrong!
The last of the laudanum had worn off and he felt as if his muscles twitched of their own accord. It was like trying to wake from a bad dream, but he could not wake up!
Where was Miss Dell? How dare Grayson turn up in her place.
He had taken care of Grayson. The popinjay just now lay on the ground, having had a brick to the head.
But where was Miss Dell? Would he have to go in after her? He had not planned for that. He did not know how to do that. Why was God forsaking him when he was so close to victory?
He was just as close to defeat, he knew. There was no other option but to go forward. There was no other plan. He could not retreat and regroup.
Just as despair was settling over him like a shroud, he saw a peek of light ahead. The doors had opened and Miss Dell’s figure silently slipped into the garden.
Grayson moaned. He put his boot on the lord’s head to stop him. God had sent him a reprieve and he must act!
He took his foot off Grayson’s head and stepped forward. He would approach Miss Dell swiftly and be off.
Before he got another step, Grayson grabbed hold of his leg and pulled him down.
*
Kitty stepped intothe darkness and paused. For a moment she did not hear a sound. Perhaps she was too late? Was Lord Grayson injured or dead and Sir John had run away? Or worse, was Lord Grayson lying somewhere and Sir John still lurking in the darkness?
She ought to go back in and get help.
The silence was suddenly broken. She heard a crashing sound and curses from somewhere near the stern of the ship. She swept up one of the last candles still burning along the path and ran toward the sound.
The two men rolled on the ground. Lord Grayson yelled, “Go back inside, Miss Dell!”
Though Kitty ought to have done as she was told, she felt rooted to the spot. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear,” she repeated to herself. She looked round her, searching for something she could use as a weapon.
Spotting one of the oars the footmen had used to pretend at rowing, she picked it up. As Sir John rolled to the top of the melee, she swung it down as hard as she could.
It made a sickening crack, and Sir John collapsed lifeless. Lord Grayson rolled him off just as shouts were heard behind them.
Frederick, leading a cadre of footmen, came running to the scene. He was just as quickly followed by the baroness and Miss Danworth.
