Page 46 of An Outlaw’s Desire

Glowering, one of the guards stepped closer. “I ask you again: Name.”

Galven wasn’t among Pitt’s captors. Unfortunate, because the man might have been able to vouch for him. “As I have told you before: Pitt Rutherford.”

Another guard folded his arms. “How do we know you speak the truth?”

“’Tis indeed my name.”

“’Tis the name of a traitor’s son.”

Pitt’s stomach knotted.

“Did not a guard named Rutherford let Sherborne escape from the gaol?” another remarked.

Pitt knew then he had little chance of them heeding him. Still, he must try and warn them. “I need you to listen—”

“Quiet,” a guard growled.

“Look, can you summon Ga—?”

“Quiet.” The wooden stool jolted; one of the men-at-arms had kicked it.

Pitt ground his teeth. With every passing moment, the chance to get as many folk out of the fortress dwindled. He thought of Blythe, waiting for him in her room. The anguish inside him deepened, for she might believe he’d broken her trust and forsaken her. He couldn’t bear for her to think that about him.

A clank: the sound of metal hitting wood. Pitt glanced at the nearby table, where one of the guards had set down Pitt’s weapons belt and moved on to searching his garments.

“Anything?” Harlow asked.

The guard at the table held up the Fenton’s leather pouch. His gaze shifted to Pitt. “’Tis poison?”

“Nay.”

The guard to Pitt’s right kicked the leg of the stool again, a jolt that jarred Pitt’s teeth. “What is it, then? Tell us—”

“Milady?”

A curious tension settled among the guards.

Pitt heard approaching footfalls. He couldn’t see the woman, because he faced the wrong direction, but his instincts recognized her: Blythe.

Anticipation spread through him.

“Blythe,” the widower said. “You cannot be here.”

“Oh.” The sound of her shy laughter made Pitt’s eyes burn. “I seem to have found the dungeon.”

Harlow left Pitt’s view. “This is no place for a highborn lady.”

“I did not mean to interrupt your…er…important duties.”

“Go back upstairs, Blythe. Take yourself and your book where you’ll be safe and comfortable.”

Book? Why had she brought a book?

“I will leave. But first, may I check what I discovered in this tome?”

An impatient sigh. “Milady—”

“Did you know treasure was hidden inside the castle? Different riches than the hoard of legend?” Her voice lowered to a conspiratorial half-whisper. “The treasure is somewhere in this part of the keep.”