Page 54 of Almost a Countess

“If so, they did notrecognize you just now.” She stuck her head out the window andcrooked it to look back down the road toward the inn. “They are notgiving pursuit.”

“Thank goodness.” AuntMimi settled her walking stick between her shoes. “I would not liketo have to invoke the power of the Duchess of Ostroda.” She raisedher chin. “They would find I am a person to be reckoned with inmilitary circles, both in Britain as well as Prussia.”

Finn exchanged a smile with Dora, andthey relaxed a bit, although Dora couldn’t help but be on edge. Shedidn’t suppose she’d be absolutely relieved until they arrived inLondon and Finn contacted his uncle. Still, it was encouraging thatthe soldiers didn’t seem to notice that Mrs. Devereaux was not awoman. With a little more luck, perhaps they would make it throughthis journey unscathed.

The conversation during the afternoonwas less perfunctory, more animated in all three of them. Aunt Mimieven regaled them with stories of her life in Prussia, and Dora wasshocked to find out how wild her aunt had been in her youth. Finnvolunteered more information about his life and family, whichseemed to go far toward thawing her aunt where he was concerned.All in all, despite their fright in the innyard, the afternoon hadbeen encouraging.

Shadows were beginning to lengthenwhen the carriage arrived at their designated stop for the night,The Angel Inn in Grantham. Aunt Mimi had insisted on stopping hereas she’d apparently always given her custom to this particular innwhenever she traveled in this part of the world. The imposinginn—built sometime during the Middle Ages—had served members of theRoyal household for centuries. In which case, Aunt Mimi had saidwhen they were planning the myriad legs of their journey, it wasgood enough for her.

Dora had not been particular abouttheir itinerary, although seeing its ancient gray stone made herhope the rooms would be warm enough. Not a sentiment she’d oftenhad to voice in early September.

They were shown to their chambers, andeven though the stone walls made her room somewhat chilly, the firehad been lit early and already begun to warm the room. A chest atthe end of the huge bed held additional thick blankets, so Dora wassatisfied that she would not be cold during the night.

Of course, if she could find a way,she intended to spend some time with Finn in his room aftereveryone else retired. If they had sufficient restraint, perhapsthey could lie together for a while, kissing and caressing oneanother. They’d be playing with fire, true, but after Finn’sunusual self-control last night, she couldn’t help but think hecould do the same this evening. And every evening until theyreached London.

During dinner, she sent him littleglances she hoped he understood. She also took the opportunity tonudge his foot under the table, just to reinforce her message. Atleast he seemed to catch her glances and returned them whenever heraunt wasn’t being attentive, so she believed he’d understood whatshe planned to do.

After dinner, at Dora’s request for anearly evening, she and Aunt Mimi bade Finn goodnight, and Larkinand Marcella assisted them into their nightgowns and then into bed.Dora blew out her light and lay still, breathing as evenly andslowly as possible, all the while listening to her aunt, waitingfor her to fall asleep. The day must have tired Aunt Mimi, forwithin ten minutes, the older woman had turned on her back and wassnoring lightly. Dora counted to one hundred then slipped fromunder the covers and padded to the door.

Larkin had left her robe fortuitouslyplaced on a chair nearby, and she took it up then eased the door tothe parlor open and sped through it. Once it was shut, Dorabreathed easier. She shrugged into her robe and belted it. She’dnever been one for breaking rules, but that was before she hadsomething worth breaking them for.

Taking a deep breath, Dora cracked thedoor and stuck her head out into the corridor. The coast was clear,so she crept into the dark hallway and sped the short steps toFinn’s room on the left. She scratched lightly on the panel thenpressed her ear to it but heard nothing. Was he asleep already?Well, she could think of several ways to awaken him so he wouldn’tmind a bit. Smiling at those images, Dora pushed down the latch andslipped inside.

The room was pitch black. Not even thefire had been banked, leaving it chilly.

“Finn?” This wasexceedingly odd.

She took a step into the darkness andsuddenly sensed someone behind her. She whirled around, opening herlips to shout when a rough hand clamped over her mouth, shuttingoff her cry.

Chapter 22

After bidding Dora and the duchessgoodnight, Finn made his way down the corridor, pausing to twitchhis skirts out of the way. Every step or two, he managed to step onthe hem of the gown and pitch forward. Marcella, in an effort togive him enough length, had given him too much. Perhaps the maidcould take the skirt up tomorrow. But then what would he wear inthe carriage? There had only been one gown in Lady Downing’s chestto alter for him. None of Dora’s came close to fitting him, and hewouldn’t have dared suggest the duchess donate one of her own tothe cause—even though the disguise had been her idea. Well, thiscostume had proved its worth today at the innyard.

Depressing the latch, Finn pushed thedoor open and stood on the threshold, the premonition thatsomething was wrong washing over him like a cold tide. Before hecould retreat, a hand grabbed his bodice and yanked him into thedark room. Off balance, the damned skirts swirling about his legs,Finn stumbled into someone, windmilling his arms in a vain attemptto right himself. The man grabbed him around the waist. Finn tookthe opportunity to jab him in the kidney. They both went down, andthe room erupted with cursing as other men converged on them. Damn,how many were there? Finn renewed his efforts, pounding any part ofthe man beneath him he could lay a blow on.

“Light a damnedcandle!”

Scarlet’s voice, by Christ. Finnredoubled his efforts as new hands grabbed at him. The lightflared, revealing Scarlet, Gates, and another soldier whose nameFinn didn’t recall. Finn rolled up onto his feet, or tried to, butthe damned skirts were caught under his body, and he plummeted backdown onto the hapless private who’d originally grappled withhim.

Lieutenant Scarlet’s fist crashed intothe side of Finn’s face, knocking him on his back, his wig flyingoff into a dark corner. “Thought to get by us with a cleverdisguise, did you, Aberfoyle?” He drew back and let fly again,hitting Finn in the left eye, which immediately began toswell.

“What’s the matter,Scarlet? Only able tae hit a man when he’s down?” Taunting hisattacker might not be the wisest idea, but Finn needed to distractthe man long enough to somehow get to his feet. Once standing, hemight have a chance, although the odds were certainly againsthim.

With a growled blasphemy, Scarletreached down and hauled Finn to his feet then aimed a blow at hishead, whipping his arm around from the side.

Finn blocked that move then drove hisfist into Scarlet’s stomach with such force the lieutenant doubledover and the shoulder seam of Finn’s bodice ripped open. But beforeFinn could follow his punch with another blow, Gates and the othersoldier grabbed his arms and pinned them behind him. He struggled,and almost tore free, but Gates landed a blow of his own, catchingFinn on his chin. The light wavered out.

When he came to, he was trussed like aChristmas goose, his hands and feet tied with rope, lying on thebed, with Gates holding a pistol trained on his head. The situationcould have been worse, but only if they’d simply killed himoutright. At this point, they likely would.

A sickening realization disruptedFinn’s attempts to get his bearings. Scarlet had nothing to lose,really, if he wanted to kill Finn. And much to gain. The charges ofmisconduct would fall away upon Finn’s death, and his murder wouldbe put down as an unfortunate happenstance. The culprit’s deathoccurred while he was attempting another escape from justice. Underthose circumstances, Scarlet would likely get awayscot-free.

The loathsome officer approached thebed, a grin on his face. “Come to just in time for the fun tobegin, have you, Aberfoyle?”

This was not going to go well forFinn. The man was out for blood, and if Finn couldn’t manage to getloose, or somehow deter Scarlet from the next in his series ofpunishments, Finn might very well die tonight. The thought spurredhim to action. He pulled at the ropes that bound his hands, rolledtoward the edge of the bed, and yelled at the top of his voice,“Help! Help! They’re killing me!”

Scarlet punched him in the stomach,knocking the wind out of Finn and effectively cutting off anybreath to call for help. Gates pushed him back onto the bed, whilethe third soldier shoved a gag into his mouth and tied it tight.The fourth soldier, the one he’d landed on originally, sat dazed inthe corner of the room.

“You’re going to need morehelp than a few servants when we’re through with you.” Scarletnodded to Gates. “Check the corridor, make sure no one’s coming tothe rescue.”