Page 55 of Almost a Countess

The soldier opened the door a crackthen shook his head. “All’s clear.”

“Good. As soon as the innsettles down for the night, we’ll spirit you away, Aberfoyle. Yourlittle lightskirt won’t miss you until breakfast.” Scarlet cockedhis head. “Unless you had a tryst arranged with hertonight?”

Finn’s heart sank. If he’d read Dora’ssignals right, she was indeed going to attempt a rendezvous withhim in his chamber. He didn’t even want to contemplate theconsequences. He grunted through his gag and shook his headviolently.

“Hmm.” The lieutenantchuckled. “The lady doth protest too much.” He walked over to thecandle and snuffed it out. “We shall wait a while and see who turnsup. If it’s only the barmaid come to wait on you, we’ll ignore her,and she’ll be on her way in no time. If it’s your lady…well,perhaps we’ll have to let her in to join the party.” His faceturned ugly. “You two have made us laughing stocks not only inYorkshire, but within the regiment itself. But no one will belaughing after tonight.” He glared menacingly at Finn. “Certainlyneither of you.”

Fury obliterated any fear he mighthave felt at the threat to him, and Finn strained against hisbindings and screamed with all his might. He might have saved hisstrength as far as screaming was concerned. The gag muffled allsound. No one could have heard him from more than a foot away. Theropes, however, were another story. Whenever he struggled withthem, they stretched just a little. If he kept tugging on themstealthily, he might be able to free his hands. And then Scarletwould find himself on the business end of these ropes.

Time stretched out, and Finn began tothink he’d mistaken Dora’s signals under the table. He prayed toGod that was true. The ropes had loosened considerably around hishands, but there was no way to work on the ones that bound hislegs. Or was there? The men who’d bound him had done so by tyingthe rope around his legs and skirts. He slowly moved his feet,testing the play in those ropes as well. He was wearing shoes, notboots. One after the other, he slipped out of the mules. Undercover of the darkness, he might slip his feet upward, into theskirts of the gown. With nothing solid to hold the ropes taut, theyshould loosen. He could pull the rope away as soon as his handswere free, and at least have a fighting chance against thesemongrels. They’d had the advantage of surprise when theyoverpowered him. Now that would be on his side. He was, however,outnumbered four to one, although the first man he’d fought seemedmuch less of a threat. He’d not moved from his corner where he laygroaning. Three to one odds were better, but not much. He’d need tofigure out a plan. Praying Dora was fast asleep next to theduchess, Finn concentrated on freeing his hands.

A scratching at the door broughtFinn’s heart into his throat. Dear God, let it be themaid.

The door opened, and he could justmake out Dora’s silhouette in the doorway.

Finn screamed at her, but it came outas so much air and hum.

The figure slipped inside.“Finn?”

A muffled squawk followed by sounds ofa struggle brought Finn to the brink of madness. He couldn’t see adamned thing, and what he imagined was worse.

“Light the candle.”Scarlet’s voice sounded satisfied.

It flamed, revealing Hopkins with onehand over Dora’s mouth, the other across her breasts.

She’d come in nothing but her robe andshift, not even her corset to protect her from the man’s filthytouch.

“Well, well, what do wehave here?” Scarlet paced over to Dora, whose wide eyes showed heroverwhelming fear. “You played quite the lady when we called atyour home, Miss Harper. Pity you’re no more than a common, lyingstrumpet.”

Anger flashed in Dora’s eyes. She bitdown on the hand covering her mouth. The soldier let out a yelp andcradled his hand. Simultaneously, she elbowed him in the side, andhe careened backward. Dora opened her mouth to scream.

But Scarlet calmly drew his pistol andpointed it at Finn’s head. “Scream and he dies.”

Her lips clamped shut, and she turnedher wide-eyed gaze to Finn. “Are…are you all right?”

Finn nodded, both terrified for herand inordinately proud of her courage. He had to find a way to gether out of this room before the situation got even more out ofcontrol. With his tongue, he pushed at the gag and managed to shiftthe wadding to the side. Overjoyed, Finn sucked in a breath andshouted, “Run!”

Without question, Dora whirled towardthe door, actually put her hand on the latch and pulled.Unfortunately, Gates slammed it shut and pushed her into the centerof the room.

Dora turned to the lieutenant, eyesblazing. “I demand that you release me, Lieutenant Scarlet. Youhave no authority whatsoever to detain me.”

“I can hold anyone Isuspect of aiding and abetting a criminal. Especially one wantedfor treason.”

“That is a spuriouscharge, and you know it.” Dora started toward Scarlet, but the manpressed the muzzle of the pistol against Finn’s head, and shestopped in her tracks.

Finn held his breath, feverishlyworking at the ropes that still restrained his hands.

“How did you manage tofind us?” Dora looked more perturbed than frightened. “Was it thesoldiers in the yard at the Olde White Hart? Did they tell you theyhad seen us?”

Scarlet shook his head. “They musthave been on patrol from elsewhere. I’ve no idea who they may havebeen. No, it was your Mr. Cardrew who tipped us to your deception.When I asked after your father’s health, the good doctor informedme that he’d never treated your father. But he had tended a cousinwith a bad ankle.” His smile exuded evil. “A cousin with darkauburn hair.”

Finn sighed. They’d been wrong not totell the doctor the truth. Then he might have kept theirsecret.

“It was the work of a fewminutes to ride to Bromley and discover you gone. You will be happyto know that your servants are most loyal to you, Miss Harper. Ittook quite a bit of persuading before they would tell usanything.”

“If you’ve harmed one ofmy servants, I swear to you, Lieutenant Scarlet, you will be madeto pay for it.” Dora’s chest heaved as she scowled at theofficer.

The lieutenant shrugged. “SinceAberfoyle had originally been heading south, we gambled that hewould continue that way. So we headed down the Great North Road,checking every coaching inn to see if your aunt’s carriage had beenspotted. When we got to Doncaster this morning, we found we wereright on your tail. And lo and behold, a groom there mentioned youwere planning to stop in Grantham tonight.”