Page 24

She licked her lips and furrowed her brow before flipping back through the pages to analyze each list for more names.

And she found them.

Portsmouth

Crossed out.

A few pages earlier…

Porter

Crossed out.

A few pages more…

Hardgrove

Crossed out.

She flipped forward again to see if any names appeared in the upcoming entries.

Not yet…

She paused as she heard noise from outside.

Was he returning?

She couldn’t risk being caught snooping through his things. Not by him. Not by anyone.

She rushed back to the dresser, placing the notebook down carelessly to mimic how it had looked before, trying not to raise any suspicion that anything had been moved.

Then she tiptoed toward the door.

Yes. The sound of shuffling feet indicated that someone was indeed making their way down the corridor toward this room.

She silently padded to the side door and slipped into the adjoining chamber.

Spying on Wolverstone hadn’t been her intention for tonight. But barring the success of her actual mission—and considering how careful he always was—this was the next best thing.

And for tonight, that would do.

Chapter 4

Present Day – Spring 1744

Gideon’s heart thudded against his ribs as he stared into the far corner of the cell. His eyes adjusted slowly, sifting through layers of darkness, trying to distinguish the shadows from the person within them.

Then the chains clinked.

A small, subtle sound.

A confirmation. He was not imagining things; there was indeed someone in the room with him.

Not just someone. Another prisoner.

Gideon pushed off the wall as much as the chain would allow, the sudden movement making his head throb, and narrowed his gaze.

“Who’s there?” he asked, his voice low and rough.