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“I—”
“Now!” I ordered, before I lost all nerve.
Byron nodded, grabbing the rope that had been used to hog-tie me, securing it around their wrists. Certain that wouldn’t be enough, I told him to wrap it around their waists, so that they were back-to-back.
“What, in heaven’s name, did they do?” Byron asked.
“Robbed a train.”
Byron looked over at me, his astonishment evident. “The robbery where the engineers—” His face paled. “They were murdered!”
“Go get a night watchman,” I said. “And tell him to bring help.”
Byron stood, eyed the two men, who were struggling against their bonds. “Do you think it wise I should leave you?”
In truth, the last thing I wanted was to be left alone. With no other choice, I pretended a bravado that I did not possess. “I really don’t want to kill these two, but I will if they try to escape.”
Both men stilled, eyeing me in turn, the pistol in my trembling hand.
Byron nodded. “I’ll be back shortly.”
When he left, the quiet of the place terrified me. I thought of Miss Atwater. If I felt like this, what must she feel? “What have you done with Miss Atwater?” I demanded.
Both men refused to answer.
“Where?”
The man called Mac gave a cynical laugh. “You’re alone. Your cousin tells us you’re a coward. Afraid of your own shadow. Let us go now and we’ll be gentle on you.”
I felt a bit hot under the collar at his words, not just because Reggie had talked about me to these cutthroats but because they were true. I was a coward.
I glanced at the dagger from my father’s cane, recalling how Mr. Bell had used it on Mac, immediately gaining his compliance. Of course, it had a lot to do with how he’d wielded the cane prior, but I was fairly certain I could at least put the point to someone’s throat.
Keeping a wide berth, I circled the two men, picked up the cane’s dagger, then approached, pointing it and the pistol at them. Both my hands were shaking. “Where is Miss Atwater?” I demanded.
The two men stared straight ahead.
Overcoming my cowardice, I looked at Eddie’s scar, placed the tip of my blade against his other cheek. “Lest you want this side of your face to match the other,” I said, trying to sound as threatening as Mr. Bell, “you’ll tell me what I want to know.”
“You’re as mad as your cousin.”
“Where is she?” I shouted. My hand shook so much the blade pierced his skin, bringing forth a drop of blood. A mere two days ago, I might have drawn back in horror, but I pictured Miss Atwater, frightened and alone, and I pressed harder. “Where?”
“We don’t know,” Mac said.
I kept the blade at Eddie’s cheek, applying more pressure.
Eddie’s eyes widened in surprise, and perhaps with a bit of fear. “He said he was taking her to the Dowager Cottage.”
I lowered the blade, shocked. ’Twas my grandmother’s cottage, empty until Reggie had moved in with his wife and child. Before I had a chance to question him further, Byron and two night watchmen arrived. They took both men away, leaving Byron and me to wait for Mr. Bell. And just when I was about to give up hope, I heard the clip-clop of horses’ hooves and the squeak of the lorry’s wheels.
Mr. Bell was driving the lorry, Byron’s horse in tow. Bell tossed the reins to Byron, dragged Reggie from the floorboard and deposited him at my feet. His hands tied at the back, Reggie started to rouse, apparently having been knocked unconscious.
“Where’s the other man?” I asked.
“The driver? I’m afraid he didn’t make it. Not too bright, that one. What about your two?”
“Night watchmen took them.” I told him what I’d learned about Miss Atwater.
