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‘Back in its hiding place, where it will stay for ever. Now I have found the inventory, I know nothing else is missing.’
‘And you expect us to keep quiet about this?’ Elinor demanded. ‘Even if the count’s death was an accident, you owe Lord X the money, you have assaulted us—’
‘You will stay here,’ the countess said, her voice eerily calm now. ‘We will lock the door and we will not come back.’
‘You would leave us here to die of hunger and thirst?’ Elinor could hardly say the words.
‘Let Elinor go,’ Theo spoke over her. ‘Let her go and she will promise to say nothing and I will give you access to all my money.’
‘No! Leave you here? No!’ She reached out for him, the chains tearing into her wrists as they stopped her, inches fro
m him.
‘I am not a cruel woman,’ the countess said, placing a pitcher on the floor just within reach and stepping back. ‘There is enough poison in there to kill you both, quickly.’
‘Without blood on your hands?’ Theo demanded.
‘Exactly. I have no confidence I could kill you humanely by any other method.’
‘You are a monster,’ Elinor said with conviction. ‘But my mother is not, and she will search for me and never stop.’
‘I would do anything for my son’s name.’ The countess turned towards the door. ‘And everyone, your mother included, will believe you two have eloped. In the morning all your clothes and possessions will have gone.’
The door closed behind her and the key rasped in the lock. Elinor turned and faced Theo, struggling to find calm somewhere in the sick turmoil of panic. ‘Mama knows we do not want to marry, she will know something is wrong at once.’
‘I agree. And together with Hythe they make a formidable team—but I do not intend staying here for however long it takes them to find us.’
‘Good.’ Elinor swallowed hard. ‘Because I have to confess I feel just a touch…apprehensive.’
‘When we do get out of here,’ Theo said, smiling at her, his mouth a little crooked, ‘remind me that you said that. Now then, let us be certain we cannot reach my coat and the picklocks.’
Fifteen minutes later, their wrists raw, they gave up every possible combination of stretches. The coat remained inches out of reach.
‘Right.’ Theo leaned back, peering up through the gloom at the point where their chains were suspended. ‘I think these have been dropped over a hook, not run through a loop.’
‘Which means if we can unhook them we can move about the cell and get to the picklocks.’ Elinor tried to throw up the chain, but it slumped back, jarring her sore wrists. ‘That won’t work, it is too heavy.’
Theo stood, thinking, then knelt down, one knee raised. ‘Climb—if you can get high enough, you might be able to do it.’
She could get her feet on his knee all right and up to a crouch, her fingertips scrabbling at the wall for purchase. ‘Now what?’ He held out his clasped hands. Gingerly Elinor put one foot on to the linked fingers.
‘Hold on.’ Then he was beginning to stand, lifting her weight from a kneeling position with only the wall to lean on for balance. Elinor could see the veins standing out on his temples, hear the breath hiss from his teeth. But he was rising and she was higher, higher, until he was standing upright and she was swaying on her perch, her arms outstretched. ‘Now, try and throw the chain over the hook.’
She tried, and failed, three times, constantly aware of the strain on his arms, of what would happen if she failed. The cell was cold, yet perspiration was trickling down her forehead and into her eyes. Once more, she told herself. I’ll do it this time.
The chain snaked up, caught, hung poised for a moment, then fell, its weight pulling her with it to land sprawled on the stone floor. ‘Nell. Nell, for heaven’s sake, say something!’
‘Ouch,’ she ventured, sitting up and rubbing her knees. ‘That hurt. Nothing is broken though.’
Theo wondered if he was going to faint. He never had before, but he supposed, leaning back against the wall, the periphery of his vision closing in and his ears full of buzzing, there must be a first time for everything.
He wasn’t sure whether it was the pain—his arms felt as though he’d been racked—or the relief. Probably both.
‘Theo? This is not the time to go to sleep,’ Elinor said severely. He opened his eyes and found her standing right in front of him, her face white. ‘Are you all right?’ she managed when she saw his eyes focus.
‘Yes. Get the picklocks.’
It took half an hour to fumble her shackles open and then, with her holding his in the best position, to free himself. At last the chains swung back against the wall and he was able to flex his arms. ‘Are you still apprehensive?’ he asked as she fell against his chest, wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face into his shoulder.
