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“Fainted dead away, has she?” asked Lowe. “Leave her. Bind the gentleman.”
Baptiste let go of her and she slumped to the floor. Through slitted eyes she watched as Raven calmly held out his wrists. “You may bind me, but Sir Malcolm Penny and several men are on their way to this house as we speak. He’ll have you arrested.”
“What’s that?” asked Lowe, alarm raising his voice. “You’re bluffing.”
Baptiste glanced uncertainly at Raven.
Raven must be bluffing. He’d said that Sir Malcolm had a team of agents in Paris, but how would he know where to find them?
“Bind him, I said,” shouted Lowe.
Indy chose her moment carefully.
Before he had bound Raven’s hands fully, she drove her foot into Baptiste’s knee with all her might. The guard stumbled, loosening his hold on Raven.
Raven pulled the timepiece from his pocket, opened the lid and twisted the glass face.
“Cover your nose and mouth,” he yelled at Indy, as he launched the contents of the watch into the giant’s face.
Indy pulled the collar of her gown over her nose.
Baptiste rubbed his eyes wildly, cursing and stumbling across the floor.
Raven lunged for Lowe, pinning him easily, and Indy ran to Lady Catherine.
She cradled Lady Catherine’s head in her lap, slapping her cheeks lightly. “Wake up, wake up Catherine.”
Catherine’s eyelids fluttered open. “Indy?”
Baptiste crashed to the floor in a heap.
“Hurry,” Indy said. “Her pulse is very weak.”
Raven finished tying Dr. Lowe’s wrists and led him to the Louvre chair. “Your throne awaits,” he said, tying Dr. Lowe’s bindings to the legs of the chair.
“You may laugh all you want, but the vengeance of Osiris shall be wreaked upon you,” declared Lowe in an imperious voice.
“You can tell yourself that, if you like. But I rather think the French police will wreak their vengeance upon you, Osiris,” said Raven.
He lifted Lady Catherine into his arms. “Let’s take her above.”
They followed a wider staircase this time and emerged in the main entrance hall. “She needs fresh air,” said Indy. “She’s barely breathing.”
Raven carried Lady Catherine across the hall and out the front entranceway with Indy following. As they exited the house, Indy saw a carriage in the distance.
“Look,” she said to Raven. “Someone’s coming.”
Raven set Lady Catherine down on the front steps and sat next to her, chafing her hands in his. “Are you feeling better, Lady Catherine?” he asked.
Her eyes fluttered open. “Indy,” she said. “What happened? Where am I?”
Indy kissed her friend’s withered cheek. “You’re safe now. That odious man will never harm you again.”
The carriage arrived in the yard and a groom emerged from the carriage house. A tall man with gray hair alighted from the carriage.
“Sir Malcolm,” said Raven.
“You weren’t lying when you said he was coming?” Indy asked.
