Page 178 of New Storm Rising
“Move! Move, men!” a voice bellowed from below. “Up the path, right now!”
Crap!
“Well, what do you always say?” Grinning grimly at Mr Rikkard Ambrose, I grabbed the next rock in reach. “Knowledge is power is time is money.” I pushed. “So let’s not waste any of the above.”
Wham!
“Aagh!”
More shouts and curses echoed from below. My grin widened. And yet…while I put on a brave front, I was all too aware that we were in deep doo-doo. Heavy footsteps were fast approaching up the path. We were out of ideas. Out of places to run to. Out of anything.
Now we had only one thing left: a last stand.
I swallowed hard.
“To the carriage!” Mr Ambrose commanded. “We have to defend the way up the cliff at all costs!”
One corner of my mouth quirked up, despite the situation. “Even for more than a million dollars?”
“Be quiet and move, Mrs Ambrose!”
Considering the fact that footsteps were now pounding up the path, I decided not to argue. With my freshly reloaded revolver in hand, I rushed over to the carriage, pressing myself to the smooth, steel-covered door. Heart pounding, I glanced over one carriage wheel, just in time to see several shadowy figures dart up the path.
There was a flash.
Bam!
Ping!
I ducked further behind the metal carriage as the bullet rebounded off the coach right next to me.
Crap, crap, crap!
“This isn’t really how I planned for my honeymoon to go,” I squeezed out between clenched teeth.
“A sentiment we share, Mrs Ambrose.”
I glanced at Mr Ambrose kneeling in the dirt beside me. For once, he didn’t even seem to care about his vintage ten-year-old trousers. I had no idea why, but for some strange reason I felt a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.
“I…I’m glad you’re here with me.”
Mr Ambrose’s eyes met mine and held them. “I concur, Mrs Ambrose.”
Bam! Bam!
“Give up!” one of the outlaws roared from down the path. “We’ve got you cornered!”
I met my husband’s eyes again. “We’re going to die here, aren’t we?”
“That is what it appears like, Mrs Ambrose.”
A pause.
“Well…” He narrowed his eyes infinitesimally. “I suppose it is time for plan B then.”
“Plan B?” I stared at him. “Wait…you mean you stillhavea plan?”
“To keep you safe?” He turned to me for just a second, sending me the most intense gaze ever. A gaze so incredibly powerful it shook me to my very soul. “Always.”
