Page 74 of Alone with the Beastly Duke
“Dat is no Pip!” Toby growled, finally catching up to her deceit.
Knowing that her cover had been blown, Jasmine did not wait to find out what was about to happen because she ran as fast as her legs could carry her to a door that she hoped led her outside the ship’s cabin. Sounds of running footsteps followed her, and when she opened the door, she was disappointed to see that it was simply another storeroom.
She had not been in the storeroom for a moment when the door was pushed. Jasmine quickly leaned against the door, pushing all her weight against it. However, this did not do much to keep her assailant at bay because, with a grunt and a kick, he yanked the door open, causing Jasmine to hit the floor with a thud.
“Argh!” she groaned, holding her side as her ribs hurt.
She watched Toby enter the storeroom, a murderous look on his face. He was a bigger copy of Pip; unlike Pip, however, he looked like he had no problem causing severe harm to her.
“What do you want from me?” Jasmine asked angrily as she rose to her feet.
She had no idea why these men had snatched her.
“Shut up, chit!” Toby shouted angrily as he wielded a gun in his hand. The sight of the gun reminded Jasmine that she had no power in the den of her kidnappers, so she shrank in fright.
“Now, all I want from yew is to stay here until Lime comes for you,” Toby said, giving a terrible smile that showed off his brown teeth.
“My...My Papa will give you whatever you want,” Jasmine declared.
She had no idea who the Lime that Toby talked about was, but she could tell that he would be even more ruthless than the twins. If she could negotiate with the twins now, then they could release her before their ruthless superior, Lime came along.
“Shut up!” Toby shouted while Jasmine kept her eyes trained on the gun. She knew that her father would give her kidnappers whatever amount they asked for if it meant that they would release her. She only had to convince Toby.
“Do yew fink I am a fool?” he asked as he took a step toward Jasmine. She took two steps backward.
“Your father, the Earl, will call the constabulary, and we will go to jail. Lime is the only one who can get money out of yew noble idiots,” he said, swinging the gun around carelessly. “You will get us more money than if we had broken into the house.”
Jasmine knew now that her assailants knew who she was when they snatched her. They must have been the intruders who were trying to get into the house when her family left. Then…they must have been waiting for them to leave.
“Toby, please take me to my father. He will give you your money, and as long as you do not harm me, I will convince him not to call the constabulary,” Jasmine said vehemently.
While he may not kill her, Jasmine knew he could try to hurt her in another way.
“I am not a fool, chit!” Toby vowed.
There was no convincing Toby as he seemed hell-bent on not buying into her promise. Jasmine felt helpless. She wondered briefly if Axel knew that she had been kidnapped. Her family would never find her here, and no matter how loud she shouted, no one would come to her rescue. It was the shore, after all. She had no means of defending herself while her assailant had a gun.
“How much do yew think ya Papa would be willing to pay, uhn?” he asked, taking calculated steps toward Jasmine while she kept moving back. He smiled. “Do you think he can pay two thousand pounds?” he asked, “If Lime pays Pip and me one thousand, we could repair our boat and travel to see the world.”
He laughed maniacally. Jasmine slowly backed away from him in fear.
“If you took me to my Papa, he could give you and Pip the two thousand pounds. You would not have to share your money with Lime then,” she suggested with more courage than she really felt.
For a moment, the cold smile disappeared from Toby’s face, and it seemed like the thought of having so much money was tempting him.
“Think of how much you and Pip could do with two thousand pounds,” Jasmine continued. “You would never have to work again.”
She knew she could not afford to let him see the fear in her eyes. She just had to get him distracted enough for her to escape.
Toby shook his head. “Lime would have our heads on a platter if we tried to cheat him,” Toby said.
Exasperated and annoyed, Jasmine snapped.
“Do you really think that my Papa will let you get away with kidnapping his daughter?” Jasmine asked. “Papa will get you and your brother skinned if you stay in London.”
Toby’s eyes hardened. “I could kill yew now. Yew bratty spoilt chit,” he said and suddenly lunged at Jasmine, grabbing her hair as she whirled and tried to run.
“Take your hands off me!” Jasmine cried out in terror. She realized then that snapping at her assailant was not exactly the best thing to do.
