Page 58 of The Seduction of Lord Sin
“You could always ransom Lady Dharma for the land. Kidnap her and make Lady Charlotte sign over the land. She might not do that for a dog, but I bet she would to get her step-daughter back. And they’d keep it quiet to save her reputation.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Her brother would challenge me or simply kill me.”
“Won’t he do that anyway if you force Lady Charlotte?”
“I was hoping she’d back up my explanation that she picked me. She loves that bloody dog and as long as I have Bella, she’ll behave. Later, she’ll simply have a terrible accident.”
Fury consumed her, and she wanted to shoot Sanders through his empty, villainous heart. They walked off, and she couldn’t hear what they were saying. Soon, silence surrounded her and indecision set in.
How long did she stay hidden? How long would it take for James to return with the men? Would the rogue go after Dharma?
That’s what spurred her into action. Dharma and Flora did not know Sanders was the villain. She sat and listened and then, as silently as she could, she extracted herself from her hiding place. She looked around and headed to the back of the maze to slip out of the hidden exit near the back of the stables.
If she hugged the tree line, she could make the stables under cover. She hoped James would return soon. Charlotte hugged the stable wall as she peered around the corner. She heard and saw no one, so made for the house. She’d barely taken three steps when Lord Sanders and his valet came into view from the front of the house.
“There she is,” the valet yelled.
Like a rabbit with a hound after it, she stood for a few precious seconds before she got her feet to work. She ran in the opposite direction; her skirts lifted, and her slippers stumbled over the cobblestones.
“Don’t make me shoot you,” Sanders yelled, but she ignored him and kept running. A shot whizzed by her hip. They were aiming for her legs. She started to zigzag. Her lungs gulped in air as she made the corner of the house, but as she darted around the corner, she hit a solid wall of muscle. A hand clamped over her mouth as she tried to scream.
It took her mere moments to recognize the familiar scent. She stopped struggling and looked up into Sin’s eyes. He pushed her behind him and whispered, “Run for the house. James is there.”
Devlin had moved past them as Sin pushed her none too gently toward the terrace, where she could see more men pouring out through the doors. “Be careful,” she whispered.
She’d taken only three steps when the sound of a fist hitting a face and a scream of rage filled the air. Looking back over her shoulder, she watched as the valet lay on the ground with one of Devlin’s huge Hessians pressed against his neck.
She looked for Sin and saw Sanders raise a pistol. She screamed as the villain fired, but the shot missed Sin by a whisker, as he threw himself at Sanders’ legs, tackling him to the ground.
She couldn’t tear her eyes from the sight of the men grappling on the ground. A flash of metal and her throat closed tight. A knife. She couldn’t see who had it or who was winning. Some men who worked for her had helped Devlin tie up the valet, but her eyes stayed glued to the two men. “Help him, Devlin,” she called.
Devlin moved to help, but suddenly there was a loud grunt and Sin dragged himself to his feet, with blood all over his clothes. Charlotte screamed and dropped to her knees before realizing Sanders wasn’t moving.
“It’s not my blood,” she heard him say to Devlin. She watched as Devlin bent and pressed his ear to Sanders’ chest. “He’s dead.”
A shudder ran through her at how close this had been. It could have been Sin who was lying dead. Her head spun, but James helped her to her feet and ushered her inside. “Leave everything to the men. It’s not a sight for the ladies.”
Dharma and Flora rushed to her side. “It’s all over now, Charlotte. You’re safe.” Flora hugged her, while Dharma added, “A nice strong cup of tea is needed.”
“Cook. She’s in on their plan.”
“James has already locked her in the cellar and called for the magistrate.”
Charlotte sunk into the nearest chair and tried to stop her body from shaking like a blancmange. Dharma draped a blanket around her shoulders. “You’re in shock, but remember you, Lord Sinclair and Lord Devlin are unhurt.”
She nodded. Then it suddenly struck her. “Did James find Bella? Where’s Bella?” The look on James’s face told her all she needed to know. She leapt from the chair and raced outside to where Devlin was grilling the valet. She pushed Devlin aside as her hand poked the valet’s chest. “Where is Bella? Where have you hidden her?” she cried angrily.
For a moment, he seemed confused. “You mean the dog?” She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. “Cook took the dog. I do not know where the dog is.” She studied his face, but he appeared to be telling the truth.
“Then I want to speak to Cook.”
“I’ll take you,” and she looked up to find Sin by her side, his bloody jacket replaced with his overcoat . He took her hand and together they walked back to the house and down the stairs to the cellar.
“I can’t lose Bella, I can’t,” she whispered to him. His silence told her he couldn’t promise anything.
As they approached the cellar, she could hear Cook softly crying. Charlotte tried to soften her heart against Cook’s betrayal and to realize a man falsely professing his love had led her astray, but she thought of Toobury and his orphaned children, who would grow up not knowing their father and her pity dried up.
Sin unlocked the door and slipped inside. “Lady Charlotte would like to know where Bella is.”
