Page 41 of Enchanted By the Lyon
A snort left him as he went behind her and began to work at the knots in the rope. “I’m certain my parentage is the least of your concerns, Cassandra. You have better things to worry about than that.”
When she was free, she quickly stood and put as much distance between them as she could. It wasn’t much, given the smallness of the cottage. “What do you plan to do with me?”
A low evil chuckle left him. “First, I’m going to let Blackthorn worry over you for a few days. Afterwards, the rest of your fate will be determined by how he handles the ransom note that will be delivered.”
“Money? This is all about getting money out of Lucius?” she said, wincing as she rubbed at her bruised wrists.
“He owes me,” he snarled.
A short laugh escaped her when she recalled how Lucius had warned Forbes about not investing in an enterprise that was set to fail. “He owes you nothing. It’s not his fault if you were too stubborn to listen to his advice.”
“Heowesme!” he repeated shaking his fist towards her. “Now, go to the other room and take care of your business or, if you are not inclined to do so, I’ll put you back in this chair.”
Cassandra didn’t have to be told a second time and she rushed to the door he had come through and slammed the barrier between them shut. There was nothing to bolt the door and she shouldn’t have been surprised. Still… she raced to the windows to see for herself that Forbes was correct. They had been nailed shut.
“Your time is running out, Cassandra,” she heard him yell through the door giving evidence that he was well aware that she was checking for an escape route.
She noticed a chamber pot in the corner of the room and took advantage of her few moments of privacy. She had barely put her gown back into place when the door burst open. Forbes and Barlow stood staring at her as if they were stripping her of her clothes.
“Move,” Barlow ordered. Cassandra rushed past him and back into the main room. There was some bread and cheese on a table and her stomach growled when she realized it had been some time since she’d eaten.
She went to the table to pick up a small wedge of cheese and bread then began to eat her fill. Going back to the chair, she tried to appear indifferent to the two men who had kidnapped her.
“I have the note all ready to deliver to Blackthorn,” Barlow began as though she wasn’t even in the room and would overhear their conversation. He threw a log on the fire. “Should I go to the village and find a messenger now?”
“Take it yourself and don’t get caught,” Forbes ordered as he took a seat at the table and began to eat.
“Why me? I can’t be caught any more than you can. We should send someone from the village who can deliver the ransom.” Barlow came over and also began to eat his fill.
“The more people who see us, the more we put ourselves in jeopardy of being caught. The point of this whole enterprise is to see both of us well-settled so that neither of us will have to associate with the other ever again,” Forbes muttered. “I’ve made it clear I’m done with you once this is over.”
“If I’m caught, I’ll never even see a farthing,” Barlow grumbled.
“Then you best not get caught. I can’t be seen in the village either, or did you forget we are in a cottage near my country home. People are well aware of who I am and I can’t be seen in the area. Now get going. It will take you at least a day to return to London and maybe even more if the weather turns bad,” Forbes declared, tossing Barlow a look that told the other man he was in charge.
Barlow swore, took his coat hanging from a peg at the door, and left. Cassandra could only cower in her chair in an attempt to make herself invisible. One thing was certain, however. She at least now knew she was somewhere in the country. She would need a horse to make it back to London it seemed, and that outcome was clearly not a possibility.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Lucius paced hisfront parlor in angry frustration. It had been over three days since Cassandra had been abducted from her home. Three days of Lucius being under the suspicion of the local officer. Three days of him worried out of his mind as to her fate. Anyone could have taken her and until either Risley woke up or someone came forward and had seen her being taken away, Lucius had no concrete evidence to prove that any one person was responsible.
Constable Jones had been relentless and seemed far too one-sided to look at anyone other than Lucius as the culprit who had abducted Cassandra. It was another piece of the puzzle that made Lucius question whether someone was maybe paying the man off. It wouldn’t be the first time that someone had bribed an officer of the law. It wouldn’t be the last, but still, even that assumption was just that… Lucius attempting to grasp at straws to find his lady love.
Yes… love her he did and with every day that passed into the next, he became more irrational and unable to maintain any level thinking. Even Smythe had come up with nothing, which didn’t bode well for them finding Cassandra any time soon.
“My darling son, please sit down. You’ll do Mrs. Vaughn no good by grumbling beneath your breath and wearing out the rug beneath your feet,” his mother said coolly before she raised her cup to her lips to sip her tea.
Lucius stopped his pacing and went to a sideboard to pour himself a brandy. He lifted the decanter to his brother who nodded, and so he poured another glass before striding across the room and handing it to Leopold.
“You’ll find her, brother,” Leopold declared.
“I have to. What would my life be like without her by my side?” Lucius muttered before finally taking a seat.
Clara sighed and set her teacup down. “I know you introduced me to her at the Barlingham affair, but I had no idea you had fallen for the lady. Why didn’t you tell me, son?” she asked with pleading eyes. “You know I only want what is best for you.”
Lucius looked up in misery. His mother appeared so sincere and after their last fight months ago, she’d apparently decided to stop nagging him about finding a bride. “I wasn’t sure you would approve,” he finally answered downing his drink. “Her past was questionable.”
“What’s not to approve?” Leopold inquired, ignoring the obvious issue with the life Cassandra used to live. “She’s a lovely lady.”
