Page 52 of To Heal a Broken Earl
“It wasn’t easy, but I managed to find a place for it,” the man apparently named Simms replied. “It’s parked nearby, behind the wall, beneath a grove of trees. As you can see, I unhitched the horses and brought them. It will make it easier. This place is heavily guarded, but I managed to locate a spot where the guards were fewer and slipped in through there. The stone wall almost encircles the whole property. They added several feet of height to it. However, the horses don’t have saddles. I didn’t have time to find two, so we’ll have to ride bareback.”
“You were supposed to steal them from the stable,” Morgrave yelled, slamming down his fist onto a hard surface. “Can’t you doanythingright?”
“It stayed busy around the stable—you caused quite a stir when you took her and set the stable on fire,” Simms said in a low, steady voice. “Did you think I was going to be able to snatch the saddles from the flames? I don’t know what dark mischief you are up to this time, but I don’t plan to pay the price for your evil.” Simms’ voice sounded low and steady, as if he was masking fear. She prayed his bravery would hold.
“Is that right?” Morgrave said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’ll do as I say, or your pretty wife and daughter will bear the consequences.”
Emma heard a chair slam to the ground, followed by a scuffle.
“Don’t threaten my family again, Morgrave,” Simms said.
“Or…what?” Morgrave demanded, his voice menacing.
Simms said nothing for a moment. “Are you ready to go to the carriage?” he asked.
“Yes,” Morgrave said.
“Did you decidewhereyou are going?” Simms asked.
“I thought about taking the boat in Brighton to Portugal but have decided to go to Scotland instead. My mother’s familyhas plenty of property. As the grandson of a Scottish laird—who still lives—I can step into that role and will be protected by my clan. The Scots are a hearty lot. And I can marry her as soon as we cross into Scotland, so no one can kiss my woman again.” Morgrave laughed maniacally.
“Lord Morgrave, we should leave now. There are guards on foot and horseback all around, so the sooner we leave here, the better.”
“Perhaps Lord Wilton didn’t get his money’s worth—and our presence here proves that,” Morgrave said. “I had no trouble getting inside the estate and finding her. I only needed to wait for the right moment to snatch her. Speaking of my fire princess, I’ll get her, and we can leave. She was still unconscious from the laudanum when you arrived. It will be better for her if she stays that way until we cross the border. I have plans for my beautiful fire princess—once I marry her and make her mine.”
My God! What is he talking about?Emma gasped, startled by what she’d just overheard.Marriage? Scotland?And he’d set fire to the stables. She prayed no one was hurt, and that they’d found Finn before the fire spread.
She tried to stop herself from trembling as she heard his boots approaching.
The bastard was right about one thing. Being asleep, or rather, pretending to be asleep, would hopefully give her the element of surprise as she tried to think of a plan of escape. Feeling in her pocket, she suddenly recalled Michael’s gift, wrapped in handkerchiefs. She could use it to cut the rope on her hands. Hastily, she tugged on the string and unwrapped it, shoving the handkerchiefs in one pocket. With her hand on the penknife, she sliced through the ropes around her hands and tossed them beneath the bed. Then, quickly, she tucked the knife in her pocket and settled back into her previous position, closing her eyes and trying to calm her panic. Once her head cleared, shehoped she would find an opportunity to use the knife to help her escape.
The door opened, and candlelight washed over her, but Emma focused on keeping her eyes closed and her breathing even.
“There you are, my fire princess. Even sleeping on this dirty, dingy cot, you glow with fiery beauty. Ah…my dear, I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you, outside your house. I let you escape that night, thinking I could easily snatch you whenever I chose. But you proved to be more of a challenge to me. But I have never backed down from a challenge. Especially when it comes to you, my beauty,” he said, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ears. “Hmm…your hair is even more beautiful up close. The color of the flames I love so much. Sleep, my fire princess, for when we reach Scotland, I shall awaken you with a kiss and then make you mine forever,” he rasped with a low laugh that sent chills coursing up her spine.
How am I going to get away from this madman?
She prayed that Michael would find her in time.
Please, Michael. Please hurry.
~*~
Chapter Twenty
Early Evening
“We’ve checked every damn outbuilding on the property. And we scoured almost every inch of the forested area,” Michael said grimly to Armstrong and Wright, who’d met up with him in a clearing in the densely wooded area bordering the western side of the estate.
They’d ordered the other footmen to get to the main road and ride ahead in case Morgrave’s endgame was Scotland. Where else would he escape to? By now, he likely knew there was a bounty on his head in England. But he’d apparently lived for many years in Scotland, and it was where he, no doubt, still had property and resources. They would need to do all they could to stop that from happening. Once he crossed into Scotland, he could easily force Emma to wed him and then disappear. Michael refused to let that happen.
“I still think they’re in these woods,” Wright said. “Recall, the fire in the stables hadn’t gotten out of control, so it couldn’t have been that long from when he set the fire to when we discovered it. And he was on foot, since we didn’t see any horse tracks leading away from the stables when we arrived.”
“And you already had men stationed at the gated entrance and along the main road,” Armstrong added. “The only likely way they could have gotten onto the property is at the very other end of the wooded area where that back road circles behind the estate.”
“The stonemason and his workers were just getting to this area,” Michael said, raking his hands through his hair. “We’d discussed building a wall there because there was none, and I knew we were vulnerable along that back road. Dammit! This is all my fault. I should have kept a closer eye on her…
“Let’s get going—we still have to check the gamekeeper’s cottage, and it’s almost at the edge of the tree line where that back road is,” he growled as he turned his horse in the direction of the cottage.
