Page 68 of Choosing Her Earl at Last
Norman looked at her as if she had lost her mind. “How is that a treasure?”
“If you do not know the answer to that question already, there is nothing that I can do to make you understand,” Emmeline informed him. Her heart was simultaneously broken and full at the same time. She wished like anything that her father were there in that moment.
Had I known that this was one of his final thoughts, I would have said more, done more …She choked back a sob.
Norman stomped around, cursing and screaming at anyone within hearing range. “I would have never imagined your father to be such a fool!” Turning back toward her, he grabbed her up by the arm. “Where is the real treasure? Where did he hide it? Did you take it already?” He shook her so hard that her teeth rattled.
“I am the treasure,” Emmeline tried to get him to understand in vain. “I have hidden nothing.”
Norman was so angry that he looked as if his eyes were going to bug out of his head. “You lie!” he screamed. His face turned a terrible shade of red, then purple.
“I do not. The only one of us who has ever lied in our marriage was you,” Emmeline bit out.
“Then you have the wrong map,” Norman accused.
“This is the only map that I have found. Removing her pendant, she removed the map keys and showed them to him. “These and the map behind the painting that you demanded be delivered to you as ransom for Rebecca are all that I have,” Emmeline explained.
Norman looked at her as if deciding whether to kill her or believe her. Sighing, he appeared to decide to believe her. “At least Ican sell all of the paintings that I have stolen in my pursuit of this supposed treasure.” He shook his head in frustration. “We will need to leave the country for a time. There will be too much attention on our operations in London.”
“Where will you go?” Emmeline asked out of years of habit with all of the trips that he took during their marriage.
“We will go to France. It is still close to our operations here, but far enough that the authorities will not be able to follow us. We will be able to operate freely there.”
“We?” Emmeline asked with growing trepidation at the way he was speaking and looking at her.
“Without the treasure, I will not be able to retire from my criminal empire. Now that you know I am alive, and I have come to realize just how helpful you could be to my operations, I plan to take you with me. We are still married, after all.”
“No,” Emmeline protested, shaking her head in distress. “No!”
“You, my dear wife, do not have a choice. Your cleverness will be of great benefit to me. The information that you learned from your father about the buying and selling of antiquities will be invaluable.”
Turning to one of his men, he began to issue orders. “Ready the men to leave forthwith. We will need to reach the port at Dover as quickly as possible.”
“Dover?” Emmeline breathed.He is serious! He plans to take me with him to France!
Unable to bear the thought of living the rest of her days by the side of a deranged criminal who had threatened her sister’s life, Emmeline took off running.
“Emmeline,” Norman’s voice called out after her. “You will never be free of me now,” he promised, his voice echoing off the trees surrounding them.
Unable to think straight, Emmeline completely ignored his words and ran with all of her might, searching for anyone who might be able to help her.
She prayed that she would find someone strong enough to take Norman into custody. Unfortunately, she was not fast enough. Emmeline’s flight was brought to an abrupt halt when one of Norman’s men snatched her up by her hair.
“No!” she screamed out in pain and distress. “Unhand me!”
Norman’s laugh filtered through the air to fall on her ears as he came to stand beside her.
“I told you, wife, you will never be free of me again. I have many plans for you.”
“I will not help you! I will not go with you!” Emmeline glared at him with ferocity and determination. “You cannot make me help you!”
“Yes, you will. Yes, I can.” His eyes drilled into hers. “You will do exactly what I say. Even from France, I hold the power of life or death over your sister. If you wish for her to live, you will do as you are commanded.” Taking her in hand, Norman instructed his men to bind and gag her.
Emmeline fought against the constraints to no avail. Maneuvering her shoulder against the gag in her mouth, she was able to pull it enough to move her lips, and she shouted out as loud as she could manage, hoping that one of the estate servants would hear her.
“Help! Help!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
A head poked around the side of a tree, and she recognized the elderly groundskeeper.
