Page 1 of Lord of Fortune
Chapter 1
August 1818, Wiltshire, England
Afine sheenof sweat beaded across Penn Bowen’s forehead as he dangled from the rope and reached for the slick side of the cave. The lantern his assistant dangled from the opening fifteen feet above him cast a meager glow into the large space, but he’d known he’d be operating in the near dark. It was no worse than he’d managed before. In fact, it was a bit better than some of the situations he’d found himself in.
He scanned the wall of rock, left to right, top to bottom, searching for the small opening that would lead him to his prize. A darker spot drew his eye about five feet to his right and above his head. He squinted into the inky dark to confirm it was what he sought. Damn, it wasverysmall.
Clenching his jaw, he swung toward the wall, aiming for the hole. The rope felt as sturdy as it had when he’d lowered himself a few minutes before. He was also comforted by the presence of his very capable assistant, Egg, who would ensure Penn didn’t drop the fifty or so feet to the cave floor. Most of it was likely sandy and soft, but there were rocks too, and he’d no desire to end his adventures in such a fashion.
A few feet short of the hole, he grasped a small outcropping of rock and brought himself flush against the cool limestone. Finding purchase with his hands and feet, he let go of the rope, though it remained tied around his waist—a measure Egg had insisted upon. Tentatively, he sought another handhold to bring himself closer to the hole. It was a bit of a stretch, but he managed to wrap his fingers around another, albeit smaller, outcropping. Now to get his lower half in the same direction.
He searched for another foothold, his boots scraping against the coarse rock. Finding a small shelf, he put his right foot there and took the left one off the other foothold. A cascade of dirt fell down the hole through which he’d descended, distracting him momentarily. His boot slipped from the rock. He hung suspended for a few seconds, his heart launching into his throat and his pulse beating at a frenzied pace.
“Sorry about that!” Egg’s voice boomed into the cavern, further disrupting Penn’s concentration.
Penn didn’t know what had caused the disruption of earth, nor did he care, so long as it didn’t happen again. He closed his eyes for a bare moment and willed himself to move. He found his footing once more and successfully brought his left foot to perch beside the right. He exhaled and told himself to hurry the hell up.
The hole was just above his head now. Holding on to the rock with his left hand, he reached up with his right and slid his hand into the opening. It barely fit. It was a good thing he hadn’t worn gloves, an argument he’d won with Egg earlier. “But the rope will burn your ’ands!” Egg had insisted.
“I can grab rock much more easily with my bare fingers,” Penn had said. “I’ll take the potential rope burn.” As if it mattered. Penn’s hands were not the manicured, pampered hands of a scholar or worse, a nobleman. His were the rough and ready appendages of someone who lived the most of each moment, experiencing as many adventures as possible. But of course, he wasalsoa scholar, just not the typical sort.
The hole was cold and narrow. He met a bit of resistance at the top and pushed his hand past it. The rock dug through his flesh, slicing through nerve and sinew. He winced and silently swore. Egg would berate him for not wearing gloves.
Just when he feared he wouldn’t be able to reach back any farther without jeopardizing his position, his hand plunged into a void. Opening his fingers, he felt around—there was a ceiling to the hole, but the bottom had fallen away. Pressing himself tight against the rock so that the rough surface abraded his cheek, he stretched his fingers and felt down into the void.
And found what he was looking for.
Relief coursed through him, and he smiled as he wrapped his fingers around a cold metal shaft that was maybe six inches long. Clutching the artifact in his fist, he withdrew his hand cautiously, going slow lest he scrape his hand again. When he reached that spot, he couldn’t get past it. Fisted, his hand was now too large.Hell and the bloody devil.
Sweat broke out along the back of his neck. Urging calm, he loosened his grip, careful to retain hold of the artifact between his thumb and fingers. It was exceptionally lucky that this piece was narrow, but then it would have to be in order to be placed in this spot in the first place.
He continued, aware that he was likely going to reinjure himself. The rock cut into him once more, creating a new wound so he would have two.Spectacular.
Once past the obstacle, he tightened his grip on the artifact and quickly pulled his hand out. Though tempted to look at it, he didn’t, instead stowing it into a pocket sewn inside his waistcoat.
Confident the item was secure, he gripped the rope with his right hand, then withdrew his left to climb. “Coming up!” he called to Egg. He pulled himself up, hand over hand, as the slack curled from his waist.
The light above him moved as Egg withdrew the lantern from the hole. A moment later, Penn reached for the edge of the rock. Egg’s hand came over his, and he grabbed the back of Penn’s waistcoat, hauling him into the upper cave.
The rock scraped over Penn’s midsection and thighs. Egg let go, then helped him turn and sit up. No sooner had Penn withdrawn his legs from the hole than Egg demanded, “What the bloody ’ell did you do to your ’and?” He reached for Penn’s right hand, but Penn scrambled to his feet.
“Nothing. Well, barely anything,” he amended, knowing Egg would argue with him. Egg would argue with the Regent if he thought he was right. And Egg almost universally thought he was right. “Never mind it now. Just take care of the rope, will you?”
Egg frowned up at Penn from his five feet six inches, his weathered face carved with deep canyons from the years he’d spent outdoors. His dark eyes narrowed, and he muttered to himself as he set about looping up the rope.
“I found it, if you care to know.” Penn removed the artifact from his coat and moved closer to the lantern. He squatted down and placed the item on his left palm.
There were etchings in the gold hilt of the iron dagger, deep and quite legible. Indeed, the hilt didn’t look right at all. Penn frowned.
“And there it is,” Egg said softly. He was always as thrilled as Penn to unearth a new treasure.Always.
“Yes, there it is.” The words hadn’t come from Penn or Egg.
Penn closed his hand around the dagger and rose to his full height. He turned toward the mouth of the cave where a lone figure blocked the entrance. Due to the daylight behind him, the man was unidentifiable. However, the cock of his pistol was not. Make that two pistols, for he held one in each hand.
“Thank you for taking care of the difficulty of finding it,” the man said. “Please have your companion deliver it to me.”
“Why not me?” Penn asked, his mind racing. His small knife was tucked beneath his waistcoat, but he couldn’t reach for it without prompting the stranger to perhaps shoot him. Egg, however, had a knife at his side, and the stranger wasn’t watching him as closely. He’d be able to employ it while Penn pretended to deliver the artifact. Which, of course, he had absolutely no intention of actually doing.
