Page 3 of Lord of Fortune
“I’m not sure I believe that,” Penn said, keeping his gaze glued to the blazing-eyed virago. “I’m sure she’s stolen from others.”
Egg snorted. “I’m not. She’s a fairly good shot, but she didn’t plan very well. Much better ways to steal—or at least try to—from you, sir.”
“Please enlighten me,” she said.
Penn had to admire her courage and her determination. More importantly, he had to wonder how in the hell she’d come to be here. “Who are you?” he asked.
“That doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that dagger rightfully belongs to me.” Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, and as the gloves pulled over her slender knuckles, Penn wondered how he’d ever mistaken her for a man.
Penn stared at her a moment, then laughed. Egg joined in. Amused and curious, Penn said, “I can’t begin to imagine how you arrived at that fantasy, nor can I puzzle how you even know about this artifact.” He sobered, narrowing his eyes at her. “Howdoyou know about it?”
She lifted her chin, her gaze coated in frost. “That doesn’t matter either.”
Perhaps not, but it would bother him. Penn liked to have answers. “Well then, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be on our way.” Penn nodded toward Egg, who tucked the pistols into his waistband.
“I’ll just grab our things.” Egg turned and disappeared into the cave.
“You will not.” The spitfire lunged forward and grabbed Penn’s elbow. “That dagger is mine.”
He dropped a perturbed look at where her fingers wrapped around him. “Unless you’d care to disclose why you think that, this interview is over.”
Her jaw clenched tight. “I can’t let you take it.”
“I’m afraid you have no choice. If you’d care to share information about how you even know about this treasure, perhaps we might come to an arrangement.” It was a bald-faced lie since he had no intention of relinquishing his find. But he was keen to learn her role in this.
As she opened her mouth to speak, the all too familiar sound of a pistol cocking filled the air. Penn looked past her as she released her hold on him and spun about. Make that multiple pistols. Four men approached them, their weapons poised to shoot and the lower part of their faces covered with neckerchiefs so that only their eyes were visible beneath the shadows cast by the brims of their hats.
“Bloody hell,” Penn muttered. “Friends of yours?”
“No.” The tension weighing that single word was enough to tell him that she wasn’t with these new arrivals.
Penn hoped that Egg was somehow aware of what was happening and would stay in the cave until he could find a way to turn the situation in their favor. In the meantime, he’d try to talk their way out of whatever was going on.
Wait, “their” way? Was he referring to himself and Egg, or was he including this unknown woman?
Penn smiled at the quartet of masked men. “How can we help you, gentlemen?”
One of the men—the leader, apparently—raised his weapon toward Egg, who’d emerged from the cave still holding the woman’s pistols. Unfortunately, another of the men went and relieved him of the weapons.
The leader answered Penn’s question. “You can hand over the dagger.”
Damn, they knew about it too. So much for secret treasure. “I didn’t find it.”
The speaker snorted as a rather large fellow standing a little off to the side growled. “We know you’re lying, Mr. Bowen,” the man said. His tone held the sophistication of a learned man. He was no hired thug. He also knew who Penn was.
“I’m afraid you have the advantage,” Penn said. “And you are?”
“Not leaving until you hand over the dagger,” the man said pleasantly as the large growler took a few menacing steps forward. This put him rather close to the lady. She stiffened.
Penn moved to her side, close enough that he could feel her against his arm. She might be a thief, but he wouldn’t allow her to be harmed.
“Who is she?” the man—clearly the leader of the foul group—asked.
“Does it matter?” Penn asked nonchalantly.
“Take her.”
Growler pounced like a cat, moving far more quickly and gracefully than Penn ever would have wagered. His hand curled around the woman’s arm, and he dragged her away from Penn. He stuffed his pistol into his waistband and withdrew a long knife from a scabbard at his side. With another growl, he pressed the blade against her neck.
