Page 75 of Lord of Fortune
Amelia flinched, and Kersey touched her arm reassuringly. “Show me the book.” The words came out as a near growl through her clenched teeth.
Thaddeus expelled a tired breath. “I didn’t actually bring it with me, silly. What Idohave are two friends who will ensure you—and the heart—accompany me. Come along, then.” He pivoted slightly as if he simply expected her to join him.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Kersey leaned down and spoke close to her ear. “Pretend to go. I need the distraction.”
When she hesitated, he whispered urgently, “Trust me.”
She had no other choice. The other two men had also advanced, and they each carried a pistol. Wait, she had a pistol too! She brought her hand up and lightly grazed the section of her coat that covered the weapon hidden in her waistband.
“Where would you take me?” she asked.
“To my house.” He chuckled. “Don’t look so surprised. I’m not destitute as I had you believe. The debt was simply a sound reason for leaving. I live just west of Glastonbury. It’s two days’ ride, I’m afraid. But you look well accustomed to riding.” His gaze dropped to her breeches, and his mouth twisted into an appreciative smirk. “We’ll need your horse, however. Groom, fetch her horse.”
Amelia turned her head as Kersey trudged back to the horses. He limped, and his fake hunch was quite pronounced. She wouldn’t have guessed he was a man in his prime.
The horses! More accurately, the sword! Her heart began to beat faster again, but this time with excitement. She needed to give Kersey the distraction he needed.
She closed the gap between herself and her husband. Her stomach turned, but she ignored the reaction. “You have a house?” She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Is it large? I had to move in with my grandfather after you left, and that’s where I currently reside. It’s rather dreary.”
A light of anticipation glowed in his eyes, and again, her insides roiled in disgust. “It’s larger and better appointed than the one we shared. There are sheep grazing nearby and a tall, stately oak that provides the best shade on a summer day.” Was he actually gloating about leaving her and finding a better situation? His smugness was intolerable, but she would go along to meet her own ends. “You’ll be quite comfortable there. With me.”
“And the book is there?” she asked sweetly, offering him a smile laced with acid if he cared to look closely enough. Thankfully, the darkness was coming fast.
“Yes.”
“Where’s the heart, love?” he asked, curling his hand around her waist.
She struggled not to pull away. “In my coat.” She slipped her hand inside the new pocket and withdrew the stone.
Kersey walked her horse toward the brigands. Where was the sword? Had he transferred it to her saddle? Amelia wondered what he planned to do. If he could take on the two brigands, Amelia could use her pistol to drive Thaddeus away.
Just as she’d used it against Penn and Egg. She knew she could shoot if necessary, but could she injure Thaddeus…or worse? More importantly, would she? She’d missed Egg, but she’d realized she’d done so on purpose—she didn’t really want to harm anyone. She wasn’t sure she could. But this was a different matter entirely. There was no way she would accompany Thaddeus anywhere.
She uncurled her fingers to reveal the stone filling her palm. Thaddeus sucked in a breath. “That’s it.” He picked it up, and again, she had to fight to keep herself still. Every instinct she possessed screamed for her to clutch her hand around the heart and train her pistol on her villainous husband.
At that moment, light flooded the area. Kersey had taken the sword from its scabbard, and it glowed with an eerie blue flame. The shouts of the brigands filled the air, and Thaddeus swore.
Amelia lunged for the heart but knocked it from Thaddeus’s hand. She heard a loudclackand looked to the ground. The heart had fallen against another rock and split in two.
“The key!” Thaddeus cried out, dropping to his knees.
Amelia pulled the pistol from her belt and cocked the hammer, aiming the barrel straight at Thaddeus. “Move away from it.”
He turned his head to look up at her. “Bloody hell, Amelia, you aren’t going to shoot me.”
“You don’t know that. Don’t try me.” She curled her lip as power surged through her. “Get away from the heart.” Wait, he’d called it a key? Why?
A loud shriek drew them both to look toward where Kersey fought the two henchmen. One writhed on the ground and the other ran away. Instead of following him, Kersey stalked back toward Amelia. “Does he really not have the book?” he called out.
Amelia looked down at Thaddeus. “If you have the book, give it to me, and we’ll let you go.”
Fear glazed his dark eyes as he looked up at her. “I don’t have it. Let me go, and I’ll get it for you.”
“You think I would trust you?” Amelia sneered.
“I never would’ve taken you for such a heartless bitch.” He reached for the heart then, his fingers scrabbling over the earth.
