Page 19 of The Highwayman's Bite

The slap came unexpected, her palm crashing into his cheek with a sharp crack. “How dare you drug us and take us to this place!”

Rhys held his grip on her shoulders, but moved her back before his arousal made itself known.

Renarde finally spoke, her voice ringing out with imperious outrage. “Unhand her at once, you animal!”

The eccentric companion was closer to the truth than she knew. Rhys glanced up at her, biting back a smile at the sight of her reddened face as she wrestled with her restraints. “Madame, I suggest that you remain still, lest you further tighten the knots.” He kept his tone civil and turned back to Vivian. “As for you, Miss Stratford, surely I do not have to point out that you are at my mercy. As such, your stay here will be much more comfortable if you do not strike me again.”

She glared up at him mutinously as he pressed down on her shoulders, easing her back onto her cot. “What do you want from me?” she said through clenched teeth.

Rhys laughed, masking his regret at destroying any goodwill towards him. “A woman who comes straight to the point. I appreciate that.” He sat back on his cot and reached for a wooden box on the shelve beside his bed. The bullet wound in his arm burned in agony with the movement.

Concern furrowed Vivian’s brow for a moment before her eyes hardened once more. Rhys concealed his delight that she had cared for a second. “Your prestigious uncle is determined to toss my relations out of the home that’s been their rightful place for centuries.”

Vivian drew back, clearly not expecting this revelation. “He wouldn’t do such a thing. He is generous with his tenants.”

“That may be,” Rhys allowed. “But my cousin is not a tenant. She owns her own small farm and has been paying the mortgage faithfully.”

Madame Renarde spoke suddenly. “Is that why you rob people? To fund your cousin’s payments?”

Understanding filled Vivian’s large eyes, along with another hint of compassion. However, there were some things he wanted his captives to know, and other things he did not.

Arching his brow, he cast a sneering glare at Renarde. “Do not talk of my life’s path and I’ll do the courtesy of not discussing yours.”

The companion flinched, bright flags of color blooming in her plump cheeks.

Vivian was not so easily cowed. “Perhaps my uncle has the moral fortitude to not accept payments that were ill-gotten.”

“He doesn’t know where the money comes from. Besides, plenty of the money is honest, from the crops.” That wasn’t precisely honest, but Rhys was past caring. “The point is, Black—” he stopped and corrected himself. “—Lord Thornton, should allow my cousin to remain on her land and continue to make the payments.”

“How dare you call my uncle a blackguard!” Vivian said waspishly.

Rhys hadn’t meant to say any such thing, however, he leapt on the explanation for his slip of the tongue. “And what would you call a man who would willfully toss an innocent woman and her two children out in the cold?”

Vivian huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Are they paying less than what was agreed upon?”

“Yes,” he admitted with reluctance. “However, he is wealthy enough to not depend on my cousin’s payments, and he has all the time in the world to wait for her to give him the full balance.” And Vivian would faint if she knew just how much time her uncle had.

Renarde spoke again. “She shouldn’t have mortgaged her farm if she was unable to make the full payments.”

“Her wastrel husband took out the loan.” Rhys wondered why he bothered justifying himself to these women. “He died, leaving my sweet cousin nothing but a mountain of debt.”

Vivian made a sympathetic sound before forcing a stern expression. “I am sorry to hear of your cousin’s misfortunes, but what does this have to do with me and my companion?”

“I think I know,” Madame Renarde said before Rhys could answer. She fixed him with a level stare. “You’re holding Miss Stratford for ransom.”

Rhys nodded. “I am.”

“Ransom?” Vivian looked shocked, and yet somehow relieved. “Do you mean that if my uncle gives the deed back to your cousin’s farm, you’ll let me go?”

“In a manner of speaking. He will give me the money owed on the mortgage,” Rhys explained. “And my cousin can pay him and be held blameless in all this.”

Vivian nodded, whether in agreement with his strategy or simply comprehension of his reasoning, he could not tell. Then a line formed between her brows as she frowned. “But why did you take Madame Renarde as well? You could have left her with Jeffries and they could have returned together to my uncle’s home safely.”

Renarde made a disapproving sniff. “I would have refused. It is my duty to watch over you and ensure your safety.”

“Precisely.” Rhys favored Renarde with a respectful nod before turning back to Vivian. “As well as to vouch for your chastity when you are returned to Lord Thornton.” An ache formed in his heart at the words. He hadn’t expected to mourn the loss of the opportunity to make love to her as much as he was now.

He shook his head. What kind of a fool was he? Even if she hadn’t been the great-grand-niece of the Lord Vampire of Blackpool, there would have been no hope for a carnal relationship between them anyway. First because she was a mortal and he was a vampire, second, because she was of gentle birth while he was a criminal. And even if those things could be overcome, it was doubtful their paths would have crossed again, had he not needed to kidnap her for ransom.

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