“I was caught in Baron Sutherland’shome.”
He had heard of Baron Sutherland. A goodfriend of his now dead father. “You are a thief.” He withdrew hishand, but she held fast.
“I am not a thief.”
“If you say so.”
“If I told you the truth would you believeme?”
“A thief? Plying your trade, not onlystealing everything that is nailed down but the nails as well.”
He heard her intake of breath like theindrawn wind that filled the long sweeps, tilting the ship to asharp angle.
He had difficulties with thieves, had cometo blows with a horde who had invaded the Rutland townhouse. Hewould not forget that night when they were bent on killing him, andneither would the thieves he had dispatched one by one.
Yet the woman didn’t have to tell him shewas caught in the Baron’s home. She could’ve made up a story. Hewas kidnapped and he didn’t do anything. What if she wasn’t athief? But what other reasonable explanation was there?
He kicked a chamber pot and it clanged inthe corner.
“Think what you wish. You may be a murdererfor all I know, but since we’re in this together, I’ll allow yourillusions,” she said.
“My illusions? Am I to take that fromsomeone whose tools may be deception and misdirection?”
The iron framework of the hatch that sealedthem was divided, half in his four-walled cell and half in hers.Her arm filled the tiny hole, barring a glimpse of her. How old washis traveling companion? Young? No. A safe bet, she existed as ahoary bent crone predisposed to a life of crime. Yet her voicepossessed a musical quality and intimated something sacred and purein her humanitylike his sister’s.
Abby.How was she faring? Gentlyreared, she would not survive the rigors at sea under ruthless men.He didn’t want to think of the horrors she’d encounter. Gloomdarkened his cell. He had quarreled with his sister, had caught herin a grievous lie.
She had faked an engagement to her bestfriend, Sir Humphrey until she decided what she wanted to do withher life. Nicholas had ordered her to marry Humphrey and live withthe consequences. To marry a man she did not love.
A vein throbbed in his jaw. Like Nicholas,forced by his iron-handed father to marry a woman he had nofeelings for to fulfill his duty. To accept the responsibility thatcame with being a Rutland.
“How long have we been sailing?” Nicholasshook his head, the effect of the drug, tunneling his vision andpounding his head.
“I tugged out a loose nail in the floor andscratched twenty-seven marks on the wall, four weeks into theAtlantic, and too far to swim back to London.”
His chin sunk into his chest. He would notlast long enslaved in Brazil. Whomever was his enemy wanted a slowdeath. A fitting end for killing a man in self-defense? He staredat her hand. Her fate was worse than his. He could imagine whatevil men did to a female slave.
Sailors yelled orders to each other high inthe shrouds. He heard a bucket of water sloshed onto the deck andthe swish of a mop.
“They are lying,” she whispered.
“Go on.”
She gripped his hand, apparently afraid he’dlet go. To assure her, he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles,smeared the dirt.
“I didn’t know until Captain Diogo conveyedhis message to you now from the man who had you kidnapped. On thedocks in England, you were lying down and bound behind me. Thelaudanum given me had worn off. I feigned sleep. Your sister musthave been kept in the room next to ours for they referred to her asLady Abigail. They took her and another man, embarking on a shipbefore us.”
“Outside our building, a very angrygentleman shouted at Captain Diogo, demanding he disappear toBrazil at once. The gentleman complained about a delay and saidtheyleft the laboratory too soon. Could he have beentalking about your father and your brother? Do you think they leftbefore the explosion and that’s why the gentleman hastened yourdeparture?”
The ship tilted again and latticed sunlightfrom above chased away the shadows of his cell. His blood rushed.He tightened his grip on her hand. “The gentleman, was he incharge? Did you get a look at him? Are you sure of what youheard?”
“You’ll have to take the word of a thief.”She withdrew her hand.
He deserved her scorn. Strange as it was, hemissed the human contact of her hand, missed her warmth.
“I did not see the gentleman and he wasdefinitely giving the commands.”
Nicholas swallowed, his throat dry as sand.“Lady Abigail is my sister. At her betrothal ball, I called her outon her sham engagement. I argued her case with my father as well asmy own complaints. He wouldn’t listen, intolerant of any breach tohis authority. I went to the stables to cool my temper and wasintercepted by a servant with a message to meet my father in mybrother’s laboratory. How strange when I had left him secondsbefore.”
