“Maybe…” Mr. Gladely frowned. “Yes. Think he swore in Spanish.”
“I thought he said he had a business appointment today,” said Lady Malmsby.
“That’s what he said,” Gwinnie said. “Told me he came to England for business and had been neglecting his business for music. He had to do some work today.”
“Any other way out of this room other than the door and windows?” she asked, as she pulled the last knot free.
“No,” he said shakily. He pushed himself up to a seated position. Bella left him to untie his ankles.
“It’s a steep drop out the windows,” Gwinnie said as she stared out the window that was to the side of the house.
“I’m confident he doesn’t mean for us to live,” Bella said.
“You don’t think he would go for a ransom?” asked Lady Malmsby.
“Maybe for you and Gwinnie, but not for me. He wants me dead.”
“Beg pardon, my lady, but I did hear him say that,” said Mr. Gladely shakily.
“It might be hard to separate us at this point,” Gwinnie said.
“That is what I was thinking. Who’s the lightest of us?” Bella asked.
“Grandmother,” said Gwinnie.
“No, no,” Lady Malmsby said. “I have old bones and bad joints. Even if you succeeded in lowering me down, I’d probably break something and be of no use. It will have to be Bella.”
“What about me?” Mr. Gladely said.
Bella looked at him. “You are certainly on the small side, but no. I don’t trust you,” she said. She lifted her head and looked about. “Do you smell something?”
“Fire!” Mr. Gladely screamed. “He’s going to burn us alive! He never said—”
“What Mr. Gladely. Said what? I thought you were in league with him when you drew our attention to this room with pounding your feet against the floor. And Mr. Hargate said you were as honest as the day is long,” she said disgustedly.
Bella lifted her skirts to take off her stockings. “Your cravat, Mr. Gladely, quickly.”
Gwinnie and Lady Malmsby saw Bella’s intention and removed their stockings as well. Bella tied them together along with Mr. Gladely’s cravat. The entire length would not reach to the ground, but Bella reasoned it would get her far enough. She opened the window and sat on the ledge.
“Gwinnie, think you can hold me?” Bella asked.
“I honestly don’t know, but you are our only hope, so I know I will. Promise of a Nowlton.”
Bella nodded and eased herself out the window. The knots held, but she could see one slipping when she let go to drop the rest of the way to the ground.
She scrambled to her bare feet and ran back into the house. Smoke was billowing from the other end of the upstairs. Bella held her skirt up before her face as she made her way back upstairs.
The key was not in the lock. She could not open the door! “I can’t open it” Bella called out with frustration and rage as she threw herself against the door. Nothing.
Suddenly, the door rattled from the other side as Gwinnie did the same on her side.
“There is a set of andirons downstairs by the fireplace,” Bella yelled through the door. “I’m going to get one to see if I can break this thing.”
“I’ll keep trying from this side,” Gwinnie yelled back as she threw herself at the door again.
Bella ran downstairs to grab up the iron rod. She would not let anyone die up there! That Spaniard would not win!
She could hear the crackling of the fire now. The other end of the house was ablaze.
