“You’re going to walk in the front door?”Elizabeth asked.
“That seems to be the only way.The walls are much too steep to climb.Besides, no one would expect a jailbreak through the main entrance.The British are so arrogant; they would never expect a jailbreak at all.It takes a Frenchman to be cunning,” Jean said with a smile.
“What can I do?”Elizabeth asked, stepping out of the darkness.“Should I go with you?”
“No,cherie, you must stay behind and be ready with the wagon.You’ve done a good job calming that beast.We don’t want him moving at the wrong time.Perhaps you can try to keep the horse quiet, eh?”
Elizabeth nodded, but doubt surfaced.“What if they don’t let you inside the prison?”
Jean looked at her as if she were a small child and sighed deeply.Suddenly, a wicked grin spread across his face.
“Then we’ll simply use persuasion.”He bowed to her and then disappeared into the blackness.
The darkness was aidedby a full moon casting weak glimmers of light here and there as Jean and Dominic made their way around the building to the main gate.They found very few guards on watch at this time of night.Jean grinned and looked at Dominic.“Better hide that coil of rope until we are in the building.”
Jean picked up the brass knocker and knocked soundly on the thick oak door.When he didn’t get an immediate answer, he peered into the small slit in the door.The turnkey, Stanley, stumbled to the door.By the looks of him, he’d been asleep.
Finally, the door opened.“What do ye want?Ye can’t see a bloody prisoner this late at night,” the man announced sleepily and tried to close the door.
Dominic stepped forward quickly and blocked the way with his leg.“What if we make it worth your while?”
Stanley’s eyes grew wide with interest.“Such as?”he asked, opening the door a little further.
“Such as gold?”Jean suggested and held a pouch up by one finger.
“Real gold.”A slow, greedy smile crept across Stanley’s face, his gaze never leaving the small bag.Then he frowned and gasped as he realized what was going on.“Ye planning a bloody jailbreak!”He turned to call for help, “Guard—”
Dominic had his arm around Stanley’s neck so fast that the man didn’t know what happened.He could only gasp for air.He struggled, but Dominic pressed the sharp tip of a knife against his back, and then Stanley went very still.
“I see we’ll have to do this the hard way.”Jean sighed as they stepped through the door, pushing the turnkey ahead of him, and then closing the door quietly behind them.“We tried being civil,” Jean reminded Stanley.“Now we will try reason.”Jean drew out his knife and ran his thumb over the razor-sharp edge.“Do you see this knife, my friend?”
The man nodded the best he could with Dominic’s arm still around this neck.
“If you don’t get the keys and take us to Jonathan Hird immediately and very quietly, I guarantee I will cut out your tongue.Then you will never be able to call out again,” Jean said, his tone menacing.Jean peered at the guard, his nose mere inches away.“Do you understand?”
Stanley nodded.
“Good.”Jean grinned, his teeth white in the darkness.That’s what he liked—complete cooperation.“Dominic, you may release him now that we’ve come to a gentleman’s agreement.”
Stanley’s eyes were large with fear as he reached for the large ring of keys hanging on a big wooden peg.“Follow me,” he said, his eyes flickering with fear.
Dominic and Jean flanked Stanley to make certain the fool wasn’t stupid enough to try to alert the guard—or worse, to run.Fortunately, since it was late, they didn’t run into any other guards on their way.Dominic had placed the coil of rope over his shoulder to make sure his hands were free to handle his dagger.
Stanley’s hands shook as he fumbled with the key ring.Finally, he selected the correct brass key and unlocked the cell door.He tried to step aside, but Dominic shoved Stanley through the door.
Jonathan jumped to his feet.
“Ye ain’t goin’ to kill—” Stanley never finished his sentence.Jean hit him on the head with the butt of his pistol and the man slumped, senseless, to the floor.
“The man talked too much,” Jean said, dusting off his hands.“We’ll not have to worry about him alerting anyone for a while.”Jean stepped over the sprawled body and tucked the gun back into his waistband.“Now let’s get out of here.”
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming,” Jonathan said as he started for the open door.
Jean wagged his finger and shook his head.“Now, let’s take a look at those bars.”He examined them critically.“Ah, you have done well.”
They tugged on one of the steel bars until the mortar finally gave way.Then they chipped away at the other bar while Dominic dragged Stanley over to the side, gagged him, and tied him up to give them a little more time once they had escaped.
Jonathan tossed the rope through the window and looked down.“The rope is too short, and it’s a long drop.But it’s by far too risky to try walking through the front door.You were lucky enough coming in that way.”
