A hand suddenly clamped over my mouth, and before I’d regained my wits enough to struggle, strong arms pinned my own arms against me, pulling me from the spy holes and into the darkness.
I realized too late that Montoni must know of these passages, and I struggled against him as I was dragged deeper into the passageway. With dawning horror, I knew with certainty that if I died here, my body would never be found.
But I was helpless in the iron grip of my enemy.
“Shhhhh,” a voice whispered in my ear. “It’s only me.”
I blinked as my ear was tickled by the breath of my captor. While his voice was low and gravelly, I would know it anywhere, and relaxed in his grip.
He let me go and I turned to find Henri grinning at me, a finger held to his lips for silence. He gestured to the spy holes, and I realized that he’d covered my mouth to prevent me from crying out and giving myself away. I’d been so immersed in the scene unfolding between Montoni and my aunt that I hadn’t heard him approach.
I slapped his chest. “You scared me,” I mouthed.
Henri’s grin only widened, and he pulled me to him, bringing his mouth close to my ear once more. “I’m sorry. Forgive me.”
I shivered and pulled away from him. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask the same of you.”
I pursed my lips and watched him approach the peep holes I’d been gazing through, observing my aunt crying on her bed.
“What happened?” he asked as he stepped back.
“Your uncle is going to put me in an institution for the rest of my life and kill my aunt so he can have my inheritance.”
Henri’s eyes narrowed. “I hope you’re kidding.”
“I’m not.” I hesitated. “I mean, that’s what it sounds like, given the documents he wants my aunt to sign.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Henri growled, grabbing my arm. “Emile, I am going to protect you. Even from my uncle, if need be.”
“Even if I don’t marry your sister?”
Henri sighed and ran a hand back through his hair. “I just want you to consider it, and what it could do for our future.”
I scowled. “You’re not going to convince me to go through with it.”
“And I’m convinced you’ll change your mind. Blanche has.”
“Has she?” My mouth twisted with disappointment. “That’s unfortunate.”
“No, it’s not.”
I shook my head. “How do you know about these passages?”
Henri rolled his eyes at my change of subject. “I spent time here growing up. Of course I know of them.”
I frowned. “Wait. Were youwatchingme?”
“Of course not. I’m a gentleman.” He raised an eyebrow, and I heard the implication in his words.Ihad been caught watching people. It wasn’t an admirable act, and I flushed in response. I was hard on Henri’s manipulative behavior, but at the end of the day, he was respecting the privacy of others and I was not. I had come to admire Henri’s cunning, but perhaps I had taken that admiration and pushed it too far myself. I didn’t want to think of myself as a bad person, but would a good person be sneaking around, watching people like I had? And here Henri was, catching me in the act and forgiving my behavior without even having to be asked. He understood me.
Henri waved a hand. “Anyway, I know how resourceful you are and that you’d find this tunnel, at the very least.”
“Thistunnel?” I stepped forward. “So, there are more?”
“Of course. This castle is ancient, and it was politically advantageous. Kings and queens stayed here. Generals, captains. My ancestors built these to learn their secrets.”
I hesitated. “Your uncle knows of them too, I suppose?”
