“By misunderstanding, are you referring to the fact that you kidnapped my wife and held her hostage?” Harry Kent snarled.
At the accusation, Maggie’s head swung to Rhys. “Youdidthat?”
A muscle clenched in his jaw. “I did nothing of the sort.”
“Liar,” Mr. Kent said darkly.
“I believe I will take you up on that offer of the back alley,” Rhys clipped out.
“Gentlemen, please.” Mrs. Kent held up a hand. “We are not here for the two of you to engage in bloodshed.”
“Only one of us will be bleeding,” her husband said, “and it won’t be me.”
Mrs. Kent sighed and looked at Maggie as if to say,See what I have to deal with?
Strangely, Maggie felt a surge of kinship with her hostess. She didn’t want the men to duel either. Yet she was burning to know what Rhys had done to offend the Kents.
“Let’s get the facts straight, shall we, Kent?” Although Rhys spoke calmly, his voice was honed steel. “Tessa was not yet your wife when she left with me. Secondly, she accompanied me back to London of her own accord. Indeed, she gave me her word that she’d marry me.”
Maggie sucked in a breath.
Rhys’s gaze shot to her, softening. “I’ll explain later.”
“There’s not much to explain,” Mrs. Kent said. “Ransom wanted my dowry. I agreed to marry him only because I was angry at Harry—a lover’s spat, you know how that goes.”
The forthright explanation made Maggie feel a little better.
“He held you in his townhouse against your will.” Harry Kent scowled. “You had to escape out a bloody window.”
“You do have a point,” Mrs. Kent said coolly. “Thatisa debt that must be paid.”
Rhys shifted in his chair, muttering, “I did apologize.”
“Hmm. We’ll leave it at that—for now.” The lady gave her yellow skirts a precise flick. “Now onto the reason you’re here. You want me to hold Garrity and Sweeney at bay for you while you look for a treasure in London.”
Rhys stiffened; Maggie blinked in surprise.How does she know?
“I have eyes and ears everywhere.” Mrs. Kent’s smile was smug…and a wee bit menacing. “The only question that remains is why should I help you?”
“Would money be an enticement?” Rhys returned.
“It depends on how much.”
“Say, a thousand pounds?”
Their hostess rolled her eyes. “Please, Ransom. Don’t insult me.”
“Two thousand, then. That is all I can offer you at the moment.”
“At the moment.” Mrs. Kent’s gaze was keen. “How much is that treasure you’re after worth?”
“I cannot say for certain.”
She tapped a finger against her chin. “Well, if the diamond alone was worth ten thousand pounds…how many gems did you say there were?”
Maggie couldn’t help but be impressed and terrified by the extent of the lady’s knowledge. This was a clever, diabolical female. And, by Maggie’s estimation, not one to be trifled with.
Apparently, Rhys agreed for he said in a resigned voice, “I can make no guarantees, but Uncle Horatio claimed their total value was half a million pounds.”
