Hawk’s blood turned to ice as Trent swore.
Devlin cocked his head. “What is it?”
“Sterling,” Hawk said grimly. “He was the one who arrested Wilkes.”
“Why didn’t he mention it?” Pearson looked confused.
“I’ll give you three guesses,” Devlin said.
Hawk headed for the door, the others at his heels.
Thirty-Eight
“Wake up, Fiona. Please don’t die.”
Fi felt herself being shaken. She blinked, disoriented by the blurry face in front of her. As her vision adjusted, the face settled into familiar lines.
“Lillian?” Her voice scratched her throat.
“Yes. Here, have some water.”
Lillian held a cup to Fi’s lips, and she drank greedily. When she tried to move, however, she realized with a shock that her hands were manacled and chained to the wall. Everything returned to her. Sterling’s sneak attack in the carriage, the chloroform-soaked handkerchief he’d used to smother her and render her unconscious.
“Are you all right?” Lillian asked anxiously.
“I’m fine.” Fi took a deep breath, her wooziness fading. “How long have I been here?”
“A few hours. It’s dusk now. I’m so sorry.”
Remorse creased Lillian’s brow. Fi felt anger spark at the fresh bruise on the other’s cheek—Wilkes’s nefarious handiwork, no doubt. Even with the injury, an untidy topknot, and ragged clothes, Lillian’s ethereal beauty shone through.
“Sterling kept you sedated,” Lillian said in a low voice. “I begged him not to, but he said you would be trouble otherwise.”
He doesn’t know the half of it,Fi thought darkly.
The blackguard had tricked her. Used her love for Hawk to bait the trap. And he was going topay. Rage cleared her head. She assessed her surroundings: the room was Spartan, cold. It was unnaturally quiet, removed from the usual sounds of London. Listening intently, she thought she heard flowing water…The Thames?
“Where are we?” she asked.
“In an abandoned flour mill in Battersea.”
That explained the sounds of water. Mills had cropped up along the south bank of the Thames, harnessing the power of water to run the machinery.
How long will it take for Hawk and the Angels to find me here?
Fiona had no doubt that her husband and friends were out searching for her; she had the utmost confidence in their abilities. She did not, however, trust Sterling. The devious bounder had obviously kidnapped her to use as a bargaining chip…which meant he knew that the jig was up.
He was cornered; desperate men were dangerous men.
I will not allow Sterling to use me,she thought with fierce resolve.
Fi looked at Lillian. “Where are Sterling and Wilkes now?”
“They left to arrange passage to France, but they won’t be gone long.” Lillian bit her trembling lip. “This is my fault. You’re in danger because of me—”
“Listen to me carefully. We haven’t time to waste,” Fi said firmly. “I know what happened. How Wilkes caught you in his snare, enticing you with love, then keeping you trapped with shame and fear.”
Lillian’s eyes filled.
