“Yes, milady.”
When she cast a look in Conrad’s direction, he quickly retreated behind a tree. Heart thudding, he hoped that his hiding place and the darkness kept him concealed.
“Well, don’t just stand there, gawping like idiots.”
Even from a distance, Conrad could hear Anne’s contempt.
“You two—patrol the surrounding area. Godwin could be hiding beneath our noses. I will keep watch here with Johnson and Heller.” Anne pulled a pistol from her skirts, her voice dripping with disdain. “If one wants a thing done, one must do it oneself.”
Conrad risked another look. Johnson and a mountain of a brute who had to be Heller flanked Anne. The other two cutthroats were fanning out, one headed in his direction.
Perfect.
Conrad returned his firearm to his pocket. He had to attack swiftly and quietly—Gigi’s life depended upon it. He concealed himself behind foliage, listening as the heavy steps approached.
“Uppity bitch.” The cutthroat was muttering to himself. “It’ll be a miracle if I don’t strangle ’er before the night’s over?—”
Conrad moved. Lunging from the shadows, he wrapped his arm around the brute’s throat, preventing the other from releasing more than a muffled sound. With his forearm, he crushed his foe’s windpipe, locking the hold with his other hand. As the cutthroat thrashed, clawing at his arm, he held on with determined strength.
Eventually, the brute stopped struggling. Conrad felt the telltale jerking—the signal that the cutthroat was down for the count. He held on for a minute longer before letting the dead weight sag to the ground. The bastard wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon.
Exhaling sharply, Conrad rolled his shoulders.
One enemy down.
He slipped into the night, in search of the next.
“Evie, wake up. Please.”
When Evie’s lashes finally lifted, Gigi could have cried with relief.
“What is going on?” Evie asked groggily. “Where…where are we?”
“We were taken by cutthroats hired by my husband’s niece, who wants him dead.” It was the fastest explanation Gigi could give. “They tied us up but, luckily, not very well. I managed to get us loose. Now we need to escape before they use me to barter for Conrad’s life.”
Evie’s pupils were dilated, and she was trembling. Before shock could take over, Gigi gave her sister-in-law a ruthless shake.
“Swoon later, dear,” she said. “I have a plan and need your help.”
She tugged Evie toward the back wall, where the sound of rushing water was unmistakable.
“There are guards outside the doors, but I’ve found another way out. See that opening up there, where the board has fallen off?”
She pointed to the small window about twelve feet off the ground. The frame was empty of glass. The moonlight illuminated a thick branch just beyond.
“I don’t understand. How will we escape through there?”
Evie sounded strange and unlike herself. Her voice was oddly devoid of emotion.
Dear Lord, please help Evie hold it together until we escape.
“I can reach the window if I climb on your shoulders,” Gigi said. “Once I’m out the window, I’ll use the tree to climb down. My plan will work—I’ve done it before.”
“But what about me?” Evie whispered. “Are you going to leave me here?”
“Of course not, dear. You are going to climb out after me. Once I get to the tree, I will secure a rope, which you may use to climb up.”
“Where are you going to get a rope?” Evie looked at her with frightened eyes.
