“Yes, though with some difficulty.” Madame LeBlanc lifted the stiff brimmed hat that she’d brought from her saddlebag. A short candle was attached to the brim. She handed the hat and a tinderbox to Tamsyn. “This will help light your way. The path inside is very rough, so step carefully. In several of the steeper sections railings were installed, but I don’t know if they’re still sound after all these years.”
Tamsyn used the tinderbox to light the candle, glad that this little niche was protected from the wind. “Time to explore the passage. What’s at the top?”
“A solid door that leads into the lowest level of the fortress. I imagine it’s locked.” Madame LeBlanc studied Tamsyn’s face. “It is up to you to see if this passage can be used to rescue your brother. Good luck with your exploring. I’m going to sit down and have a bit of cognac while I watch the waves.”
Tamsyn lit the candle, then donned the hat. “Thank you. I should be back soon.” She turned and ducked to enter the narrow entrance.
The footing was indeed rough and the passageway that led upward was steep. The original natural crevice had been modified to allow people to move up and down, and crude steps had been shaped in several places, but the flaring shadows caused by the candle made every step treacherous. She’d get a lantern for her next visit. Two—one for her and one for Cade.
When she found railings, she tested them cautiously. One had deteriorated to the point of being dangerous, but the others could be used with care.
The passage would be very tight for Cade in several places. Because she was small, she moved through without a problem, but she had to scramble up several of the higher steps. The air in the passage was cool and damp and the rocks could be slippery.
Panting, she reached the top, a small level area in front of the door into the fortress. She took off the hat and held the candle close to the keyhole. The door might be stuck from lack of use, but the lock was old and simple. She should be able to open it with the right tools.
Cade was the one who had taught her how to pick locks. She swallowed hard at the memory. He was such a very helpful brother, with no foolish beliefs about what females should be allowed to learn.
She stared at the door, wanting desperately to break through and find Cade, wanting to get him away from this vile placeright now. But she knew that acting on impulse would lead them both to disaster. She needed to be prepared for all eventualities, and she must find a place where they could safely go to ground for a few days after they escaped.
She closed her eyes and pressed her hands to the door, using her talent to estimate how many people were in the fortress. There didn’t seem to be many. Several servants like kitchen staff and maids. There were two or three rougher energies that likely belonged to guards.
Bastien didn’t seem to be at home now. Based on the times when he’d tortured Cade, she guessed that he might usually be away during the day so that was probably the best time to stage her rescue. Servants would be more active in daytime, but they’d be easier to deal with than Bastien.
She turned and started down again, forcing herself to move cautiously. Her impatience to get out into the fresh air caused her to slip when she was close to the bottom. She swore when she banged her knee, but it was a good reminder to be careful. She prayed that Cade’s mind would be clear enough that he could maneuver through the passage. If he fell and injured himself, it would be almost impossible for her to get him out. But Cade was so strong and agile that he should be able to get down safely even if he was half dazed.
She gave a sigh of relief when she reached the sand at the bottom of the passage. After blowing out the candle, she returned the hat to Madame LeBlanc’s saddlebag, then joined the other woman on the stone bench, where she was sipping her cognac from a small, elegant glass. “Cade should be able to manage, but I am not looking forward to storming the castle!”
Madame LeBlanc smiled and pulled a silver flask and another small glass from a jacket pocket. After pouring a little of the amber fluid in the glass, she handed it to Tamsyn. “You’ve survived one vital step without a major accident or having a screaming fit at the closeness of the passage.”
“Thank you.” Tamsyn took a sip of cognac, then said slowly, “I had a thought. Lengths of rope securely tied would help us both keep our balance as we descend. I saw several places where I believe a line could be safely tied. Does that make sense to you?”
Madame considered. “Do you tie knots well?”
“Yes, Cade taught me.”
“Then it’s worth trying. The downward passage is particularly treacherous.” She sipped at her cognac. “When will you attempt your rescue?”
Tamsyn took a deeper swallow of the excellent cognac. “The sooner I free Cade the better. Tomorrow by preference, but it might take until the next day to make all the arrangements. As I said earlier, I need to find a safe place for us to hide while Cade recovers and you bring Andre to us. Then we need to find a cooperative smuggler.”
“I can help you with both of those things.”
“I can’t thank you enough for all you’re doing to aid us,” Tamsyn said quietly. “I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”
“I have no doubt that you would have figured something out, but I’m glad I can make it easier.” The older woman finished her cognac. “It’s very important to me to send Andre to safety in England among people who will understand and support his gifts. But I have another request.”
“Anything within my power,” Tamsyn said gravely.
“Please don’t kill Claude unless it’s absolutely necessary. He has become an angry and dangerous man, and he may not even be my blood kin. But when he was a child”—she swallowed hard—“he was a lively, likable boy. For years we were very close because he didn’t have a mother. I do not love who he is now, but . . . I loved him once.”
Hearing the underlying sadness, Tamsyn said, “I can’t predict what will happen. I know that danger lies ahead. But I swear I will do my best to see that your nephew survives.”
Her promise was sincere, but she had no idea if it would be possible to honor it.
CHAPTER17
Every day Cade felt a little stronger, a little clearer, though there was still much he didn’t understand or remember. It helped that Bastien hadn’t visited him in a couple of days. Probably away tormenting other poor souls.
It helped enormously that Tamsyn was a constant presence in his mind, like a bright star on the darkest of nights. He wished that she could be more fully present but sensed that maintaining that contact took power and she couldn’t use all her energy in that way while she was trying to arrange his rescue. He had no idea how she would manage it, but he felt her increasing confidence.
