“I like a woman with spirit.” The more guttural voice laughed.
“Heed my words, or you will not be alive to protect your son, that duty will be left to your brother-in-law.”
Monty moved quickly when he heard footsteps after these ominous words. Opening the door to the next room, he slipped in and closed it so there was only a crack. The sound of snoring somewhere behind him told Monty he was not alone.
Pressing an eye to the opening, dull lamplight showed him the man he’d seen earlier but only from the back. There was another with him in the hallway.
“I will speak with Renton. If he’s lying, he’ll pay, but if not, she will. Show her what we will do if she is not telling the truth. Her husband told me she liked to be disciplined,” the man he’d seen earlier said. “But don’t be too rough, just enough to make her understand we mean business. She is a noblewoman after all.”
He’d kill the bastard for those words, Monty vowed, pulling his hood further forward to disguise his face. When he heard the man’s feet on the stairs, he slipped back out of the room and headed for the one Iris was in.
Someone was going to pay for scaring her.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
Monty opened the door slowly and was relieved when the hinges didn’t squeak and alert the man he was there. Iris sat in a chair with her hands bound behind her, and over her head was a sack. A man stood before her.
“You and me, we’re going to have a little fun before you go home, my lady. You need to understand there is a price to pay if you don’t do what we ask.”
“Let me go, or I will have you dealt with by the magistrate,” Iris said, still defiant even considering her situation was dire. He’d admire that when he was no longer consumed with rage.
The man laughed. “You are in no position to deal with anyone. You are at my mercy.” One large hand reached out and touched Iris’s breast.
Monty fought for control as a red mist covered his eyes.
“Unhand me at once!” Iris cried as Monty jammed his pistol into the man’s spine.
“Do as she says, or I’ll put a bullet between your eyes.”
The man quickly removed his hand from Iris’s breast.
“Who is there?” Iris whispered.
“You will pay for touching her,” Monty growled. “I’d kill you now, but the noise would bring attention. Take off the sack and untie her hands.”
“I was doing what he told me.”
“Who told you?”
“Don’t know his name. He just tells me to do stuff, and I do it.”
“Touching a woman while she’s bound and gagged means you’re a gutless coward. Now do what I told you,” Monty said.
He reached forward and took the sack off Iris’s head. Her eyes went to Monty, and he pushed back his hood. Shaking his head, he hoped she knew not to mention his name.
“Untie her hands.” He nudged the pistol into the man’s spine.
“They’ll find you, whoever you are, and kill you,” the man vowed.
“Excellent. I’m looking forward to that day. But right now, do as I asked you to, or I’ll shoot you anyway and deal with attention the sound of my pistol brings.”
He untied Iris’s hands quickly.
“Release your feet, my lady.”
Iris did as Monty directed. She then got out of the chair. Her fisted hand moved so fast, the bastard in front of her didn’t see it. Her punch snapped his head right.
Monty was angry, but battling with that was pride. Challoner may have tried to break her, but he’d failed.
