“Are well and back at Garland Hall.” Patrick hoped.
Relief had her shoulders sagging. “I was so worried about them.”
“And then?” Stephen prompted.
“And then Sophie climbed out the opening in the roof also and fired shots from the rifles we found under the seats of your carriage,” Amelia said, looking at him.
“I feel ill,” Patrick muttered, glaring at his wife. “They could have shot you.”
“We didn’t want them to do whatever it was they were about to do, so we tried to stop them,” Amelia snapped.
“Exactly. We had to get away from them and to safety,” Sophie added.
At least some of her color had returned with the warmth from the fire and whisky.
“And then?” Stephen added, shooting Patrick a warning look.
“They stopped us,” Sophie said. “But we didn’t show them fear. We were rude to them.”
“Excellent. So you not only angered them by firing at them?—”
“And Sophie threw your rifle at one of the men,” Amelia added.
“Yes, thank you, Amelia,” Sophie said, shooting Patrick a look. “The point is, we were not letting them take us without a fight, and I thought you’d be pleased that we at least tried to thwart them.”
“Is your arm all right?” he asked instead of yelling at her for no other reason than he felt the need to yell at someone.
“They took us to a house and then up to a room. We slept for a while, and then someone woke us,” Sophie said.
“We were taken to Jack Spode.” Amelia spat out the name. “That lying, cowardly weasel was also there.”
“Jack Spode?” Stephen asked.
“No, Myles Dutton,” Sophie said. “He was behind it all, not Jack. It was just by chance he was the one Myles contacted to kill me so he could get at Timmy.”
“I am going to destroy him,” Patrick snarled.
“How did you escape?” Stephen asked.
“They took us to his room—Jack Spode’s—and then he arrived and tied Amelia to his bed. He was going to….” Sophie waved her hand about.
Patrick growled, sounding like Doddy.
“But Sophie had taken a knife from your carriage and hidden it in her sling,” Amelia said quickly. “When he ran at her, she stabbed him.”
“In the side, but he wasn’t dead,” Sophie added.
“Then we escaped,” Amelia said.
The innkeeper interrupted them then to say the rooms were ready, so they climbed the stairs. Patrick led Sophie by the hand, and behind them, Stephen nudged Amelia up.
“I’ve had baths drawn in each room,” the innkeeper then said. “And there is food and tea in there as well.”
The rooms were small but clean he saw at a glance. Patrick nudged Sophie down on the bed.
“Thank you,” Patrick said to the man. “We are extremely grateful.”
“If that will be all.” The man bowed.
