“What have you done with her?”she choked out.“Where’s Claudia?”
Simon chuckled as Ridge threw him the money, which he caught andalsotucked securely in the inner pocket of his jacket, all while keeping the knife blade pressed securely against her skin. “Figured it out, have you? As if I would embark on such a dangerous enterprise without a bit of insurance to secure my departure from London. And with two women to barter with among the savages in America, I should think my alternate planwillcome to fruition rather smoothly. It might even be enough to recoup the losses which you and your lover took from me.”
He started to move toward the door. “I do believe that is enough chit chat. Forgive us, Claymoore, but we have a ship waiting in the harbor,and we must be on our way.”
Isabellanoted the ripple of tension asRidge watched their every movement. “This isn’t over, Wistenberry,” he vowed quietly. “Isabella is mine,and you know that I will do everything in my power to stop you. You will never be free of me as long as I live.”
“Then perhaps we should take care of that little problem now.”
Isabella’s eyes widened as Simon withdrew a pistol from the waistband of his trousers.
He lifted the weapon and cocked the pistol, pointing it directly in the center of Ridge’s chest. “No!”she screamed and tried to wrestle the gun away from him, but it went off, the sound deafening, and the acrid scent of gunpowder filling her nostrils.
Through the haze of smoke that temporarily blurred her vision, she saw Ridge dive for his pistol and raise it calmly in the air. Simon’s eyes bulged just before Ridge pulled the trigger.
Another blast, and then all was silent.
Isabella began to sob as she stumbled away from Simon’s lifeless body; hersinglethought was to get to Ridge.
She rushed into his waiting arms and clung to him, and then moved back and began to inspect him for injuries. “Are you hurt? Did the gun—?”
He held on to her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “I’m fine. Not even a graze, thanks to youramazingcourage. You saved my life.”
“I suppose we’re even,then.” She offered a wobbly smile, the horrid aftermath starting to penetrate her senses, the shock wearing off to allow the panic to set in, to think about what could have happened.
The doorexplodedopen to reveal Millicent and Kitty,whoseeyes became round with alarm as she pointed at Isabella and started rambling., “Th’ lyin’ cur! ’E told me’eonlywanted’er!’E wasn’t supposed t’ harm ye, Ridge, I swear it!”
BesideIsabella,Ridge stiffened, but Millicent reacted beforehe had a chance to say a word. She spun on Kitty and her hand flew upward, the crack of her strike as loud as any gun discharge. “You would dare to betray one of our own? You know that Ridge is like a son to me! Gather your things at once. I don’t want to see your face again!”
Kitty turned white, although her cheek was red where the madame had struck her.Her thin wail of distress rose, almost obscuring her words. “Millicent, please, I didn’t know—!”
“Your foolishness is no excuse,” she snapped. “You are no longer welcome here.”
The girl turned pleading eyes on Ridge, but he remained silent, effectively sealing her fate. She rushed out of the room in a flurry of tears. Although Isabella should be equally furious with the girl for her subterfuge, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Sheknewthat, if the roles were reversed, she might have been forced into the same sort of service to survive. And who was she to lay blame to any woman whose heart was lost to Ridge?Hadn’tshefallen easily enough?
She swallowed and turned to Ridge. “Is there something we could…do for her? I shouldn’t like her to be tossed into the streets where we both know her chances for survival are slim.”
He regarded her for a moment and then nodded his head, however reluctantly. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you.” She took his hand in hers and squeezed gently.
She turned her attention back to Millicent who was bending down next to Simon. When Isabella heard a groan come from him, she gasped. “He’s not dead?”
Ridge snorted. “As if I would pass up the chance to see him tried and hanged for his crimes.” He turned to her and added, “I wounded him in the shoulder.”
Relief flooded Isabella, even if she wasn’t exactly sure why that was. Perhaps it was simply that she didn’t want Ridge to have to live with any further transgressions on hisconscience.Helikelyhad enough to contend with in his past.
He walked to the viscount andrelieved him of Isabella’s dowry and the special marriage license. Then Ridgewithdrew his vial of smelling saltsfrom his pocket. “Let’s find out where he took your maid.”
***
After Simon had been revived and the watch arrived to cart him away to the Tower, Ridge and Isabella rushed to the docks. He’d donned his eye-patch in the off chance One-Eye could be of more assistance than Mr. Claymoore, and began questioning the men who milled about the harbor.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long before some grizzled sailor paused and scratched his beard. “Aye, I saw some gelwhotfit tha’ description.” He pointed toward a brigantine that wasstill mooredin the water. “Ask th’ men o’ th’Rose Red.”
Ridge tossed him a coin for theinformation andturned, assuring himself thatIsabellawasat his side. In the traveling gown she had hurriedlydonnedbeforedeparting Millicent’s,she still looked a bit more wealthy than would be expected of a woman by his side.Best he keep hercloseastheyrushed toward the vessel.He shouted in his cockney accent to gain the crew’s attention. “Anyone o’ board?”
After a moment, a man glanced over the side. “Aye. Whot do ye want?”
