He raised his eyebrows and smiled at her. “But who is going to be on this road now? Everyone is home for dinner. Except me, but I am officially looking for you.” The smile widened. “Sadly, your bodies won’t be found until Mother Nature has had time to destroy any evidence of foul play. But I swear I will give you an elaborate double funeral and the best monument money can buy.
He halted the horses and dismounted. “I’ll be able to use the money you brought to the family.”
They stood near the top of the promontory. On one side, a long slope led down into the trees, and eventually to the bottom. The other climbed to the top of the cliff she had seen on the way to Cariford. Other than a thick layer of bracken, the only thing that found a foothold on the slope above them was a bent tree at the cliff’s edge.
As Barclay reached up to pull her off the horse, she glanced at Kieran over his head. Her husband brought his hands from his back with the rope gathered in one hand.
As soon as her feet hit the ground, she began to struggle, careful to keep her wrists together so their captor did not suspect he was in danger.
With Barclay’s attention on her, Kierandismounted. In a flash, he brought the rope down over his cousin’s head and pulled the ends tight. Barclay’s hands instinctively flew to the rope at his neck as his face grew red, then purple.
Then Kieran stumbled over a rock and his grip loosened. She saw Barclay reach inside his jacket.
“No!” She grabbed at his arm just as his hand emerged with the revolver. He backhanded her so violently that light exploded inside her skull. She collapsed. Through the ringing in her ears she heard a shot.
A scream tore from her throat. Barclay stood holding the gun pointing upward, calmly regarding Kieran where he had collapsed on his knees and one hand. The other clutched his side, over a rapidly growing patch of bloody jumper.
Barclay’s eyes darted to where Diantha sat tumbled in the grass. As if luxuriating in the moment, he turned to face her even as his arm straightened to aim the gun at Kieran’s heart.
Scrambling to crouch as best she could in her skirts, she clenched her teeth and all but growled, “Don’t you dare.” Her own voice surprised her, coming low and steady. She tensed, trembling as she balanced on her hands.
His eyebrows rose. “Don’t I dare what?” Mocking laughter followed the contempt-laden words. “Believe me, fair cousin, I have plenty of time to wring your pretty neck and make it look as though your arrogant husband killed you.”
Diantha stayed where she was. She didn’t have the strength to fight Barclay if she stood upright, but if she stayed close to the ground, like a fulcrum,she might have a chance to knock him off his feet. If only she could get the gun.
She cast a glance at Kieran. Her heart nearly failed at the dark blood oozing through his fingers from the wound in his side.
Rage such as she had never known filled her heart. Not the blazing anger her husband provoked, but an icy wrath that gave her a fearful clarity of thought. No matter what happened to her, Barclay would pay for hurting Kier. Nothing else mattered.
“Don’t hurt her. I beg you.” Slipping to an elbow, her husband extended a pleading hand. “If you ever felt anything for me, leave her alone.”
A burst of wind ruffled through their adversary’s hair. Diantha gathered herself.
Barclay shook his head. “Sorry, cuz, but the only thing I ever felt for you was envy.” The words had barely left his mouth when she launched herself at his midriff, grabbing him outside the arms. The gun fired once, a puff of vegetation flying up where the bullet entered the ground. Then she saw the weapon hit the ground. As she tried to kick it away, she heard her name being called, barely discernable through the blood rushing in her ears.
Her adversary tried to wriggle out of her control, but she grasped her wrist with her opposite hand to pinion him closer. She only had the strength to hold him for a few seconds, but that was enough to kick the gun away from Barclay’s reach. Panting, she scrambled to her feet near the edge of the precipice. The last rays of sunset warmed her back and bathed Barclay in a goldenlight of false benediction. Winded, he bent over to catch his breath.
“You little bitch.” He squinted at her, raising a hand to shade his eyes. Beyond him, she saw Kieran crawling toward them.
She did not dare shout at her husband to stay still and reduce the flow of blood. The longer Barclay focused on her, the better.
“You can’t possibly think anyone will believe you.” She inched backward as she gasped out the words. “Could someone with Kieran’s sense of responsibility murder anyone, particularly his wife?”
He responded to her taunt, bracing his hands on his knees. “Even the best man can crack, and it seems he was devastated to discover that his wife had fallen in love with his cousin. Naturally I shall confess our shameful passion with the greatest reluctance.” Catching his breath with disconcerting ease, he straightened and recovered his usual aplomb. “But it seems the better man won all the way around.”
As she felt her way backward with her feet, the wind-blasted tree entered her peripheral vision.
Trying to appear relaxed, she took off her jacket and mopped her face with it. “I don’t think so. Apparently you didn’t notice where the gun fell while you were struggling with me.”
He tensed and focused on her hands, hidden by the folds of cloth. “You must have grabbed it when you rolled on it. But I hardly think a mere female would have the nerve to pull the trigger, much less give me a fatal wound.”
Her shoulders drooped. “You’re right, I suppose.”She raised her eyes at his contemptuous snort. “But then I’m not the one holding the gun.”
Whirling around, he found Kieran, still prone, but teeth bared in a feral grimace as he balanced on his elbows to hold the pistol she had kicked in his direction. One look at his blue lips told her something was dreadfully wrong, however.
“It’s over, Barclay.” She pointed to a pair of horses and riders galloping down the glen. “Too many people know you kidnapped us. Your story will never be believed.” She pleaded with him. “Save yourself from the noose, at least. Help me get Kieran back to the manor.”
He made a move toward his cousin only to freeze at the metallic sound of the trigger cocking.
