“Oh,” Daphne groaned as she swooned. Henry rushed to hold her up. Thankfully, she hadn’t lost consciousness.
“Not to worry, Lady Langston,” Henry said, patting her arm. “My nephew will find Emiline and bring her home safe.”
“I will. I promise.” Broderick helped to hold up Emmie’s mother then looked back at Elias. “Hail a hackney to take you two home. Your mother is in no condition to walk.”
Nodding, Elias scampered down the street.
Broderick and Henry exchanged worried glances. Perhaps the only way to get Emiline back was for Broderick to turn himself in—which he could not do. But she depended on him to rescue her, and right now, she was more important.
There was only one decision to make. He loved Emmie with all his heart, which meant he would find her. He prayed his crew would be able to come up with a rescue plan, because he feared he wouldn’t be able to save both himself and the woman he loved.
*
Noises grew allaround Emmie as she slowly became alert. Her head pounded, and she recalled the moment one of the men who had taken her had hit her, rendering her unconscious.
Groaning, she shifted, but couldn’t move. As sounds and feelings slowly came to her, she realized her arms were tied at her back, and her feet were secured tightly to the chair in which she sat. A blindfold had been placed over her eyes. Her body ached from being in this position, and panic welled within her chest.
Voices from not far away echoed in the room. She kept still and listened intently as she tried to clear her head of the fog she’d just left.
“How soon do you think he will come?” asked a woman.
Although the woman’s voice was low, Emmie suspected she’d heard it before. But where?
“If I know Captain Hawk, he will come today.”
Forgetting that she was going to keep quiet, Emmie sucked in a quick breath.Captain Hawk?Impossible! Why would he come? Her head pounded for different reasons now. Was he somehow connected with her uncle?
All these unanswered questions were so frustrating. She wanted to know what was going on now, but she continued to act as if she was still unconscious. She prayed her captors believed that.
“And when will I get my money?” The woman’s voice came out stronger now, and more determined.
“Not to worry, my sweet lady,” the man said charmingly. “When Hawk arrives, you will be paid accordingly.”
Emmie didn’t like the sound of that. She wondered if the woman was way in over her head as well. Apparently, this man wasn’t someone to be trifled with.
“I better be paidverywell. I didn’t stick my neck out for you for nothing, you know. If Broderick Worthington knew what I have done—”
“He won’t, I assure you.”
Once again, Emmie gasped. Broderick? How was the man she loved involved in all of this? Somehow there was a missing piece of the puzzle, and she didn’t know what it was.
“My dear Miss Crampton. Your cousin will never know.” Once again, the man spoke with confidence.
Inwardly, Emmie groaned.Rebecca?What had that wretch of a woman done? Emmie had never liked Broderick’s cousin, and now she knew her first instincts were correct. Rebecca was definitely the hind end of a mule. Worse, actually. She was the devil’s own child. Obviously, Broderick had done something very damaging to her cousin that hopefully Emmie would discover soon.
Another set of footsteps pounded on the floor. “I believe everything is in place, Lieutenant Mercer. The trap has been set. When Worthington arrives, there is no way for escape,” the man said with quick breaths.
Emmie boiled inside, knowing that Broderick would be as helpless as she was now. And that second man’s voice… Why did it sound familiar?
“Splendid,” the man referred to as Lieutenant Mercer answered gleefully. “Finally, after all these years, Captain Hawk will be mine.”
Emmie’s mind skidded to a halt. They were just discussing Broderick, and now the pirate’s name had been mentioned again. It sounded like Broderick and Hawk were the same person. But that definitely couldn’t be correct. Broderick was too young to be that pirate.
Wasn’t he?
Dread washed over her like filthy water. Broderick was probably in his mid- to late twenties. Fifteen years ago, the pirate would have been about the same age or older. Yet the lieutenant seemed to think Broderick was Hawk. Could it be possible that Broderick had taken over as Captain Hawk after a friend or family member? She knew his father was dead, so what were the chances that the original pirate was Broderick’s father?
Not only that, but Broderick had promised her that Captain Hawk didn’t attack passenger ships. And she believed him. So, why was Captain Hawk being blamed for things he didn’t do?
