Maddy drew breath to tell Daniel not to, to shout for him to run, but Jessop’s arm around her neck choked her to silence. Then she saw what Jessop did: Brynn with a pistol aimed at Jessop. Only now it had to go through Maddy first.
*
“Well, now. Thisis convenient. You see who I have here? How about you put that gun down, you ’n that lad behind you.”
Brynn did as he was told. Dutton did the same.
“I don’t know what they do in the Carolinas, Jessop, but you’ll hang for kidnapping a duchess. Let her go, and we’ll get you on a ship with your neck intact.” Brynn focused his eyes on Maddy, but he kept Daniel Kendrick in his peripheral vision.
“You keep quiet if you want all the pieces of your duchess back. I’m not talking to you. I want to talk to the duke.”
“Which one?” Brynn asked.
“The fancy-pants boy that stole it. Looks like he has the money,” Jessop said. “I’m not leaving until I have my due.”
Brynn spoke to Dutton breathing heavily behind him, “The duke is at the stables. Fetch him.”And a small army. If Dutton wasn’t smart enough to do that, the earl and Goodfellow would be.
“Quickly now, boy. I might get tired, and my knife might slip.”
Dutton started to claw his way through underbrush, but Jessop barked a laugh. “Around th’ other side. Take off them cut branches. Path comes out east of the paddock, but the fools probably couldn’t see it.”
Dutton went where Jessop had told him to, and Brynn heard some scuffling around before the groom called, “Found it, Colonel. Damned if there isn’t a path. Not much o’ one, but a path.”
Brynn leaned against a tree trunk, hoping he appeared cowed, and analyzed his options. He had few. He’d dressed in a hurry and left his ankle holster and small pistol behind. All he could do was keep Jessop talking and hope Benson arrived or that Goodfellow had the sense to divide his forces. Any sudden attack, and Maddy would be hurt.
Jessop eased his arm around Maddy’s neck, but he kept it there, the knife in his other hand dangerously close. Brynn was going to kill him. Slowly. “Has he hurt you?” he asked.
“No, he threw—”
“Not yet,” Jessop answered Brynn’s question over the top of Maddy’s words.
“Chelsea,” Brynn said, saying the first thing that popped in his head to distract Jessop.
Maddy frowned, predictably confused.
“I’m looking at houses there,” he went on.
“I don’t care about your damned house. Unless you want to offer me the money. I might let her go then and keep the boy.”
“No!” Maddy said.
“I might consider that,” Brynn replied as calmly as he could.
“You can’t let him take Daniel,” she moaned. Brynn hated distressing her, and he hoped she didn’t think he’d do such a thing, but he was content to let her reaction distract Jessop.
“He can do as he pleases with his money, woman. Shut your mouth. Think about it, Colonel.”
You’re never going to get away, Jessop.Brynn swallowed the taunt. The worm could kill Maddy in seconds; with nothing to lose, he might do it. “Of course, if I did that, then I wouldn’t have a house to put her in,” he went on. Maddy’s brows rose at that bit of nonsense.
The so-called fools must have found Jessop’s path. To Brynn’s relief, Glenmoor came round the shack much faster than he’d expected, Kendrick on his heels.
“Give me my son, Isaiah!” Kendrick shouted.
“Him as should be the next duke? Valuable commodity is a duke’s heir.” Jessop glanced down at Daniel, who stared at him, alert and tense. The monster’s knife wavered close to Maddy’s neck. Too damned close. He firmed his grip and glared at Glenmoor. “What’s this boy worth to you? To either of you.”
“If its money you want,” Glenmoor said, “we’ll give it to you. And free passage out of England.” He named a staggering sum.
“Don’t lie to me. You can’t produce that much. Not soon enough. Get me what you can fetch now, and do it quickly. If it is enough, I might consider it. Maybe I’ll let him go.” Jessop worried his lip. “Or maybe I should take the boy with me until you send more. I’ll negotiate with the colonel here while I wait. He wants the woman and is willing to pay. Of course, she’s a bit torn up. Maybe I could at least cut these ugly stitches off her face. Worth more then.” He flicked the tip of the knife on the bottom stitch.
