put them off for a while.”
For once the promise of danger didn’t excite her. She wanted to flee immediately, but helped him drag Dobson to the bed and shackle him there. Nathaniel roughly wrapped the bottom sheet around him to hold his arms in place. The way Nathaniel shoved much of the pillow into the man’s mouth made her wince, but she didn’t protest.
She handed him the gun. “I don’t know how to work this thing.”
He held it and examined it casually, a man who knew guns. “Huh. Not loaded. I’ll keep it. Maybe I can use it as some sort of evidence.”
He wrapped the sheet over himself again, went to the door and looked out. “The servant’s stairs,” he whispered. “We’ll go that way.”
“Thank goodness. I’m still far too dizzy to climb down.”
He grimaced then said, “I wish I could watch you.”
With silent footsteps they made their way along the hall and went down the narrow steps.
No one saw and, just like that, they were free.
Chapter Four
He was barefoot, she wore her shoes, and they slipped from the manor and fled. Despite his weeks of captivity and unprotected feet, he ran more swiftly than she did. He gripped her hand and pulled her along.
When they’d run far enough among the trees to be invisible from the house, she leaned over and panted. “How...how are you able to run so well?”
“I did strengthening exercises when I could.”
She rubbed her hands over her face and gave a sobbing laugh. “You are amazing to survive as well as you have. One night in that place and I was ready to do anything to get out.”
“Believe me, sweet Florrie. I was ready to do anything, too. I tried everything. But it’s over now. Done. Come on.” He touched her arm. “We’ll go to the vicar’s house. He knows me—he tutored me one summer term.”
“He doesn’t know me,” she said.
Nathaniel went very still. “Yes, of course. Your strange clothes. Your reputation.”
She gestured at his toga and the gun he clutched. “Yours, too.”
“Hang that. But...I understand. You return to your brother. You must tell him you’re safe. Florrie, I’ll come with you, shall I? Make certain that you reach him safely.”
She went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I have to go by myself. I can’t face the questions he’ll ask as it is. And if he saw you.” She wasn’t sure what Duncan would do, but it wouldn’t bode well for Nathaniel. “No. I can’t imagine what the people at that inn would say. And you must find real help.”
He dragged her face up to his and pressed a wild kiss to her mouth. “Florrie, what if you are carrying a baby? I didn’t spend inside your body, but it might still happen.”
She gaped at him. “Oh.”
“I will come find you once this is done.” He sounded grimly determined.
“No.” The hysteria rose to her throat again. She wanted to get away as fast as she could, escape before she showed him the weakness and tears rising. “I will send word if there’s a, um, problem. Go. Run for help and I’ll run in the opposite direction.”
He still held her fast. “Do you mean you wish you never knew me? Is that what you want to have happen?”
“Oh, not you. Nathaniel. But I can face nothing more at the moment.” She shuddered remembering the chickens with the cold, blood-filled eyes. And her own recklessness was to blame for it all. “My head is still so dizzy I can barely walk, but I want to run until I collapse. And never have another adventure again. And never face what a fool I’ve been.”
He gave a single grim-faced nod. Then he gave her another soft kiss on the mouth, his full lips brushing hers, but not long enough, or perhaps too long, because the ache started.
He turned away. She watched him run, silent and fleet even without shoes, only stumbling once. Wrapped in the sheet, he should have looked ridiculous, but he was magnificent. He didn’t look back.
Too exhausted to run, she walked to the edge of the moor
For once the promise of danger didn’t excite her. She wanted to flee immediately, but helped him drag Dobson to the bed and shackle him there. Nathaniel roughly wrapped the bottom sheet around him to hold his arms in place. The way Nathaniel shoved much of the pillow into the man’s mouth made her wince, but she didn’t protest.
She handed him the gun. “I don’t know how to work this thing.”
He held it and examined it casually, a man who knew guns. “Huh. Not loaded. I’ll keep it. Maybe I can use it as some sort of evidence.”
He wrapped the sheet over himself again, went to the door and looked out. “The servant’s stairs,” he whispered. “We’ll go that way.”
“Thank goodness. I’m still far too dizzy to climb down.”
He grimaced then said, “I wish I could watch you.”
With silent footsteps they made their way along the hall and went down the narrow steps.
No one saw and, just like that, they were free.
Chapter Four
He was barefoot, she wore her shoes, and they slipped from the manor and fled. Despite his weeks of captivity and unprotected feet, he ran more swiftly than she did. He gripped her hand and pulled her along.
When they’d run far enough among the trees to be invisible from the house, she leaned over and panted. “How...how are you able to run so well?”
“I did strengthening exercises when I could.”
She rubbed her hands over her face and gave a sobbing laugh. “You are amazing to survive as well as you have. One night in that place and I was ready to do anything to get out.”
“Believe me, sweet Florrie. I was ready to do anything, too. I tried everything. But it’s over now. Done. Come on.” He touched her arm. “We’ll go to the vicar’s house. He knows me—he tutored me one summer term.”
“He doesn’t know me,” she said.
Nathaniel went very still. “Yes, of course. Your strange clothes. Your reputation.”
She gestured at his toga and the gun he clutched. “Yours, too.”
“Hang that. But...I understand. You return to your brother. You must tell him you’re safe. Florrie, I’ll come with you, shall I? Make certain that you reach him safely.”
She went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I have to go by myself. I can’t face the questions he’ll ask as it is. And if he saw you.” She wasn’t sure what Duncan would do, but it wouldn’t bode well for Nathaniel. “No. I can’t imagine what the people at that inn would say. And you must find real help.”
He dragged her face up to his and pressed a wild kiss to her mouth. “Florrie, what if you are carrying a baby? I didn’t spend inside your body, but it might still happen.”
She gaped at him. “Oh.”
“I will come find you once this is done.” He sounded grimly determined.
“No.” The hysteria rose to her throat again. She wanted to get away as fast as she could, escape before she showed him the weakness and tears rising. “I will send word if there’s a, um, problem. Go. Run for help and I’ll run in the opposite direction.”
He still held her fast. “Do you mean you wish you never knew me? Is that what you want to have happen?”
“Oh, not you. Nathaniel. But I can face nothing more at the moment.” She shuddered remembering the chickens with the cold, blood-filled eyes. And her own recklessness was to blame for it all. “My head is still so dizzy I can barely walk, but I want to run until I collapse. And never have another adventure again. And never face what a fool I’ve been.”
He gave a single grim-faced nod. Then he gave her another soft kiss on the mouth, his full lips brushing hers, but not long enough, or perhaps too long, because the ache started.
He turned away. She watched him run, silent and fleet even without shoes, only stumbling once. Wrapped in the sheet, he should have looked ridiculous, but he was magnificent. He didn’t look back.
Too exhausted to run, she walked to the edge of the moor
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