so readily available. Even if you could get out of here alive, do you really think your contact is available to speak to you now?”
Archie watched the malice in the Frenchman’s eyes waver just a little as doubt began to surface. He hadn’t considered the possibility that Archie had already taken the Frenchman’s contact out of the equation; a scenario that Archie himself wished he had been able to do. If he hadn’t been so busy protecting Portia and her sister, he would have had the chance to take the Frenchman’s Tissington-based financier out. The man, whoever he may be, was most probably still waiting at the small coaching inn in the centre of Tissington.
Still , it wouldn’t hurt to bluff a little, especially if it bought them enough time for Archie to work out a way to escape this deadly situation. If he had been on his own, he would have taken his chances and fought his way out but he couldn’t do that with the two ladies in tow.
“Tell me what I need to know , and I will release the ladies.”
“Of course you will.” Archie shook his head, wondering whether Portia would have the ability to pull the trigger the way he had told her in the stables.
“I don’t lie,” Manton argued, ignoring the ladies cowering behind Archie with arrogant contempt. “I will let them leave unharmed if you tell me what I want to know.”
“What, so you and your men can hunt them down outside? I don’t think so , Manton. I have seen enough of your callousness to know how your twisted mind works. There is no possibility you will risk either of these ladies talking about anything they have witnessed this afternoon, and you and I both know it. The ladies stay with me. Besides, I am telling you nothing.”
“Aahh, very noble of you, I am sure.” Manton wasn’t lost to the fact that the man seemed to know his name. It irked him that he needed to ask the man for his name. He wondered why the arrogant young Englishman was so determined to protect the women. Of course they were beautiful, but there were prettier women in the country. Manton began to think over the situation more carefully and studied at the women closely. “You cannot save them, you know.”
Archie knew t he Frenchman was probably right. Their predicament was about as dire as it could possibly get, and he wasn’t at all sure that they could get out of it alive. Still, he was a fighter who had been in worse situations than this. If he had to die protecting the lives of two innocent people, then that was fine. As long as they lived to see another day, and his death wasn’t in vain, then he had qualms about the sacrifice. Women like Portia and Cecily didn’t deserve to die at the hands of ruthless Frenchmen at all, let alone in a place of worship. He wondered if this was a way of escaping their father that either lady had ever considered before, and doubted it.
Portia watched the interplay with a mixture of horror and intrigue , and fought to quell the rising panic. She had only taken one look at the gaunt-looking Frenchman and had instinctively recoiled from the visible threat that seemed to emanate from the foreigner. The man blocking her from the Frenchman’s threat was putting his own life at risk by doing so. Despite his bravery, Portia knew that there was no possibility of him fighting three men on his own. Their situation was desperate indeed.
Portia’s eyes met and held Cecily’s and she read the stoic calm in her sister’s direct gaze. A lthough initially terrified, Cecily had managed to overcome her fear and was weighing their options herself, trying to think of a way to get them out of the church alive.
P ortia used the broad expanse of the man’s back and nodded down at the small paring knife in Cecily’s hand. Cecily jerked and glanced down at the blade she held, clearly having forgotten it when the Frenchman – Manton, had arrived. She raised cautious eyes toward Portia who glanced down at the gun she held meaningfully.
“The
Archie watched the malice in the Frenchman’s eyes waver just a little as doubt began to surface. He hadn’t considered the possibility that Archie had already taken the Frenchman’s contact out of the equation; a scenario that Archie himself wished he had been able to do. If he hadn’t been so busy protecting Portia and her sister, he would have had the chance to take the Frenchman’s Tissington-based financier out. The man, whoever he may be, was most probably still waiting at the small coaching inn in the centre of Tissington.
Still , it wouldn’t hurt to bluff a little, especially if it bought them enough time for Archie to work out a way to escape this deadly situation. If he had been on his own, he would have taken his chances and fought his way out but he couldn’t do that with the two ladies in tow.
“Tell me what I need to know , and I will release the ladies.”
“Of course you will.” Archie shook his head, wondering whether Portia would have the ability to pull the trigger the way he had told her in the stables.
“I don’t lie,” Manton argued, ignoring the ladies cowering behind Archie with arrogant contempt. “I will let them leave unharmed if you tell me what I want to know.”
“What, so you and your men can hunt them down outside? I don’t think so , Manton. I have seen enough of your callousness to know how your twisted mind works. There is no possibility you will risk either of these ladies talking about anything they have witnessed this afternoon, and you and I both know it. The ladies stay with me. Besides, I am telling you nothing.”
“Aahh, very noble of you, I am sure.” Manton wasn’t lost to the fact that the man seemed to know his name. It irked him that he needed to ask the man for his name. He wondered why the arrogant young Englishman was so determined to protect the women. Of course they were beautiful, but there were prettier women in the country. Manton began to think over the situation more carefully and studied at the women closely. “You cannot save them, you know.”
Archie knew t he Frenchman was probably right. Their predicament was about as dire as it could possibly get, and he wasn’t at all sure that they could get out of it alive. Still, he was a fighter who had been in worse situations than this. If he had to die protecting the lives of two innocent people, then that was fine. As long as they lived to see another day, and his death wasn’t in vain, then he had qualms about the sacrifice. Women like Portia and Cecily didn’t deserve to die at the hands of ruthless Frenchmen at all, let alone in a place of worship. He wondered if this was a way of escaping their father that either lady had ever considered before, and doubted it.
Portia watched the interplay with a mixture of horror and intrigue , and fought to quell the rising panic. She had only taken one look at the gaunt-looking Frenchman and had instinctively recoiled from the visible threat that seemed to emanate from the foreigner. The man blocking her from the Frenchman’s threat was putting his own life at risk by doing so. Despite his bravery, Portia knew that there was no possibility of him fighting three men on his own. Their situation was desperate indeed.
Portia’s eyes met and held Cecily’s and she read the stoic calm in her sister’s direct gaze. A lthough initially terrified, Cecily had managed to overcome her fear and was weighing their options herself, trying to think of a way to get them out of the church alive.
P ortia used the broad expanse of the man’s back and nodded down at the small paring knife in Cecily’s hand. Cecily jerked and glanced down at the blade she held, clearly having forgotten it when the Frenchman – Manton, had arrived. She raised cautious eyes toward Portia who glanced down at the gun she held meaningfully.
“The
Similar Books
