His Lady Spy (The Star Elite Series) by Rebecca King Page B

vestry,” Cecily whispered quietly. She felt rather than saw the man shielding them shift a little. Had he heard her? The vestry was several feet behind them, but was the closest room to where they were standing, and it had a door they could bolt that would bide them some time. It also led to the door at the rear of the church and the graveyard that would lead to freedom.
    “I think you have bigger problems on your hands than the fate of two helpless females,” Archie argued, wondering if the ladies were going to try to sidle toward the vestry. He thought he heard the word being whispered by Portia once or twice, or was that Cecily? It was hard to tell, they both sounded so similar, but at least they were logical enough to try to plot a way out of the current, temporary stand-off.
    He hoped, for all of their sakes, that they would have the wisdom to stay where they were and keep quiet for now. While Archie was standing before them, they were at no risk whatsoever. As soon as he moved, they would become moving targets.
    He knew that he had to take a chance and fight his way out of the church, preferably before more of Manton’s Guards arrived, but first he had to divert Manton’s attention away from the ladies, and give them the chance of escape.
    “We know all about your little chain of miscreants who are helping you. The merchant in Tissington who is providing you with the finances in return for being furnished with smuggled goods. We know all about his associates who are running messages for him, most of them without knowing it. The boat you have waiting for you is now without manpower, and Guards to protect you. We know who you are, and I know that you won’t get out of here alive.” Archie smirked when Manton’s arrogance visibly wavered upon learning that his well planned escape route had been disabled. In reality Archie had no idea if Jamie had managed to disable the boat, but the Frenchman didn’t know that.
    “You have been very thorough, my friend,” Manton intoned in a voice that was almost too amenable. “But I am afraid that you haven’t been as thorough as you had hoped. There are people involved who you wouldn’t possibly consider a danger.”
    Archie went cold and wondered if he had just made a colossal mistake. The gun Portia had just slid out of his pocket was his main weapon. Had he just stood like a numbskull and allowed her – the enemy – to slide it out of his pocket? Ignoring the growing alarm, it took deep concentration to keep his face impassive and merely stare blankly back at the Frenchman.
    “We know,” Archie declared flatly. He wasn’t lost to the fact that the Frenchman was turning his blade around, faster and faster, clearly growing impatient with Archie’s reluctance to make any sudden moves. It was only a matter of time now before the Frenchman lost all patience and made the first move. Only on this occasion, Archie had to be the one to control the situation. He was about to slide his own blade out of his belt when a flurry of movement from behind him was accompanied by the loud retort of his gun going off.

CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    Archie’s gaze flew to the two Guards in the aisle who immediately lunged forward when Manton slumped to the ground, a large gaping hole in his neck. Twisting around he only just managed to drag Portia to the floor as the Guards opened fire. Raising himself up onto his knees he dragged Cecily down beside them behind the altar with a curse, and watched bits of dust and debris rain down around them.
    “Stay down!” Archie ordered, shoving both ladies together and shielding them from the worst of the debris by his bulk alone. He took the opportunity to study a visibly shaking Portia, who had a look of abject horror on her face. Her glazed eyes were staring down unseeingly at the gun in her hand.
    “Look after her,” Archie snapped at Cecily, taking the gun gently out of Portia’s stiff fingers. “Stay here.” He quickly reloaded the weapon