“How very industrious. So, do you think she has Bened in that inn? That would seem risky.”
“Not if this town is what I am thinking it is.”
“You mean a town full of men my aunt would like to hire.”
Bevan chuckled. “More or less. I suspect she would not be trusted or would even want to approach many of these men.”
“So what do we do now? I cannot get near the inn as she and her men, if she still has the three I saw, will recognize me.”
“One thing we need to do is wait until it is dark again. This is not something to do in broad daylight when one will stand out as a stranger in town anyway. There is a chance she is not even at the inn.”
“Her carriage is there.”
“I think it is because that is the only place that could house the horses as she wanted. I will have a look, though.”
“Now we find a place to camp.”
“Good plan, if we can find one where we will not be discovered.”
Bevan found a perfect spot within the hour. His only warning was to stay out of sight of the river as much as possible. No going down to the river’s edge unless the waterway was completely empty of boats. Primrose had only just gotten settled when Bevan disappeared. He returned two hours later and then Morris disappeared. It went on like that until the sun started to go down and she wondered when one of them might think to tell her what they had been up to.
“You have been very busy spying out the town and, I suspect, the inn. Perhaps even the little homes scattered just outside the village as well. I would have looked at them, too. Have you seen my aunt or caught sight of Bened?” she finally asked when Morris finished sharing out the food he had bought at the inn.
“We have. You aunt does not know us and spying on people is something I am very good at,” said Bevan.
“He is that,” said Morris. “No idea how he does it, but people can walk right by him and not see him and yet, I know he does not disappear or anything strange like that. ’Tis a wonder.”
“Do you become part of what you hide near?” she asked. “Like one of those chameleons?”
“Something like that.” Bevan smiled at her. “You are not only not troubled by it all but you try to understand.”
“A gift from my father, I think. Curiosity and the need to know. He said one must learn and learning sometimes meant you have to face things you fear or do not truly want to know. The fact that your son,” she said, looking at Morris, “sees the dead and could let me see them if I wanted is fascinating even as something inside shies away from it. Papa said never listen to that voice unless it is a matter of life and death, your good health, or your safety.” She shrugged. “I try to follow that lesson. I rather like to learn things. It helps that I recall most everything I read and, to some extent, everything I hear although I have recently discovered some rather large holes in my memory from when I was a child. But, I will sort that out when we get Bened free and make certain my brother is safe.”
“And, I hate to say this so bluntly, but we need to be rid of your aunt.”
“No need to apologize, sir. That I know. Since I am almost certain she is the one who killed my father and quite possibly my mother years ago, I have no difficulty accepting that this will end with her dead. After all, she means to see me and my only brother dead.”
“Good that you can see that clearly. She has Bened in a cottage behind the village. It is at the end of a tiny lane between the dressmaker’s and the apothecary.”
“He is still alive?” she asked, unable to fully hide her fear and not surprised when Bevan patted her hand. They were both worried about his brother.
“Yes, he is. Last I looked he was just rousing from the blow on the head.” Bevan frowned. “I do not know what is planned for him but I am certain it is not good.” A slight color touched his face. “He is naked and tied to a chair.”
“Good heavens.” Primrose frowned and thought on all the books on battles and wars she had read and felt her blood actually chill in her veins. “Torture,” she said. “I have read too many books on battles, wars, and such as that, perhaps, but I think they want some information and mean to torture it out of him.”
“It is what I thought, as well, so we need to get him out of there before that happens. He is still unconscious so that is a good thing. It has kept him safe from any harm while we came to get him. She has half a dozen men lurking about if you include the one they all refer to as her servant. I listened to them laughing about it as they say she needed the fool to press her gowns.”
“Sad to say that is probably exactly right. Did they mention a name?”
“Johnson? Nay, it was Jenson.” Bevan looked at her in surprise when she gave a short laugh.
“She has taken Uncle Rufford’s valet with her.”
“Do you think he is also her guard? Someone we need to worry about if we get to her?”
“No. He is a valet. Fussy, not too brave, needs everything clean, and such as that. I am not certain he could even use a pistol or want to. In many ways, he is a nice man. No, Jenson will not fight anyone.” Primrose sipped the cider Morris had bought and served them all. “I wonder what she has threatened him with to get him to go along with her, to leave my uncle.”
“She would have to threaten him to do that?” asked Bevan.
“Yes. He hates travel and knows my uncle would never let him go. I wonder if she had more than one reason to take him. He is probably the only reason she never killed her husband. Jenson fussed over my uncle. But, then there is the fact that she needs my uncle alive to become the baron if she is to be the lady of the manor.”
“But he might not live long to celebrate that moment for long.”
“That is what I think, Morris.” She frowned. “Is that all of your name? No sir before it or anything?”
“Actually, I am Lord Morris Wherlocke. A viscount. Will step up when, and pray it is not soon, my father dies.”
“Oh, I am sorry then, m’lord.”
“No need to be. The Wherlockes actually have more than their fair share of titles. When we are together we tend to toss them aside or we would be m’lording ourselves to death.”
“Is there a plan to get Bened back?”
The silence that greeted her question made Primrose uneasy. It would be six against three—if they counted her and she suspected she would need to force them to do so. Not good odds. Not unless they could come up with a way to winnow that down until it was at least even.
“We were going to plot it out as we ate,” said Bevan, and Morris nodded slowly.
“Then we had best get started,” she said, and ignored the look they exchanged. When neither of them did just that, she offered, “The only thing I could think of is that we need a plan to knock down the six men to at least three. Much more favorable odds.”
Bevan nodded. “You have a good grasp of strategy. I am just not sure how we can do it without bringing too much attention to ourselves or causing your aunt to act against my brother too quickly.”
“Then we have to do it as stealthily as possible.”
It was a challenge and they quickly took it up. In some ways it was all done to keep her from joining in the rescue of Bened. She knew they wished her to stay right where she was alone, in the dark, safe. That was not something she intended to do and so she intended to hear all of their plan. If she could participate in any way, she would, and, if not, she would find another way to do so. Bened had helped her and she intended to repay that in the best way she could. He did not deserve to suffer at the hands of her mad aunt.
She smiled when Boudicca rushed over to sit on her lap and both men frowned at the dog. Men did not much like tiny dogs and poor Boudicca was going to be tinier than most. The dog looked at Morris, curled her lip, and snarled in a deep tone. Morris looked startled and Bevan laughed heartily.
“Ferocious little thing,” Morris said.
“I suspect she will always do her best to protect me since I saved her from drown
ing.” She patted the dog’s head and gave it a piece of her roasted chicken. “We need to make some decisions quickly as he cannot sleep much longer. They will wake him if he does.”
“Then we best make our plans. I do not suppose we can convince you to just wait here.”
“No, so best come up with something I can do. I know how to use a pistol.”
“First, we get rid of as many of her men as we can. Then, we need to try to get into the room where Bened is from as many ways as we can. There is a window and one door so the choices are few. To the house there are two doors and a window in each room.”
“I can get in the window,” said Bevan.
Primrose listened to the plans and soon thought they had a chance. If they had a few more people, they would have an even better one but she would take a nice gift of luck if she had to. While they tried to make a plan that would give her something to do yet not be in too much danger, she tried to think of where she could keep her dog.
Simeon was pleased to see the woman moving with her previous grace when they slipped out of the house to get their horses. “I realized we have not introduced ourselves. I am Lord Simeon Wootten of Willow Hill. And you?”
“Lilybet Wherlocke of here.” She glanced back at the building they had just left. “My parents bought this and were doing well. Too well. It stirred jealousy. It cost them their lives. If I had not been so young, it might have cost me my life as well but a cousin of my father’s arrived and took over. Since then I have been no more than a maid. So, I found my mother’s birth name and took that for myself. I had no wish to be a Foddam.”
“Ah. Relatives can be a curse. It is my aunt and uncle who are causing me and my sister such grief. I think a lot of that stems from jealousy as well. That and greed.” Seeing how she continued to stare sadly at her home, he said quietly, “But you still need to leave. My aunt will not leave you alive. Those men could return at any time.”
“I intend to leave but I am uncertain of where to go.”
“Find your mother’s people?”
“It is a thought. Let us get you to your uncle first.”
He nodded and mounted his horse. They were a few miles away by the time the sun came up and he relaxed. Not only was he back on the road to his uncle’s but he had gotten his rescuer away as well. If he could just find his aunt and make her pay for the things she had done, he would be a happy man.
By midday he could see that she needed to rest and began to search out a place for them to stop. He took one look at the village below the hill they sat on and frowned. The village was too quiet and he was certain that was his aunt’s carriage in the inn yard near the stables. Simeon signaled to Lilybet and drew her back down the hill on the side away from the village.
“There is a bad feeling to that place,” Lilybet said.
“I think it has been taken over by crooks and smugglers. River pirates and all that. Not that well read on the criminal class but what there is out here in the country are the sort holding that town. I am certain of it. We will find a little clearing to take a rest in.”
Wondering why a man would think he could learn about criminals just by reading about them, Lilybet said, “Aye, we must and there is one just through those trees.” She abruptly grinned at him. “Come along.”
Since she looked so pleased, he did not complain but followed her into the trees. He had followed her for only a few minutes before he heard a voice he knew as well as his own. A glance at Lilybet told him she had known Primrose was close. Simeon’s pleasure suddenly faded as he feared Lilybet would now go off on her own and she was not safe, any more than he was, while Augusta was still alive.
“Nay, I will not leave yet. Being with you is what will lead me to my mother’s family.”
“Well, always happy to be a useful fellow.”
Lilybet laughed. “I suspect many find you very useful for a lot of things. Let us go meet your sister. She has been searching for you.”
“I need to find someplace to put my dog so she is safe while we do this,” said Primrose.
“Safest place would be with you, sister dear,” said a deep voice from the edge of the clearing.
Primrose’s heart leapt so hard and fast she had to put her hand over it as she spun around and looked at the two riders at the edge of the clearing. Simeon looked far less elegant than he usually did and rather tired. The pretty black-haired woman next to him looked as if she badly needed to rest. Primrose set the basket down and ran to her brother’s side even as he dismounted. She immediately noticed his wince when she hugged him, however, and stood back a little to look him over.
“You are hurt,” she said. “Did they get hold of you?”
“For a short while but I escaped and this kind woman hid me from them,” said Simeon as he held out his hand and assisted Lilybet in dismounting. “This is Lilybet Wherlocke. She paid dearly for her kindness to a desperate man for they came after her as well. Aunt has her cane rods with her.”
“A Wherlocke?” asked Morris, studying Lilybet closely. “Yes, I can see it now.”
“My mother said we shared a certain look about us,” said Lilybet. “We can discuss that later, if you would be so kind, but you must get that man out of there. That woman seeks information on her niece and she will use any means she can to get him to give it to her.”
“Bened would never . . .” began Primrose, and ignored the sharp look her brother gave her over her familiar use of the man’s name.
“Nay, he would not and that is why you must get him out of there quickly. She will see that she needs more than her cursed rod and get her man who is so good with a knife.”
“You need to rest,” Simeon said. “I think you could use some salve on your wounds as well.”
“I have some and mayhap you can help me put some on when you return.” Lilybet slowly seated herself beneath a tree.
“Of course I will.” Primrose set the basket with her dog next to the woman, worried about how pale she looked. “Could you watch my dog for me?”
“I would be happy to. Now, go and get him away from that woman who is nothing but a curse for your family.”
Chapter Thirteen
A sharp pain stabbed repeatedly in the back of Bened’s head as the darkness faded from his mind. Then he cursed. The dryness in his mouth and throat told him he had been unconscious for a long time. Someone had gotten behind him and he had not realized it until too late. He knew why he had missed the warning as well. He had been so concerned about the enemy getting to Primrose that they had managed to get to him. It was a bad time to find out that his gift had a weak spot.
As he surveyed the room he was trapped in, his next clear thought was that Primrose was alone in the wood in the dark and he would not be there to ease her fear. From what he could see out the window he was not in the small inn, he was in one of the cottages. He could see the backs of the village buildings through the window. He hoped the people who had allowed Augusta to use their home were still alive and, if so, were getting as far away as they could.
The next thing he noticed was that he was naked, wrist and ankles tied to a chair. Being naked did not trouble him much. Having been a soldier for a few years, he had lost all modesty a long time ago. Being naked and tied so firmly to a chair was something worth worrying about. He did not think a man could be much more vulnerable. There were a few reasons someone would keep a captive in such a condition and none of them were good ones.
Bened gritted his teeth and tested the strength of his bonds. He hissed at the sting when the rope cut into his flesh but now he could move a few fingers just enough to pluck at the knots. If he could just get one hand loose, he could untie himself quickly, perhaps even quickly enough to flee before his captors returned.
That small hope was crushed when the door opened and Augusta Wootten walked in. Behind her was a taller, thin man with a narrow face and a head full of silver hair. The man’s eyes widened as he stared in shock when he saw Bened.
“M’lady,
this man is naked!”
“I am quite aware of that, Jenson,” said Augusta. “Please move that chair over here and set it in front of him.”
“But . . .”
“Jenson! Do as I say. Sweet mercy, you old fool, I have been married for many years. And there are sound reasons for forcing a prisoner to remain naked. Humiliating him is but one of those.”
“Ah, well,” Bened said as Jenson set out a far more comfortable chair for Augusta than he was tied to at the moment and she took her seat as if she was ready to be served tea. “I was a soldier for a few years. Lose all sense of modesty in that work. ’Tis a luxury a soldier cannot afford.”
“Listen, Vaughn . . .”
“Sir,” Bened said. “’Tis Sir Vaughn, ma’am. I earned that knighthood and the baronetcy and I would appreciate it if you used the right address.”
“Would you, now? Well, Sir, where is my niece?”
He shrugged and then kept his face as free of expression as he could when Augusta held her hand out and Jenson paced a thick cane rod in it. There was reluctance in every move the man made. Bened just wished the man’s reluctance had caused him to refuse to help the woman.
She slowly stood up, lightly caressing the length of the rod, and, before he could fully prepare himself, lashed out. The force of the blow across his shoulders made him grunt softly but he knew the true pain of it would come later. Bened suddenly wondered if the woman had caned Primrose that way. When she struck again he held back even the grunt of pain as she caned him three times right across the chest. The woman had surprising strength behind her blows.
“As I thought, you are made of hardier stock than most,” Augusta said.
“Hardier than whom?”
“Than that foolish girl in the last village for one. But, I suspected you would be in need of a heavier hand than I, a mere woman, could ever apply. I believe that Carl and his knives are needed.”
If He's Noble (Wherlocke Book 7) (Paranormal Historical Romance) Page 16