He dragged off his jacket and eased his father up. Slinging his jacket around him, he brought the one lit lamp closer. He needed to get him back to Lockwood Manor, where a doctor could tend to him.
“Son?”
“I’m here.”
He glanced into those eyes that were so like his own. Relief washed over him. They looked clear.
“Damned sorry. He got the better of me. Tried to fight him but...”
“You tried to fight him?”
“Didn’t want you hurt...”
Gideon shook his head. The old fool had been trying to protect him all along, even offering himself up for jail time. He supposed he had been protecting him with his silence too. Except Gideon had been so hurt about not being a Cynfell, he’d never considered what he could gain from having a sterling man like St. Clair as a father.
“You did well.” He helped St. Clair to his feet. “We need to get you warm and taken care of.”
They staggered out into the rain and Gideon helped his father into the saddle. St. Clair gripped the reins and kept his head low, the pain written obviously on his face. Gideon led the mount up toward the house.
Rain pattered around him and his boots sank into the muddy ground. “Nearly there,” he said, though he doubted St. Clair heard a thing over the rain. Thankfully the house was not too far away, even if it did take longer than usual to get there. When he bashed on the door, a stern Julian answered.
“What the—” He saw Gideon. “Christ, I should have guessed. Is there news from Pierce?”
Gideon shook his head and dragged St. Clair in.
Viola hastened over when she spotted him. “Goodness, what have you lot been up to?” She waved a hand. “Never mind, I likely don’t want to know. Let us get you upstairs. Julian, send someone up with hot water and get one of the footmen to go for the doctor.”
To Gideon’s slight amusement—given the circumstances—Julian hastened away. Between them, Viola and he got St. Clair up into one of the guest rooms.
She inspected the wound. “It looks like you had quite a knock, Lord St. Clair.” She peered at Gideon. “Is this about Cleo?”
“What has Julian told you?”
“Only that her fiancé is not a good man.”
“That is correct.”
“And that you are hoping to prove as much.”
“We were. But the man we were questioning got away.”
Her mouth rounded. “You were questioning someone? At Lockwood?”
“At the keeper’s cottage. We didn’t want to worry you.”
“And this man got away?”
He nodded, swiping a hand across his damp brow.
She shook her head. “You Cynfells can never do anything easily can you?”
“It was the only way.” He glanced at his father. “Will he be well?”
“I’ll be fine,” the old man grunted. “Go.”
“Go?” Viola asked.
“I need to go to Cleo,” Gideon explained.
She smiled. “Of course you do. You had better hurry.”
“Be careful,” St. Clair warned. “That fellow could have gone to warn Harper.”
Gideon nodded. That thought had occurred to him too. He certainly hoped the man had simply done a runner, but there was a possibility he had found Harper and told him they were onto him.
He raced downstairs and out of the front door. Viola would let his brothers know what was happening so he wouldn’t waste any time waiting around for them. He had to get to Cleo and warn her then tell her parents everything. Once he was sure she was safe, he’d get to work on finding Harper and George.
He stepped out into the increasing dark. Peridot had already been led to the stables so he headed toward them. A flash of movement gave him cause to pause. It must have been a bat or something as the night was silent and still.
He heard a whoosh. Then felt pain, blinding pain. It seared through his skull. His knees gave way but he hardly felt his body meet the ground. He tried to blink away the fog in his mind, but his vision kept centring into a small dot. Just before it vanished altogether, he saw a pair of boots.
He recognised those boots.
Harper.
Chapter Seventeen
Rubbing her eyes, Cleo suppressed a yawn. All this waiting around to be rescued was exhausting. She supposed she understood why Sleeping Beauty slept through most of her story. Except unlike the princess, she was unable to sleep whilst knowing Gideon was out there, trying to ensure she did not have to marry a master thief.
She peered at the mantle clock. The night had come and gone and though her father had let her come down for the morning meal, she had retreated hastily to her bedroom in the vain hope that Gideon might brave another climb up the house. Of course, he would not. And even if he did, she would scold him heartily for risking his life for her.
Even so, the memory of him merrily climbing out of her window like when they were children and he’d climb up trees with all the skill of a monkey made her smile.
There was a tap at her door. Most likely her mother. She’d been wringing her hands over her father’s reaction and worrying about Cleo. Do not judge him too harshly, she said. He just wants the best for you.
Well Cleo knew that. The problem was Niall was not the best for her. Gideon was.
She strode over to the door. “Mama, I told you I’m not—” She froze. “How did you get in here?”
Niall stepped past her and shut the door. Unease settled quickly into her stomach. She forced a smile.
“Niall, if you are found in here, my father shall be more than furious.”
He smiled. Her stomach turned. This was not the usual affable or even awkward smile. There was malice behind it.
“Not to worry, he is out at present, or so the butler said. Your mother too. We are all alone.” He took a step toward her and she backed away.
“W-well that does not make it proper. You had better leave.”
Another step forward. She inched back farther.
“I have every intention of doing so.”
A breath escaped her. “Good. Return when my father is here and we can have a nice talk in the drawing room.”
“I’d rather not.” He glanced past her out of the window then snapped his attention back to her. “I will be leaving momentarily.” His grin widened. “And you shall be coming with me.”
“I hardly think my father would approve of that either. He’s told me I’m to stay at home until the wedding.”
“What a good thing I have excellent news then. We will marry today. I have it all arranged.”
She scowled and found the backs of her knees touching the bed. “Whatever do you mean?”
Niall inhaled a long breath through his nostrils. The sound seemed to echo through the room. “Our dear friend Gideon has been causing a few problems. It seems it has become pertinent for me to leave. But of course I could not leave my beautiful bride behind, so I have arranged for us to have a quick ceremony. All the paperwork has been ready for several days so there is no reason why we cannot. Then we shall be off to Australia. Won’t that be exciting?”
“Australia? Exciting?” Her voice had gone horribly high-pitched. Did he really think she would willingly marry him and run off to some hot country somewhere?
“We had better hurry. You needn’t worry about your belongings. I can buy you all you need when we get to Southampton.”
“Niall...”
He latched a hand around her wrist. “Come then.”
“Niall.” When she tugged, his hold on her tightened. “Niall, you’re hurting me.” He pulled her forward. “I’m not going!” she protested.
“I have no wish to harm you, Cleo, but you must understand. I have to leave and I will not leave without you. Surely you would not wish to be parted from me?”
“I don’t want to leave England.”
He stopped pulling and eyed her. “We have no choice. If we stay, I shall be locked up or worse. Then we shall never be marrie
d.” He touched her cheek and the sensation of his fingers upon her skin sent a shudder up her spine. “I’ve always loved you, Cleo. You were one of the only people who was ever nice to me. I will not lose you now.”
“Surely you do not think you can make me marry you?”
A scowl crossed over his face. “Why should I have to make you? This is what we want.”
“No, it isn’t. This is what you want. It has never been about what I want. I should never have said yes in the first place. I’m sorry, Niall, but I will not marry you.”
Several heavy heartbeats passed. He skimmed his gaze over her face and the creases between his brows deepened. Then he shook his head. “You do not know what you’re saying. This is a surprise, I know, but you will be quite content when we are married and settled."
Cleo tried to pull her wrist from his, but he cinched his grip tight until she cried out.
“Come, we have no time to waste.”
“No.” She tugged hard.
“Cleo,” he said through gritted teeth, hauling her into both of his arms. “Damn it, Cleo.”
She fought hard, kicking against his hold. She tried to smack him with her head but missed. He struggled to keep her clamped against him and she fell back. Her head jarred against the bedpost and her vision grew blurry. She sagged to the ground.
Though she tried to wriggle away, her strength had gone. The knock to her head left her thoughts muddled. She felt Niall bind her hands in front of her, then tie her feet together.
She almost laughed. If he thought he would be able to carry her out of here like a sack of grain, he was sorely mistaken. Someone would spot them and stop him.
“I did not wish to do this, Cleo, but you leave me with no choice. That bloody Gideon has poisoned you against me, I just know it.”
He hefted her up onto his shoulder. She wriggled but even with her head clearing, it had little impact now that she was so tightly bound. She screamed, and he slapped a hand over her mouth. Niall sighed, placed her down once more and tugged off his necktie. He proceeded to bind it around her mouth so that the fabric bit into the sides of her mouth and pressed against her tongue. He gave her a mournful look before lifting her again. When she screamed once more, the sound was muffled and useless.
Cleo had never been particularly happy about being so skinny but as she’d aged and heard friends complain about their waistline she had begun to see the benefits of it. However, when Niall hefted her easily onto his shoulder once more, she wished she had a little more weight to her. No matter how she squirmed he kept her held tightly.
Her head swam as he turned the corner from her bedroom. Where she had knocked her head throbbed painfully and being held upside down did not help matters much. Her stomach lurched while it pressed into his shoulder. The corridor was a blur of doors and paintings.
Niall paused suddenly and ducked into one of the window alcoves. Was someone coming? She would be rescued at any moment surely? Cleo screamed again but to no avail. Whoever it was had gone and Niall was heading down the rear stairs. Unless they ran into one of the servants, no one would prevent him from leaving with her.
The daylight made her wince. He raced outside, jostling her and making her stomach lurch. She beat against his back with her bound hands and jerked her feet. When she lifted her head, she saw the house. Though she knew they weren’t far away from it, her head spun and it seemed as though they had already travelled miles.
Niall eased her off his shoulder and tossed her over his horse. She scrabbled to hold on, fearing the fall from the large mount. He climbed up beside her and manoeuvred her so that he had her held tight. She cursed the fuzziness in her head. Perhaps the fall would not be so bad. It would surely be better to suffer a few broken bones than be taken by a madman.
Yes. She closed her eyes and readied herself. But when she tried to force her way off, Niall gripped her to him and kicked the horse into a trot. She opened her eyes and saw the grass whizz by. Her stomach rolled and her vision blurred further. She tried to cling to logical thought but there was none. Just the ache in her head, the pain in her gut, and her gradually vanishing vision.
She would get away, she promised herself before blackness clouded her mind, and she surrendered to it.
When she next opened her eyes, the pace of the horse had slowed. Her head still pounded but she could see again. The dryness in her mouth was unbearable.
The cool shadows and the uneven ground told her they were in the woods. She lifted her head enough to see that they were in one of the ones they used to frequent as children. They all knew the area well.
The horse came to a stop, and Niall dismounted. He eased her down into his arms and set her on her feet. Her knees immediately buckled so he helped her onto a log.
Cleo scowled at him with all her might. Her body ached from head to toe after being jostled around and the hit to her head. She felt boneless.
However, perhaps if he allowed her a few moments to rest, she might regain the energy to escape. She could hide somewhere maybe.
Niall pulled out a flask and took a drink. She eyed it enviously. He glanced at her and shook his head with a sigh.
“I really didn’t wish to do any of this, Cleo. You have to believe me that I’d never wish to hurt you. I love you so very much.” He came to crouch in front of her. He eased a finger under the necktie around her mouth and loosened it. “You were always such a sweet girl. Fun and friendly. I knew we would be together even from a young age.”
“Niall...”
He traced her lips with a finger. The look in his eyes was almost predatory. He seemed mesmerized by her. Yet it was not a look she enjoyed. There was nothing exciting about having a man look at her as though she was some object that should belong to him.
No, she’d rather be looked at like Gideon had the other night. With tenderness and love. And she certainly loved him. Which meant there was no way she would let Niall take her away.
He offered her some water and she took a grateful gulp.
“We would have been so happy if Gideon had let us,” he said mournfully. Then he smiled. “Well, we still shall be, but unfortunately we cannot remain in England.”
“Why, Niall?”
She could not help herself. She wanted to understand how on earth he had hidden this side of himself for so long and what he had really been doing. She needed to hear it from his lips. Besides which, she needed longer to get back her strength.
“Gideon has ruined everything,” he spat. “Everyone was excited for us before he came along. Him and his stupid father.”
“How did you know about that?”
He grinned. “I see that you do too now.”
“Yes, he told me everything.”
“Let’s just say I overheard a few murmurs when we were younger. I suspect it was when Gideon found out the truth too. I knew it would be useful information one day so I kept my mouth shut. He should be grateful to me really.”
“Grateful? You threatened him with that information. You wanted to destroy his family and his reputation.”
He snorted. “What reputation? The Cynfells were always scandalous. And here I was, with a perfect reputation, and yet the Cynfells still got all the attention.”
“If your reputation is so good, why are we to leave England?”
He tilted his head and eyed her. “Gideon has not told you?”
She swallowed and shook her head. Let him think she was entirely oblivious to his misdeeds. Somehow she hoped that would help her cause. “Whatever it is, Niall, I can help you. We can stay in England and persuade everyone you are innocent. Let us return home and talk with my father.”
“Innocent?” He arched a brow. “Why would you think I am guilty of something?”
“I-I do not know. I just thought—”
He yanked her to her feet. “Everything was going to be perfect, Cleo. Perfect. I could have treated you like a princess. I had the wealth and soon I would have the perfect bride. Now it is all ruined.”
“Never mind,” he declared. “We shall settle in Australia and you can learn to be the perfect bride.”
“But, Niall...”
He gripped her other arm and pulled her tight to him. “I did this all for you, Cleo, do you understand? Everyone thought I was this pleasant young man, and I was. I still am. But I knew to win you, I had to be better than that. I could not be dashing and bold, but I could be rich. And after all, who would suspect me of stealing jewels? Most of those I stole from hardly noticed their jewellery was missing.”
“You stole for me?”
He shrugged. “Well, it was amusing too. To see them fluster about and worry about a thief in the midst, all while I was comforting them and being the perfect gentleman.”
Cleo shook her head. He had to be mad.
“It was only ever for you, Cleo. Why can you not see that?” He turned away, releasing her from his grip.
She landed hard on the log with the sudden loss of support and cringed at the pain in her rear. She was going to have a lovely set of bruises on her bottom soon enough.
Niall took a drink from his flask and stowed it in the saddle pack. Cleo glanced down at the ropes binding her ankles. She could wait no longer; she had to get away, but how? She would be hopping along like a wretched bunny, and he would catch her with ease.
Peering around, she began to wriggle her feet and work her ankles against the rope. He was preoccupied with checking over his mount, but she was frightfully aware she had little time. She glanced around again.
There. Leaning back and nearly toppling herself from the log, she snatched up a stone between her two bound hands. With difficulty, she flung it in front of her feet. Then, with as much effort as she could muster, she kicked the stone with her tied feet toward the horse. She had no wish to hurt the animal but it was enough. The noise and slight tap to her leg had the mount rearing up.
While Niall cursed and fought to calm her, Cleo made her escape. She had only done about four hops before she heard Niall shout from behind her. Panic exploded in her chest. She hopped again and the bonds loosened. And again, and they were nearly free. Just a few more steps.
The Cynfell Brothers Page 76