A Dream of Redemption

by Bronwen Evans

  “So, it’s agreed. I will go in alone through the sewer. The rest of you will wait until I bring Helen out. Only then do the rest of you attack.” Clary was surprised that Sebastian didn’t argue with him. Helen’s brother stood with hands on hips, his fists clenched as if he wanted to pound Clary to dust.

  “Just make sure you get her out alive. It’s because of you that Glover has her. If he’s touched one hair on her head…”

  “If he has, he is a dead man, and you can get in line to kill him,” Clary uttered, and meant every word.

  As Clary made to leave Sebastian grabbed his arm and swung him to face him. “Once Helen is safe this is not over. You and I will have a day of reckoning.”

  Maitland cleared his throat. “This is not the time. We all need to be focused on saving Helen.”

  Simon came to stand next to his brother. He looked Sebastian straight in his eyes. “There will be a day of reckoning. Questions will be asked as to how you didn’t know that your warehouse was being used to sell children. Just remember it’s your reputation, and your family’s, at risk and not from my brother’s association. If you do anything to hurt Clary, I’ll make damn sure everybody knows how Glover used you.”

  Warmth infused every part of Clary’s body. He was so proud of Simon.

  He could not believe that his little brother risked everything to stand up for him. Perhaps his brother had forgiven him, and his heart surged with love for his sibling. A love he’d been too scared to show in case Simon rebuffed him. In that moment he turned and pulled Simon into a rough embrace and whispered, “I love you. Thank you.”

  “Just rescue the lady and come back safe, that’s all I ask,” and Simon squeezed him hard before stepping back out of his embrace.

  “Let’s go over the plan one more time,” Grayson suggested.

  Chapter 17

  The Libertine Scholars, and the rest of the men including Simon, were hiding a block away. He slipped into the sewer network a block from the warehouse and he was trying to remember the sewer layout that Sebastian had drawn for him. He turned the lantern down low and prayed that none of Glover’s men were positioned down here, for they would see the light. But without the light from the lantern he’d be stumbling around in the dark making too much noise.

  The men could only guess the location of where Glover might be hiding himself and the children in the warehouse. There was only one obvious place. Sebastian was sure Glover’s headquarters had to be down in one of the rooms off the abandoned grain cellars. That end of his large warehouse had been empty for many years, ever since Sebastian stopped transporting grain. His previous warehouse manager pointed out that the way to make more money was by transporting live cargo such as sheep and cattle to the Americas, southern Africa and other destinations.

  If that was Glover’s choice for his den of iniquity, it made it easy to infiltrate from the sewer. What Cleary prayed for was that it would also make it easy for their escape. But when there was only one way in, it meant there would be only one way out. Risky.

  As he drew closer to where they believed Glover was hiding, noises began to infiltrate the sewer. He could hear the mumblings of voices. His adrenaline surged. Sebastian had been correct. This was where Glover was hiding. He was sure of it.

  He found the trapdoor exactly where he’d been told it was, and thankfully, as the men had expected, there was no one guarding it from below. What Clary hoped was that no one was guarding it above. He also hoped no one inside knew the trapdoor was there. Sebastian said you wouldn’t see it unless you knew about it, as it blended with the wooden floor. It had been built hundreds of years ago as an escape hatch in the event the grain store began to fill when someone was still in it. Quite ironic because that’s exactly what it would be used for. It was to be his and Helen’s escape hatch.

  Clary left the lantern on the ground and climbed up the ladder and held his breath as he tried to pry open the hatch. As Sebastian thought, it was jammed tightly closed. He was going to have to thump the wood to jar it open, as it had not been opened for so long the wood had expanded. He prayed there was no one on the other side to hear it, or their plan would fail before it had even started.

  It took several thumps and a lot of pushing before the hatch cover began to move. He inched it open and peered out.

  The voices were clearer—children moaning and crying. He could even make out a few words. With none of Glover’s men inside he quickly slipped through the hatch and let it fall gently closed. The area was dimly lit but what he did see made his blood boil and his rage darken. There were locked cages lining the left-hand side of the walls, and they were filled with children.

  He couldn’t think about the children right now. Helen was his priority. Once they had her safe they could bring down hell on Glover and his men. Then the children would be free.

  He quickly saw that he was standing in an old disused grain silo. There was a rope ladder at one end that obviously was the secret entrance from the warehouse above. He could only agree with Sebastian that his warehouse manager had to be on Glover’s payroll for the marquis not to know of this.

  Clary moved as silently as he could to the wall, the feel of the wood against his back somewhat comforting, assuring him he couldn’t be jumped from behind. Dressed totally in black Clary hoped he blended into the darkness around him. He used precious moments to ascertain the location of Glover’s private quarters.

  He wished he had more information but he would have to use his best guess. Knowing Glover and his disgusting partiality to the young, he’d more than likely want the captive children nearby.

  A droplet of sweat dripped into his eye and he angrily swiped it away. It was hot down here. No wonder the children were crying, the heat was unbearable and the air was rank. He stripped off his jacket and placed it in a direct line to the hatch cover so that he could find it easily on his way out. He wouldn’t even contemplate the idea that neither of them would escape.

  He had to make a decision as to which room to try first. He didn’t know how long he had before one of Glover’s men came down that rope ladder.

  He eyed the three doors in front of him and for some reason something, or someone, was drawing him to the door in the middle. Without any further hesitation Clary silently crossed the floor, drew his weapon, and entered the room.

  As he entered a red haze of anger blinded his vision at the sight of Helen sitting at the table, her gown ripped open to the waist, her breasts prominently on display. Glover was sitting next to her, trying to force a drink down her throat.

  Time stood still. The two men stared at each other for a fraction of a second. Then everything happened in slow motion.

  Clary kicked the door closed behind him, while Glover reached for a knife on the table and put it to Helen’s throat.

  “Shoot me and she is a dead woman,” Glover growled with a smile on his face.

  “A bullet will be faster than your hand.” Clary didn’t know if his words were true.

  Glover’s smile told him that he didn’t believe it either. “I don’t think so. I think you’re too worried about this precious jewel to risk that theory.”

  Clary wanted to try and reassure Helen that everything would be all right, but he didn’t want to take his eyes off the enemy. “If I’m not out of here in fifteen minutes, her brother and his men will be swarming over this place. Just give me the girl and I’ll let you go.”

  “Do you think I’m stupid? The minute you have her I’m dead.” To prove his point the tip of the knife pressed deeper into Helen’s throat and a trickle of blood ran down her pale skin. “I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t you put down the pistol and get down on your knees, and I might let her live?”

  “We can play this game all evening of who is going to surrender their weapon, and it won’t change the outcome. You’re through. Lord Coldhurst will see to that. He’s pretty angry, mainly because you have abused his sister, but also because you’ve been using his warehouse for your despicable trad
e, and he’s not going to take that slight lightly.”

  The smile began to dim on Glover’s face.

  Clary continued. “Did you really think I’d come alone? Do you think his lordship would let me come alone?”

  He had to keep Glover talking until he came up with how to get Helen out safely. Glover seemed to have a similar idea, delaying until his men came calling perhaps.

  Glover twisted the proverbial knife. “Does his lordship know that you have defiled his sister? A man like you. Does she know about your sordid past?”

  “I know all I need to know about his past,” Helen said as she struggled to lean as far away from Glover as possible. “I know he was forced to work in a brothel against his will.”

  But she didn’t know it all, and his body tensed as in that one moment he knew the disgrace of his past would be told.

  “A brothel, is it? Is that the fancy name for the molly house, or is it you haven’t told her exactly what type of brothel it was?”

  The heat was suddenly oppressive. Not here, not this way. This was not where he wanted to explain his past, not in front of a monster such as Glover.

  Unfortunately, Glover noted the look of confusion on Helen’s face and went in for the kill. Glover ran his finger down Helen’s face, tracing his thumb over her lip, quickly removing it just before she bit. “Do you know what a molly house is, my lovely dove? It is a brothel for men who like having sex with other men. Sodomites.”

  Clary didn’t want to look at Helen, didn’t want to see her reaction, but as if pulled by a magnet he looked at her beautiful face and saw horror dawning. Her face paled and he heard her sharp intake of breath.

  Clary should’ve told her when he’d had the chance but pride had thought he could get away without declaring his shame.

  “The man that you gave yourself to. The man that you profess to love, is a man you don’t know. He likes letting men shove their cocks up his arse.”

  He watched as Helen swayed and briefly closed her eyes.

  “Look, she’s disgusted by you. Perhaps you’d prefer to stay here with me?” And Glover burst out laughing.

  A soft voice said, “Oh, I’m not disgusted with him. I admire him even more. I’m disgusted by the men who used and abused both him and Simon—children. I know all about his past, and it makes no difference to me.” She turned to look at Glover, the knife scratching her throat, and Clary took a step forward. Her voice shook with rage but still she kept it low. “You are the one who disgusts me. I’ve seen what you and your men do to children—both girls and boys.”

  To Clary’s absolute admiration, a small, feminine fist came flying out of nowhere and punched Glover in the face, powerful enough to make him stumble backward. Clary didn’t miss the opportunity, and he shot Glover right between the eyes.

  The thud of Glover’s body hitting the floor filled the room. Helen didn’t scream. She simply stood there shaking out her hand, chest rising and falling rapidly.

  “I should be sorry he’s dead, but I’m not,” she uttered before flying across the short distance and throwing her arms around Clary’s neck and kissing him as if her life depended on it. Finally, she broke off the kiss and buried her face in his chest. “I knew you’d come.”

  He couldn’t believe that she wanted to be touched by him considering she now knew the worst of his past. He desperately wanted to talk to her, to explain, to tell her that when a man touched him his skin crawled. But they had more pressing matters. He needed to get her back through the sewer, so that her brother could round up all of Glover’s men and shut down this vile trade before Glover’s men learned he was dead. On top of that they had to see to the children.

  He placed a kiss to her forehead. “Are you hurt at all?” He held his breath, hoping Glover had not raped her. But if he had, Clary would be there for her. Always. She was still his beautiful, innocent angel. And always would be. She shook her head.

  “Only my hand where I hit him.” Relief flooded his veins giving him the strength to move.

  “We will talk, but later. I need to get you safely out of here.”

  With that he gently pushed her out of his hold and took her hand while he carefully opened the door and peered out. The area was still clear. “Keep close to me and don’t let go of my hand.”

  He moved then and he didn’t care at all about the noise, totally focused on finding the spot where he had left his jacket, which indicated the entrance to the hatch cover. He dropped her tiny hand and threw the cover open, motioning that she should start climbing down. He grabbed his jacket off the floor so as to leave no sign and followed her, closing the hatch after him.

  “Sorry about the stench, but it’s the quickest and safest way out.” He handed her his jacket to put on so that she could cover herself. He almost felt sorry for Glover’s men. Once Sebastian saw the state Helen was in there would be no stopping him. And there would be no mercy.

  It didn’t take them long to stumble back through the sewer. Sebastian was waiting for them as they reached the exit. He pulled his sister into his arms and hugged her tightly.

  “Thank you,” was all his lordship said.

  Clary left the two of them standing there together and clambered out into the street. He gave a nod to Grayson and a trumpet blew. That was the signal. The Libertine Scholars men converged en masse into the warehouse and soon the sounds of gunfire filled the air.

  Clary looked for his brother. He was helping reload some of the weapons. He made his way to his brother’s side and loved the look of relief he saw on Simon’s face.

  He put his hand out to Simon for a pistol. “Would you like to come back through the sewer with me to save the children? I don’t trust Glover’s men; they could set fire to the warehouse to try to destroy the evidence.” The children were the evidence, and they were locked in cages.

  Sebastian and Helen appeared on the street and moved toward them arm in arm.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “We are going back for the children.”

  She put her hand on his chest. “Be careful. I haven’t gone through all of this to lose you now.”

  Sebastian stiffened at her side but remained silent. He merely sent Clary a stern look. Clary would worry about his lordship’s reaction to his relationship with Helen when he returned. If Helen still wanted him after all of this, maybe he should consider the possibility. He loved her more than the air he breathed.

  For now he pushed his dreams of the future aside. He had to focus on rescuing the children.

  He lifted Helen’s hand off his chest and pressed a kiss to her palm, before he walked with his brother by his side back down to the sewer.

  * * *

  —

  Helen watched the man she loved with all her heart calmly walk back into the lion’s den. She was so proud of him. All his life people had wanted to hurt him—either physically or mentally. Yet here he was, a compassionate human being who put others’ lives before his own.

  It still amazed her that his heart had any capacity left to love. But he loved her. Of that she was in no doubt. He knew that rescuing her on his own could mean his death. Sebastian had just told her that Clary refused to let anyone else go in to get her. He’d even told her brother that he loved her, knowing that Sebastian would not approve.

  “Come, I shall take you home, and hopefully by the time I return this will be all over.”

  She wondered if Sebastian would ever approve or understand that she would marry Clary regardless of his blessing. “No. I want to wait for Clary.” As her brother handed her into the waiting carriage, she took in his stubborn jawline. “Please don’t fight with me, Sebastian. I’ve had just about all I can take today.” He stood staring at her as she sat in the carriage, exhaustion making her light-headed. Every muscle ached. Only the most fierce self-discipline stopped her from breaking down and crying. It had been a long night, every minute, every agonizing hour of it was etched into her soul. Those poor children. She only had to endure a
few hours in Glover’s company, how long had they been held captive, in that heat, with their abusers, wondering what would happen to them next. Her heart clenched and she prayed that Glover was suffering the flames of hell because he had not suffered long enough on this earth.

  She closed her eyes. She couldn’t even begin to think about the children that had already been sold—lost to the world. Two years. Glover had bragged to her that he been trading in children for two years. It was a disgrace, and the blame lay with those of her kind who turned a blind eye to those less fortunate than themselves.

  Well, she was no longer blind. And she would no longer turn a blind eye. And she did not care if that meant society scorned her.

  “We have to stop them, Sebastian.”

  “We will. Grayson will have them rounded up shortly.”

  She sighed. “It’s not just Glover. We have to actively care about what is happening to those that are vulnerable. We have a moral obligation to help those less fortunate. Don’t you see? We were orphaned at a young age. But for our birth, any one of us could have been a captive of Glover or forced into a life like Clary and Simon had to live.”

  Her brother’s eyes softened. “I promise you that I will take more of an interest in the poor. I will do my best to make sure this never happens again. I will personally start a process of checking warehouses and their owners. I’ll get my men to take an interest in the trade around them and report anything underhand.” His tone softened. “But you must have realized by now that the world is a hard place. Money makes people do unconscionable things. That is never going to change.”

  “Like your peers who use brothels? Women—and men—who have to sell themselves to survive…Is that a world we want to live in? The hypocrisy of it all makes me wary of this life of privilege.”

  “Maybe not, but it’s the world we do live in and don’t forget it’s let many of them survive.”