by Anne Ashley
Daniel refused to dwell on this very real possibility. 'Do you happen to know where I can find these people, Molly and that male friend of hers? Do they live locally?'
'Close to me own place, sir.' Suddenly galvanised, Higgins tossed the last of his ale down his throat and was on his feet in an instant. 'If you don't object, I'd like to come wi' 'ee. I know these people. I'd get more out of 'em than you could ever 'ope to, sir.'
Daniel didn't need to think twice about accepting this offer of help. Quickly returning to the curricle, he very soon found himself amidst a mishmash of tightly packed dwellings, and began to appreciate why the man now sitting beside him on the seat would wish to grasp almost any opportunity to make some money and try to better himself. The area in which the jarvey resided was little better than a slum.
After requesting Daniel to draw up outside a dwelling that looked shabbier than most, Higgins jumped down from the curricle and disappeared up a narrow alley, only to return a matter of minutes later looking graver than ever.
'Jack and Molly ain't there. What's more, there ain't been a sign of 'em since morning. Which ain't usual, sir. Jack Sharpe tends to do—er—most of 'is business at night, as yer might say, and spends most days 'anging round the 'ouse or in the taverns.'
'I see,' Daniel responded, having a fairly shrewd idea of precisely which profession Jack Sharpe was engaged in, and now fearing the worst. That Robina might have fallen into the hands of an unprincipled sneak-thief and his doxy filled him with dread, but, as ever, he revealed little of this inner turmoil as he added, 'I think it behoves me to pay a visit to—er— Turpin's place of residence. Do you happen to know precisely where it is located, Higgins?'
'I've been out that way only once, sir, as I mentioned earlier. But I'm certain I could find it again, even in the dark. If you like, I'll willingly come with 'ee, and show 'ee the way. Just gives me a minute to pop in 'ome and see my Dora to tell 'er I'll be working late, otherwise she'll only fret.'
After watching the jarvey slip inside a dwelling which, from the outside, appeared in a better state than most, Daniel turned to his groom, seated on the back. 'I want you to return to the house. Inform her ladyship that I've gone out of town, and that I wish her to take no further action until I return. Which might possibly not be until morning.'
Although Kendall clambered down at once, his expression clearly betrayed unease. 'Are you sure you don't want me to come with you, sir? It sounds to me as if you might well find yourself having to deal with a right bunch of wrong uns.' He glanced briefly over his shoulder. 'And are you certain you can trust that jarvey, my lord?'
This evident concern for his safety succeeded in bringing a flicker of a smile to Daniel's lips. 'I would be the first to admit, Kendall, that where my fellow man is concerned my judgement has not always been faultless, but it has improved immeasurably in recent years. Yes, I am certain I shall not discover my trust in Master Higgins misplaced.'
By the light of the rapidly guttering candle, Robina examined the burns on her wrists. The discomfort she was being forced to endure now seemed rather a high price to pay for the removal of her bonds and the successful opening of the window. Had she been able to effect her escape by climbing down the ivy ...well, that would have been a different matter entirely, but she steadfastly refused to give up hope quite yet.
In an hour or so, or when there was sufficient light to see clearly, she would consider again attempting to escape by way of the window. The ivy clinging to the house wall looked sturdy enough to support her weight, but she would be foolish not to be sure. The last thing she wished to incur now was further injury. She wouldn't get very far on a broken ankle.
Her only other option, of course, was an escape by way of the door. She glanced down at the stout piece of wood which she had managed to find under the bed, and which she had placed within easy reach upon the wooden crate. Any form of physical violence was abhorrent to her. None the less, it would not do to be faint-hearted in her present situation, she reminded herself. If the opportunity arose, she must be prepared to use that weapon, but, here again, she must wait until someone withdrew the bolts from the other side of the door. In the meantime she had at least one task to keep her occupied.
Sitting herself on the edge of the decidedly lumpy mattress once more, she tore two thin strips off her underskirt, and was in the process of binding up her left wrist when she distinctly heard a rustling noise and what sounded suspiciously like a grunt from just below the window. Then, to her horror, two large and shapely hands suddenly grasped the sill.
Stifling a scream, she darted forward. 'Who's there!' she demanded, half-fearing that it might well be the lecherous owner of the property come to pay a visit without his companions' knowledge. Reaching forward, she was seriously toying with the idea of bringing the small sash-window down hard on those two shapely, long-fingered hands when a distinctly amused and beloved voice drawled, 'Who the deuce do you suppose it is, my darling...? It is your Sir Galahad come to the rescue... Moreover, a Sir Galahad who is getting decidedly too long in the tooth for these sorts of starts.'
With a strange little sound, somewhere between a sob and a cry of pure joy, Robina almost flung herself into Daniel's arms the instant he had climbed into the room. He held her close, murmuring words of comfort, his recent exertions not wholly responsible for his rapidly increased pulse rate and erratic breathing.
'Here, let me look at you.' Reluctantly holding her a little away from him, he ran his fingers down her arms to capture her hands, and saw the slight wince. 'What's wrong? Are you hurt?'
'It's only my wrists. I was in the process of binding them up when you arrived.' Robina could not help but smile at his muttered oath, only half suppressed, as he examined her hurts. 'I did it myself,' she assured him softly, 'when I used the candle to burn through the cord that bound my wrists.'
'So the blackguards tied you up, did they?' He certainly did not appear best pleased to learn this, but made no further comment as he reached for the second strip of material, his fingers surprisingly gentle as he began to wrap it round the injured flesh.
'How many of the rogues are we dealing with, do you know?'
'Three... Well, I've only seen three,' she amended. 'A woman and two men.'
Somewhat bemused, Robina watched him secure the bandage deftly, still not quite able to believe that he was with her. 'Daniel, how on earth did you manage to find me?'
'Now that, my little love,' he responded, smiling as he released her wrist, 'is rather a long and involved story.'
'And you'd rather not tell me now. Yes, I quite understand.'
Moving over to the window, Robina poked her head out. From what she could see, it seemed a very long way down to the ground. But this was no time to be faint-hearted, she reminded herself once again. Besides, if Daniel could manage the climb up, surely she could manage to climb down?
'Should I go first, or you?' she asked, pulling her head back to find him surprisingly shaking his head.
'Neither of us, my dear.' Daniel moved over to the door to test its strength with his shoulder. 'I'm afraid I managed to dislodge a large portion of the ivy on my upward climb. It's a miracle I made it in one piece,' he admitted with brutal frankness. 'I wouldn't care to risk a descent.'
Disappointed, but not entirely downcast, Robina looked across at the door. '.Then it would appear we'll need to resort to my second plan.'
Daniel could not help smiling at this matter-of-fact attitude. What an amazing young woman she was! Most females would have succumbed to a fit of the vapours if they had experienced half of what his darling girl had been put through this day. Abducted, tied up, and locked in a filthy attic room for hours, she appeared, apart from her dishevelled appearance and injuries to her wrists, none the worse for her ordeal.
'Evidently you have already considered an alternative means of escape.'
'Well, yes,' she admitted guardedly, 'although I haven't given much thought to how I'd actually achieve it.' She glanced dow
n at the crate. 'But at least I managed to find myself a sort of weapon.'
'And would you honestly have been prepared to use it?' he asked, his dark brows rising sharply as he followed the direction of her gaze.
'I might have been forced to do so... Still might, if it comes to that. But at least I have until morning to think it over.'
There was no response, and Robina raised her eyes to discover him looking rather thoughtfully back across the room at her. He appeared suddenly very troubled. 'What's wrong, Daniel?'
'Nothing... Nothing at all,' he replied, but not very convincingly, before moving across to the window and surprising her further by taking a handkerchief from his pocket and waving it several times.
'Who are you signalling to?' Hope stirred. 'Is Kendall with you?'
'No, my dear. I have left my curricle and pair in the very capable hands of one Hector Higgins, about whom I shall tell you more presently. In the meantime, I would like to know whether or not you think all three of the rogues who abducted you are still in the house?'
'I believe so, but obviously I cannot be sure. I haven't heard any sounds from below for some considerable time, so I would imagine they must all be asleep...or drunk.'
'Maybe so. But I do not think we will alert them to my presence until morning.'
He evidently had his reasons, although Robina failed to see what they could possibly be. 'But what about your friend Mr Higgins? Could he not possibly alert the authorities, and tell them we're here?'
'He could, of course, but I would much prefer that he remain with the horses and await further instructions, as I've already advised him to do by my signal.' He noticed the puzzled expression. 'I am endeavouring to protect your fair name, my dear. The fewer people who know about this little escapade, the better.'
She smiled across at him, but he could easily detect the lingering puzzlement in her eyes. 'Trust me, my little bird. I have only your best interests at heart, believe me.'
Realising she was being very selfish to expect an immediate escape, Robina decided not to press him further. He had-come in search of her, putting himself at risk, and was endangering himself still further by not enlisting outside aid in order to effect her escape, simply in an attempt to protect her good name. What more could she possibly ask of him?
Suddenly finding herself unable to hold that concerned, brown-eyed gaze, she turned away, once again finding herself having to fight the threat of tears. Why, oh why had she not recognised his true worth from the first? Why had it taken her so long to appreciate that in this kindly, level-headed gentleman she had found the very man for her? Yes, she had been given her chance, and had thrown it away... And now it was all wretchedly too late!
'Well, I suppose we may as well try to make ourselves as comfortable as possible until morning.'
This very practical suggestion forced Robina to abandon her heart-rending reflections, at least for the present, and she turned to discover him testing the thin mattress, and grimacing at its lumpiness.
'Come... Come and sit beside me, and I shall tell you all about my new friend, Honest Hector Higgins.' Daniel held out his hand, noting the slight hesitation before she obeyed.
After deliberately taking his time over the telling of the story, Daniel had the satisfaction of seeing that Robina was quite unable to keep her eyes open as she remarked in a distinctly sleepy voice, 'But what I don't quite understand is why Mr Merrell should have proposed that you abduct me in the first place.'
Smiling to himself, Daniel raised his arm and placed it about her slender shoulders so that she nestled comfortably against him. 'I think it might be wise to leave that particular explanation until morning, my love.'
Chapter Twelve
Daniel glanced across at the window. It was morning, and still he wasn't sure whether he had done the right thing by choosing to spend the night here. But it was rather too late to do anything about it now, he reminded himself, transferring his gaze to the being who had caused him hours of soul-searching.
Still lying in the crook of his arm, Robina had slept soundly throughout the night; whereas he, plagued by a guilty conscience, had hardly slept at all.
It would have been a simple matter to attempt an escape at any time throughout the night. By using another of those prearranged signals, he could have instructed Higgins to leave the horses. Using those skills acquired in his misspent youth, the jarvey could easily have broken into the house. Higgins could then have located this room, unbolted the door, and with luck they might all have walked out without any one of those villains being any the wiser. But no, Daniel reflected, he had given way to temptation and chosen not to do so.
The instant Robina, in all innocence, had mentioned she was resigned to remaining incarcerated in this room until morning, the idea that she might be persuaded to marry him if they spent the whole night together had sprung into his mind. Well, perhaps he had not behaved like a gentleman, he was forced to concede, but at least he had not sunk so low as to make a marriage between them totally unavoidable by seducing her, although that too had certainly crossed him mind. And more than just once during the past few hours, he was ashamed to say!
He could only marvel at his powers of restraint. Holding that lovely, slender body pressed against him, feeling those firm, young breasts through the thin material of his shirt had been a sweet torment, and his subsequent frustrations little more than he deserved. A judgement on him, he supposed. If it had not been for the fact that he was certain in his own mind that they would make a blissfully contented couple once they were married, he might have been able to resist this golden opportunity of at least trying to persuade her to marry him.
As though sensing his thoughts, and wishing to torment him further for the subterfuge, Robina moved her hand in a feather-light touch across his chest and down to his stomach, igniting yet again that fire in his loins.
'Steady, boy, steady,' Daniel muttered to himself, as he placed his hand over hers, instantly stilling those innocently tantalising fingers.
The brief contact of his restraining hand disturbed her. He could detect the slight movement of her eyes beneath those lids, with their ridiculously long, curling lashes which had caused such havoc with his senses when they had brushed against his chin during the night.
'It is perfectly all right, Daniel. I assure you I have them well under control,' she astounded him by unexpectedly murmuring.
'I beg you pardon, my darling?'
The delicate lids fluttered open, and she gazed smilingly up at him. 'The greys, Daniel, I...' She blinked several times as though trying to bring his features into focus, and then sat bolt upright, staring about in some confusion.
'I was dreaming we were out in the curricle.' She glanced about her again, the confused look slowly disappearing as she looked across at the window. 'Good heavens, it's morning!'
'You have been sleeping soundly in my arms all night,' some imp of mischief prompted him to tell her when she edged a little away from him.
'Good heavens!' she muttered again, looking so deliciously pink and flustered that Daniel was once again forced to exert that iron self-control and not pull her straight back into his arms. 'The last thing I remember was listening to some story about...about your acquaintance Mr Higgins.' The frown returned. 'Which, I seem to remember, didn't make very much sense, though I expect that was because I was tired and not attending properly.'
'I dare say.' Easing his aching back away from the wall, he got to his feet. 'Unfortunately I haven't the time to explain things more fully to you now, not if I stand the remotest chance of getting you safely back to the house before the whole of Brighton society starts parading the streets.'
'What time do you suppose it is now?' she asked, seeing his grimace as he flexed his arms. Little wonder he felt stiff. He must have spent the most uncomfortable night, with his back pressed against the wall, and her lying against him.
'As I left my pocket-watch, again, in Higgins's safe keeping, I can only guess, but I would imag
ine it must be around six.'
'In that case it is highly unlikely that our friends below have risen yet,' Robina pointed out. 'At least,' she amended, after listening intently for a moment, 'I cannot detect any sound of movement.'
'Well, they very soon will be awake.' There was a definite look of determination about him now, as he grasped the stout stick and began to pound it against the door. 'Come on, my dear, yell out. I don't wish them to be aware of my presence quite yet.'
Robina automatically did as she was bid. Taking the stick from him, she continued to hammer it against the door, shouting as loud as she could as she did so, until she detected the sound of heavy footsteps growing steadily louder.
'Now, what's all this, then? What's all this racket?' a gruff and faintly annoyed voice demanded to know from the other side of the door, and Robina was fairly certain that it was none other than Molly's obnoxious brother who had come to investigate.
She glanced briefly at Daniel, who had positioned himself in readiness against the wall so that when the door was eventually opened, he would not be seen by their visitor. She guessed what she must do next.
'Let me out of here at once, do you hear me, or I'll scream the place down!' She must have sounded as though she had meant it too, for the bolts were immediately drawn back, the door swung open, and the obnoxious owner of the neglected farmhouse stomped into the room, but not before Robina had taken the precaution of backing away a few paces, her sturdy weapon held securely in her hand.
'Who untied you!' he growled, taking a threatening step forward, and reaching out a grubby hand to grasp the stick. 'Ere, let me have that!'
'I'm afraid we are unable to oblige you. But you can certainly have this,' Daniel said suavely, thereby making his presence known, and before Ben could do much else other than swing round, startled, Daniel placed a well-aimed blow on the flabby jaw, the force of which sent Ben sprawling to the floor.