Page 90 of Inconvenient Honor
“No reason except a village full of curious people, bright sunshine, and an ever-open door.”
He took a step away, but held tight to her hand. “Walk with me, wife. It appears we’re to have the freedom of the island as long as we don’t attempt to escape.”
“Should we? Escape, that is.”
“Ask me after I’ve had a look at the island. I suspect not, or he wouldn’t allow the freedom.” He led her toward theflimsy cloth that served as a door. “Besides, we need to continue the conversation tonight. After dark. When the village sleeps.”
His look, full of passion and promise, made her knees week.
“See, little one,” she murmured, “your father is a clever man.”
He took her hand and led her outside. No guard stood at the door.
“What else did they say while you negotiated?”
“A lot I didn’t understand. The one word I do understand is becoming too familiar—kafir. Scarface uses it as his favorite insult.”
Lily looked around the village.How many of these faces hold kindness? How many hate?
Chapter Thirty-Three
It took little time to walk a circuit of the island and less time to be certain they could not escape it. They began with the rise above the cove.
Hamidou’s frigate still lay at anchorage, but preparations to bear his messages to Gibraltar were underway. The few small boats kept for fishing, transport to the frigate when it anchored further out, or travel to the mainland lay in a shallow cove under guard. Richard’s heart sank. Lily clung to his hand.
“Could we overcome the guard?” she whispered.
“Don’t be daft!” He sucked in breath. “Alone, I might try it.
“But not with me,” she sighed. “I’m a burden.”
“Never that. We have a baby to protect, Lily.”
She didn’t argue; she leaned her head against his arm without letting go of his hand. He needed to comfort her; he almost took her in his arms in full view of the village in broad daylight. What would Her Grace make of that? She would whip me with her outrage if she hadn’t already fainted at my appearance. That thought brought a smile to his face. He squeezed Lily’s hand and led her on.
Their route took them around the outer perimeter of the houses. The sea, the great churning blue wall to their prison, stretched in every direction they looked. They had circled back past the little square and Hamidou’s uncle’s house when Richard noticed a path leading up the rocky outcrop behind the village, one that must lead to the top of the cliff.
“Let’s explore that rise.” Henodded toward it.
He followed the path upward with his eyes when they walked toward the back of the uncle’s house. He heard Lily cry, “Dear God!” She grabbed his arm with both hands and turned her head into his shoulder. He looked down at what she saw, and bile burned hot in is chest.
Volkov sat in front of them. Ropes circled his chest and ran under his armpits, holding him upright. His hands were bound in front, the bindings brown with dried blood. His state of undress had not changed; bits of rotten food, mud, and excrement clung to him, thrown, Richard guessed, by children who had been given full rein to torment the man. A crude paper sign with Arabic writing hung around his neck.
Compassion, natural and unbidden, tore at Richard’s heart. He brushed it aside, swiftly calculating what it meant to Lily and his own situation. “Can you read the sign?” he asked Lily.
She lifted her head and forced her gaze back to Volkov. “Infidel,” she whispered.
“Thus anyone who cheats Rais Hamidou,” Richard murmured.And England damn well better make good on my deal with him.
“No one deserves to be treated this way.”
“Perhaps not,” Richard said, “but some poor souls in Newgate for debts don’t fare much better.” He turned her toward the path, guiding her away from the man.
“Shouldn’t we do something? We can’t just leave him like that.”
“No.”
“Richard!”
