Page 64 of Loving an Earl
“But you killed a man.” Lilly’s knees almost buckled.
“Mere conjecture. And I was released while awaiting trial, though I don’t expect there to be one. My cousin’s wife will come forward and swear the fire was set by her husband. She will state the previous viscount was careless regarding the safety of lanterns in the barn.”
Lilly was having trouble breathing with his body pushed up tightly to hers.
He stepped back and grabbed her arm again. “Do as I say, and you will not get hurt.”
“Where—”
“Be silent. Do not speak until I tell you to. Keep walking or I will sneak into Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s home tonight and slit her throat.”
Lilly swallowed any other words and was dragged by the arm through the corridors, her feet barely keeping up. Several times she tried to get away, but his hand was wrapped so tight around her upper arm that she would soon sport a bruise. She tore off her mask because she couldn’t see, and it wasn’t long before she stumbled out a door to an alley, cool air hitting her face. The servants’ entrance. No one would pay them any mind since every servant was occupied with the masquerade.
Redford continued pulling her along in the opposite direction of the Warrens’ home until she saw a black unmarked coach. Redford headed straight toward it. He opened the door and shoved her inside, causing her to bang her shins, and she breathed through the intense pain. She scrambled off the floor and onto the seat, never taking her eyes off him. He climbed in opposite her and tapped the roof.
The curtains were drawn, and no lantern was lit inside the carriage, so she could barely make out his silhouette. But she could hear his heavy breathing and smell his sweat and stale cigars.
He tossed her a blanket. “Get comfortable. We have a long journey ahead. As long as you behave, I won’t restrain you. Try to escape and you will find your hands and feet bound.”
The air inside the coach was warm, but her body was chilled, so she covered herself with the coarse woolen blanket. This was not Redford’s usual coach. He must have hired a hack.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Come now, Lady Langford, you are brighter than most young ladies of your age. You should be able to figure out our destination.”
Her insides trembled because she already had, but she refused to sayGretna Greenout loud. Instead, her mind went to calculating how long it would take to get there. Two days if they rode hard, three if they took breaks. Where on earth had Redford found the money for this? He had confessed to being broke and needing her money. Had he stolen it? “I thought you were short on funds.”
His laughter reverberated inside the coach. “There are many ways to procure funds. Now leave me in peace.” Within minutes his breathing changed and she could tell he’d fallen asleep.
Lilly found the hired hack to be poorly sprung, and she bounced around at every rut and rock and dip in the road. Her stomach turned queasy and she hoped she wouldn’t be sick. She had a feeling Redford wouldn’t take kindly to her casting up her accounts on his boots. She inhaled and exhaled slowly and steadily, hoping to settle her stomach and her nerves. Just then, the carriage dipped, sending her sliding toward the door, and she banged her head. Now she felt even worse. Redford slept through it all.
Her stomach finally settled and, what seemed like an age later, the driver stopped at a solitary roadside inn, presumably to get fresh horses, even though they’d only been on the road for perhaps an hour and a half. Lilly couldn’t be sure though.
Since Redford still slept she took the opportunity to get out of the conveyance and take stock of her situation. Her eyes scanned her surroundings. It was dark. The clouds hid the moon and stars and she wondered how the coach driver could see the road.
Her heart dropped. There was nowhere for her to escape. She couldn’t run down the empty road—she would certainly be easily caught again. She could try running into the forest—she wouldn’t be able to see, but Reford wouldn’t be able to see her either. Just as she’d made up her mind to run toward the tree line, Redford came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, and squeezed.
“Do I need to restrain you?”
“No,” she answered quickly.
“Get back inside the carriage.” He took his hands off her shoulders, and he clasped her upper arm, the same one he’d grasped earlier, and she swallowed down the pain as he led her back into the vehicle. It was several moments before they were on the road again. The only good thing that had come of their stop was that the driver had placed a basket of food inside with them.
Lilly rummaged around inside the basket and took out a hunk of bread and a piece of cheese to nibble on. She set the basket beside Redford.
“I expect my wife to serve me.”
“It is good then that I’m not your wife.” The moment she said the words she wished she could take them back. He reached forward and she jerked back against the squabs believing he meant to hurt her. Instead he grabbed the food from her hand.
“’Tis only a matter of time before you learn to obey me. Until then, you will go hungry.”
Her hunger vanished, but her stomach continued to hurt as she wondered if anyone had noticed she was missing. Surely Emmeline knew by now, and she would have sought out Blackstone and Caldwell to help her find her. Tears trickled silently down her cheeks as she prayed for help. It was all she could do not to sob out loud and attract Redford’s attention.
Chapter Twenty-Five
When Emmeline gotseparated from Lilly, she hurried back to Blackstone and Caldwell. “Have you seen Lilly? I can’t find her.”
Caldwell replied, “I haven’t seen her since we danced.”
