Page 62 of A Stormy Season

“You deserve far worse.” Luke made sure to look as unconcerned for the man’s welfare as possible. “I will give you another chance. What were Lenoir’s men searching for in my home in London?”

Stokes said nothing.

Luke gave Matthews another nod and he smacked the back of the man’s head again, just as Luke had instructed Matthews to do beforehand.

“I can do this all day,” Stokes said with an arrogant look.

“But the next blows will be worse. Are you sure your loyalty to Lenoir is worth it? It is only a matter of time before we capture him. There are many men searching in London and elsewhere. We will find him, and then he will be executed for the murder of my wife.” Luke forced himself to show no emotion, to feel nothing.

“What is that to me? Let them find him. Let them execute him.”

“If you help us, then you might not be executed along with him.”

Luke imagined he could see the man’s thoughts churning as his expression went blank.

“You will not get away, and there will be no exchanges of kidnapped persons for you.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

“Tell me what Lenoir was looking for. He told me there was a list. A list of what?”

The man’s contemptuous grin returned while his lips remained clamped shut.

Luke nodded at Matthews. He moved in front of Stokes and slammed his fist into his face.

Luke’s mind kept going to thoughts of Anne being trampled and run over, then to how this man had hurt Jane, just as he’d wanted to take Jeffrey from his bed to terrify Luke’s innocent child. And he did not feel sorry for letting Matthews punch the man.

Matthews shook his hand.

“Is that the best you can do?” Stokes said, his voice an angry growl as blood appeared on his lip.

“I’m just getting started,” Matthews said.

“These two men don’t like that you came into Dunsmere House and harmed an innocent lady,” Luke said calmly. “They will be glad to cut off your fingers and toes one by one until you bleed out.”

That was certainly not something they had even spoken about, but the two grooms kept up Luke’s bluff by grinning, as if in anticipation.

“Now, since we can do this all day, or you can give us the information we want, tell us what you and Lenoir’s other men were looking for in my home.”

Stokes said nothing, but the arrogant expression was gone. After several moments Luke nodded again at Matthews.

As Matthews came around in front of Stokes, the groom casually pulled a knife out of his pocket.

Luke would have to stop him before he actually cut the man’s finger off, but he planned to wait until the last possible moment.

“Wait, wait. I’ll tell you,” Stokes said.

Matthews gave a sly half grin as he looked back at Luke.

Good job, Matthews.

Luke held up a hand. “Very well. Tell me.”

“Your wife told Lenoir she had a list of names of all the people who were in Lenoir’s pocket, including a couple of Members of Parliament, constables, JPs, and the like.”

“Why did she make this list?” Luke tamped down the emotion rising from his gut. He had to steel himself.

“She was blackmailing Lenoir with it. She must of wanted out, but she never should’a’ told Lenoir about that list.”