Page 58 of Charlotte's Kisses

Charlotte’s gaze slid from the weapon in her hand to the man at her feet. “I am sorry.”

“Go,” he said.

“But you are hurt.”

“Damnations, my lady, that was the bloody point. Now, get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”

She placed the pistol into her basket and looped the handle over her forearm. After scooping up Snowball, she clutched the kitten to her chest.

Snowball purred and snuggled close.

“Thank you, Leon. You are a good man indeed,” she called over her shoulder as she dashed back the way they had come.

Chapter twenty-five

The dank room waswithout windows or a light source. So, with his sense of direction impeded, a gag in his mouth, his wrists bound behind him, and a rope around his ankles, Hugh inched along on his belly, searching for a way out. The rough earth rubbed against his bare skin until his previous injuries burned.

At last, his nose touched wood. Since the rest of the walls were cold stone, he had assuredly found a way out. He climbed onto his knees, turned his back to the door, and searched for a handle.

At length, he encountered the latch. “Thank fuck,” he murmured only to seconds later be grumbling every blasphemy he knew—and he had quite an expansive ungentlemanly vocabulary.

No matter what he tried, the door did not budge. Of course,shehad locked it. The dashed woman was insane, and cruelty percolated in her veins. It seemed he was doomed because, despite his experience tracking criminals, he had no idea how to outwit this particular female who did not possess a conscience.

Feeling utterly helpless, Hugh collapsed onto his stomach. His mind whirled with questions and concerns.

How long had he been locked away? What did the marchioness mean to do to him? How could Lord Chesterhill not know what was happening under his own roof?

And then, he groaned into the dirt floor as his imagination visited dark places…

But he needed to fight his pessimism. Charlotte had to be alive because he still felt connected to her. If Leon had ended her life, surely Hugh would know. However, that could change if he did not get to her in time.

Roaring like a caged animal, he rolled onto his side and used both feet to kick on the heavy partition.

’Twas no use. It would take a battering ram to break free from his prison.Think, you bloody fool!his inner voice screamed.

After he got out of this room and held Charlotte in his arms, he would strangle the marchioness. To the devil with the contract. He would tell his current employer to go to hell. He may not be Charlotte’s equal, but he would not leave her in this pseudo-Bedlam. There was only one scenario in which he could keep her safe.

When Hugh got out of this blasted hell—and he would—he would ask Charlotte to run away with him and be his wife.

It had to be close to dawn when it occurred to Hugh that using the door latch as a lever would loosen the knot binding his wrists. Once they were free, he untied the rope around his ankles, then ripped off the blasted gag.

Typically, he thought more clearly when he moved; therefore, he paced the room.

The one thing he had yet to try was his voice. The doors and walls might be too thick, and he might be too far underground for anyone to hear, but he had to try. He halted in front of the door, calling, “Hello, anyone out there?” Holding his breath, he waited.

“Hello,” he called again.

Since no one answered, he pounded on the door. “Is anyone out there?”

The silence ominous, it was as is if he were beneath a guillotine poised to plummet. Hugh’s sanity cracked.

“When I get out of here, I am going to kill every last one of you bloody fools,” he bellowed.

He could holler until his throat was raw, it seemed no one was about to hear him.

Closing his eyes, he attempted to channel Charlotte’s heartbeat. For a second, it felt as if she was near him, her breath tickling his ear, her essence combining with his. This had to mean she was still alive. Unless he was allowing silly notions to cloud his common sense? But he had to hold out hope. For, if he did not, he was unsure if he could take his next breath.

To his surprise, something scratched at the door.