A Risk Worth Taking (34 page)

Anne was sure she heard Brentwood laugh. “I’m counting on it, my lady. Oh, yes. I’m counting on it.”

The air caught in her throat. He intended to kill them both.

There was no opportunity to talk to him and no need. She already knew the answer to the only question she wanted to ask. She recognized where they were going. Brentwood was taking her to the caves.

Her stomach rolled until she thought she would be ill. It was midafternoon already, and it would not be long before the tide came in. If he left her in the caves now…

Anne looked around her, praying she would see Griff coming to help her. But all she saw were the cliffs. All she heard were the ocean waves as they slammed against the rocks.

All she felt was a fear unlike anything she’d ever felt before.

G
riff brought his horse to a halt before he reached the manor house. Franklin, Hodges, and a group of men rode toward them.

“Do you know them?” Jack Hawkins asked.

“They’re from the manor, the guards I hired to protect Anne. Something must be wrong.”

Griff urged his mount ahead. “What’s wrong, Franklin? Where’s your mistress?”

“He’s got her, sir. Lord Brentwood. He came to the manor with a gun and shot Carter when he tried to stop him. The mistress put up a brave fight, but she wasn’t no match for the marquess.”

Griff couldn’t believe the anger that surged through his body. “Which way did they go?”

Franklin pointed toward the caves.

Griff swore. “Georgie. Ben. Give us your mounts. We need fresh horses.”

“They can’t be too far ahead of you,” Franklin said while Griff mounted a fresh horse. “Just the time it took us to saddle our horses.”

Griff turned his mount around, then stopped. “Did he hurt her, Hodges?”

The groomsman hesitated and Griff had his answer.

“The mistress is all right, though,” Hodges said. “She’s a brave lady, and I told her before she rode away that you would be right behind her.”

“Let’s go,” Griff said. His body was numb with fear. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

“Send someone back for a length of rope,” Jack said to Hodges before he followed after Griff. “At least fifty feet or more.”

Griff pushed his mount forward. Neither he nor Jack said anything until they reached the flat area just before the drop-off that led down to the caves.

“Do you see anything?” Jack asked.

“No. They’re probably down below. They know I’ll come after her. Brentwood is no doubt waiting for me.”

“But he’s not expecting me. You go down from here, and I’ll circle around. They won’t expect anyone to come from that direction.”

“That’s because it’s nearly impassable. Are you sure…?”

“Don’t worry about me. You just keep the bastard occupied until I can get to you. Don’t try being a bloody hero until I’m there to watch your back.”

Griff dropped to the ground and handed Franklin his horse’s reins. “Keep the rest of the men up here. If any of Brentwood’s men make a run for it, do what you have to, but don’t let them get away.”

“You can count on us, sir.”

Jack took the rope from the rider who’d just come and looped it over his shoulder.

Griff started for the edge, then stopped. “How many of them are there, Hawkins?”

“I took care of one earlier today, so there’s only five left, but with Brentwood, they’re up to six.”

“We’ve faced worse odds.”

Jack smiled. “Just get her to the back of the cave, Griff. Don’t try to take her out. There won’t be enough time.”

Griff grasped the hand Jack held out to him, then walked toward the path. He made his way down, wondering how she’d gotten to the bottom without falling.

Griff finally reached the bottom. He took only a few steps before Brentwood’s voice stopped him.

“That’s far enough, Blackmoor. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Griff turned toward Brentwood’s voice. “Where is she? What have you done with my wife?”

“She’s right here.” He pointed toward the cave. “Inside.”

Griff saw the pistol in Brentwood’s hand and the cocky tilt to his head. He wanted to wipe the sneering grin off his face. If he would just step closer…

“I can’t tell you how relieved I am she didn’t accept my marriage proposal,” Brentwood said, pacing before him. “This Lady Anne is not at all the meek little mouse I thought she was. She was a great deal of trouble on the way, but don’t worry, I put her in her place as I know you would have wanted me to.”

Griff seethed with anger. “So help me, if you hurt her, I’ll—”

Brentwood swung out his arm. “I don’t think you are in any position to issue threats, Blackmoor.” Five men stepped out from behind the rocks. Each one had a rifle aimed at him.

Griff ignored the men and the guns, and walked toward the mouth of the cave. Brentwood’s voice stopped him. “First lay down your weapons.”

Griff pulled the pistol out of his jacket pocket and dropped it to the ground. Brentwood smiled but indicated with his hand that he knew there were more. Griff pulled out a second weapon he’d tucked into the waistband of his breeches, and dropped it, too.

“That’s better,” Brentwood said, then moved to the side to make room for Griff to pass. “I’m sure she’s quite anxious to see you.”

Instinct warned Griff to go slowly, but he couldn’t. He needed to see her with his own eyes. He needed to make sure she was all right. He strode past Brentwood and almost ran into the cave.

“That’s far enough!” Brentwood bellowed as Griff got near enough to almost touch her.

Griff stopped but didn’t take his eyes from her. His breathing came in ragged gasps while he fought to keep from racing to her, from loosening her from the pole Brentwood had her tied to.

The only light in the cave came from torches in the holders anchored on the wall. At first Griff didn’t notice the dark bruises on her cheeks. When he realized what they were, he experienced a fury greater than he’d ever felt before. Her dress was torn at the sleeve, exposing her scraped and bloody shoulder. He fisted his hands at his side, swearing that no matter what, Brentwood would die. “Griff?” she whispered, her voice weak, the luster in her eyes faded. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“It’s all right,” he whispered, reaching out to cup his hand against her face. She winced when he touched her. “Everything will be all right.”

Brentwood laughed behind him. “What an optimistic sentiment.” He circled the pole where Anne was tied.

Griff stepped closer to her and felt the thick ropes and the knots that bound her. Each knot had been tied separately. It would take hours to cut through the ropes and free her.

“Aren’t you going to ask why I’ve gone to all this trouble?” Brentwood cocked his head to the side.

“I already know. You’re using this cave as a hideaway for the opium you smuggle into the country.”

“Very astute of you, Blackmoor. I knew you must have been the culprit who came earlier and left one of my men dead. When we did a count of our goods, we came up one chest short. That’s when I knew I had no choice. I had to eliminate you and your wife now. Today.”

“Even if you kill us, you won’t get the land. My brother, Lord Covington, will never sell it to you.”

“Yes, he will. I realize my mistake when I came to you. I offered too much money for something seemingly so worthless. It aroused your suspicions immediately. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“Did Freddie discover what you were doing?” Griff asked. “Is that why you killed him?”

Griff heard Anne’s shocked gasp. Brentwood laughed. “Unfortunately, yes. I really wasn’t all that interested in the title, nor did I care overly much for possessing Brentwood Manor, although it is rather nice. I just wanted to use this little section of isolated coast where I could unload and store my goods, then distribute them without anyone the wiser.”

“But Freddie discovered what you were doing.”

“Yes. I think perhaps he even knew his life was in danger. Why else would he go to such lengths to have this piece of Brentwood Estate removed so it was no longer entailed? To spite me. He made sure even if I possessed the rest of his inheritance, I would never possess the portion I truly wanted.”

“You won’t get away with this, Brentwood.”

“I already have. I’m a very wealthy man, thanks to my little venture here.”

“That was before your smuggling was discovered.”

“By you? You think you can stop me, Blackmoor? Look around you. There are five rifles pointed at you, and”—Brentwood stopped and pointed to the opening of the cave—“and the tide is coming in.”

Griff saw the water seeping into the mouth of the cave. He moved closer to Brentwood, praying he could get close enough to grab him. “You’re going to shoot us?”

“Oh, no. That would cause too many questions. But I’m going to make sure neither of you make it out alive. It will be such an unfortunate accident, the two newlyweds trapped, unable to escape before the tide came in. The story will cause tears to fall and soften even the hardest hearts in Society.”

Griff held back. He needed to give Jack more time to get down the cliff, but he couldn’t wait too long. Water was now seeping farther into the cave.

“You two,” Brentwood said to two of his men. “Get the boat ready.”

The two men closest to the entrance left.

The odds were better now. He prayed Jack was out there and could eliminate the men who had left. He’d only have
four to watch. If he could get his hands on Brentwood and hold him captive until the water rose, he had no doubt his men would abandon him to save their own skins. If only he could get close enough to him.

“I still don’t understand one thing,” Griff said, taking a step closer. “How do you think you will be able to convince anyone that our drowning was accidental when they find our bodies bound to poles?”

Brentwood’s brows shot upward. “You are not tied, are you, Blackmoor? Are you that anxious to make your escape that much more difficult?”

Griff stopped where he was. The water now reached the tips of his boots. “You bastard! What are you up to?”

“Nothing, Blackmoor.”

Brentwood turned to the three men still standing guard. “Harley, see what’s taking the others so long. We can’t wait much longer. We have to get out of here.” Another man standing close to the entrance left the cave.

Brentwood turned his attention back to Griff. “Where was I?” He took another step closer to Griff.

Just a little closer, and Griff could grab him.

“Oh, yes. I just couldn’t live with myself if I did not give you a fighting chance to survive. So, even though I have made it impossible for poor Lady Anne to escape, I have decided to leave you free. Then, when the water rushes into the cave, filling this part of it to the ceiling, you can stay with your true love and perish together, or”—Brentwood laughed as he waded through water that now swirled around his boots—“you can leave her to her death and save yourself. And live with what you did for the rest of your life. Even if you did survive and told what
you know, who would believe a man who’d abandoned his wife to save himself?”

Brentwood laughed, the sound sending chills down Griff’s spine. “I wish I could stay around and see how this little drama unfolds. I believe you may be the only man in all of England who has the habit of surviving his wives while they drown.”

Griff knew he should give Jack more time before making his move, but Brentwood’s words affected him more than he could stand. With a roar, he leaped through the air. He grabbed Brentwood around the throat and wrestled him to the ground.

One of the men standing guard got off a shot before Griff tackled Brentwood into the swirling water. Griff felt a burning sting to his upper arm, but he wasn’t hurt enough to impede his movements.

“Get him!” he heard Brentwood holler, but when the two remaining men made a move to come closer, Jack rushed into the cave and tackled them both.

Griff hit Brentwood hard in the gut. The bastard doubled over in pain but recovered and came to his feet with a knife in his hand.

Griff wanted to get this over quickly. The water already swirled around their ankles, which made going after him difficult. Griff had to hurry. The longer Brentwood held him off, the less time he had to free Anne.

He rushed forward, focusing his attention on the knife in Brentwood’s hand. He lunged, then pulled Brentwood’s hand to the side and twisted up. Brentwood staggered backward, then went beneath the water. He came up sputtering.

Neither of them could move now. The water was nearly to their knees, and made even the smallest steps extremely difficult.

Brentwood lunged forward and locked his arms around Griff’s shoulder. He brought his hand down to stab Griff in the back, but Griff twisted to the left. When Brentwood reached for him, Griff grabbed his arm and thrust the knife upward. He buried it deep in Brentwood’s chest.

Brentwood’s eyes opened in disbelieving horror as the water turned red with his blood.

Griff kept his hand on the knife until he was sure Brentwood was dead, then pulled the knife from his body and released him. He didn’t take time to watch their nemesis float facedown away from them. He needed to get to Anne. The water was already past his knees.