Wonderland By Night (Heroic Rogues Series) (37 page)

Elias shrugged again. “A middle-aged man, I assume. Freckled face, with and abundance of burnt orange hair.”

Sickness rolled in Gabe’s stomach, making him want to hurl. Somehow
Billingsford
had connected the pirate to Gabe. But how? Yet, why did the Commodore take Emmie? Was it to bring Captain Hawk out of hiding? That had to be the only reason.

Taking a deep breath to control his fear, Gabe nodded. “Tell me everything these men said. I need to find Emmie. She is in grave danger.”

“Oh,” Daphne groaned as she swooned. Henry rushed to hold her up. Thankfully, she hadn’t lost consciousness.

“Not to worry, Mrs. Townshend,” Henry said, patting her arm. “My nephew will find Emiline and bring her home safe.”

“I will. I promise.” Gabe nodded as he helped to hold up
Emmie’s
mother. He looked at Elias. “Hail us a hackney to take you two home. Your mother is in no condition to walk.”

Nodding, Elias scampered down the street in search of a hackney.

Gabe and Henry exchanged worried glances. The only way to get Emmie back was for Gabe to turn himself in—which he could not do! The
Sons of Liberty
depended on Captain Hawk. But Emmie depended on Gabe to rescue her, too, and right now, she was more important.

There was only one decision to make. He loved Emmie with all his heart, which meant…he would find her and free her. He prayed the
Sons of Liberty
would find a way to rescue him, just like they had several years ago when he’d been caught by the enemy spy who happened to be a woman.

Then again, he wasn’t in Philadelphia any longer. Would the
Sons of Liberty
around these parts be able to free him at all? Or was his head hanging by the end of the rope in his near future?

* * * *

Noises grew all around Emiline as she slowly awoke. Her head pounded, and she recalled the moment one of the men who had taken her had hit her, rendering her unconscious.

Groaning, she shifted, but couldn’t move. As sounds and feelings slowly came to her, she realized her arms were tied in back of her, and her feet were secured tightly to the chair in which her captors had placed her. Even a blindfold had been placed over her eyes. Her body ached from being in this position, and panic welled within her chest.

Voices from not far away, echoed in the room. She kept still and listened intently as she tried to clear her head from the fog she’d just left.

“How soon do you think he will come?” asked a woman.

Although the woman’s voice was low, Emmie suspected she’d heard it before. But where?

“If I know Captain Hawk, he will come today.”

Forgetting that she was going to keep quiet, Emmie sucked in a quick breath.
Captain Hawk?
Impossible! Why would he come? Her head pounded for different reasons now. Was he somehow connected with Uncle Oliver? Was that why her uncle falsely blamed the pirate for attacking her mother’s ship and killing all on board?

All these unanswered questions were so frustrating. She wanted to know what was going on now! But she continued to act as if she was still unconscious. At least she prayed her captors believed that.

“And when will I get my money?” The woman’s voice came out stronger now, and more determined.

“Not to worry, my sweet lady,” the man said charmingly. “When Hawk arrives, you will be paid accordingly.”

Emmie didn’t like the sound of that. She wondered if the woman was way in over her head, as well. Apparently, this man was not someone to be trifled with.

“I better be paid
very
well. I didn’t stick my neck out for you for nothing, you know. If Gabriel Lawrence knew what I have done—”

“He won’t, I assure you.”

Once again, Emmie gasped. Gabe? How was the man she loved involved in all of this? He couldn’t possibly be! Somehow there was a missing piece of the puzzle, and she didn’t know what it was.

“My dear, Miss Hampton. Your cousin will never know.” Once again, the man spoke with confidence.

Inwardly, Emmie groaned.
Rebecca!
The voice she recognized was Gabe’s cousin. What had that wretch of a woman done? Emmie never did like Gabe’s cousin, and now she knew her first instincts were correct. Rebecca was definitely the hind end of a donkey. Worse, actually. She was the devil’s own child! Obviously, Gabe had done something very damaging to her cousin that hopefully Emmie would discover soon.

Another set of footsteps pounded on the floor. “I believe everything is in place, Commodore. The trap has been set. When Lawrence arrives, there is no way for escape,” the man said in quick breathes.

Emmie boiled inside, knowing that Gabe would be as helpless as she was now. And that second man’s voice… Why did it sound familiar?

“Splendid,” the man referred to as commodore answered gleefully. “Finally, after all these years, Captain Hawk will be mine.”

Emmie’s
mind skidded to a halt. They were just discussing Gabe, now the pirate’s name was mentioned…again? And the way the commodore made it sound, Gabe and Hawk were the same person. That definitely couldn’t be correct. Gabe was too young to be that pirate.

Wasn’t he?

Dread washed over her like filthy water. Gabe was probably in his mid to late twenties. Fifteen years ago the pirate would have been about the same age or older. Yet, the commodore seemed to think Gabe was Hawk. Could it be possible that Gabe took over as Captain Hawk after a friend or family member? She knew his father was dead, so what were the chances that the original pirate was Gabe’s father?

Not only that, but Gabe promised her that the pirate Captain Hawk did not attack passenger ships—only Naval ships. And she believed him. So, why was Captain Hawk being blamed for things he didn’t do?

Her headache grew worse the longer she pondered all these confusing questions. But one questioned remained… If Gabe was indeed Captain Hawk, then the pirate couldn’t be as ruthless as rumors indicated. Gabriel Lawrence was now—and had always been since she first met him—the most kind and gentle man. There would be no way he could be anything else. She had gotten to know the
real
man…the man who fought for his fellow countrymen in trying to free themselves from the greedy King’s grasp. Gabe was the man who would do anything to help the woman he loved locate her mother. And he would do anything to help Emmie now!

Once again, panic wrenched her heart. He didn’t know he was walking into a trap. She must not allow that to happen. She needed to figure out where she was and how to get out of these ropes that bound her to this very uncomfortable chair.

Using her senses, she tried to smell around her. As she took a deep sniff, she nearly gagged. Wherever she was kept prisoner, was moldy and dusty. She prayed she didn’t sneeze.

The more she concentrated on her whereabouts, she realized the floor rocked slightly.
A boat?
She’d gone sailing enough times with her father when she was younger to know the feeling well. Without a doubt, she was on some kind of boat, and by the fetid scent, she was below deck in a room that wasn’t used very often.

Her mind returned to the group still talking. Oh, why hadn’t she been paying better attention? She trained her ears to what the other two were saying.

“Whatever happens, I cannot be here,” Rebecca said. “I don’t want my cousin to see me.”

“What will it matter?” the commodore asked. “He will die soon enough.”

Rebecca huffed. “It’s the principle of the matter.”

The second man laughed, and once again, Emmie felt she knew him from somewhere.

“Oh, Miss Hampton. You are so two-faced, it’s almost laughable. You are the very reason we can capture Gabriel Lawrence, yet you think all you have to do is use a little soap and your sins will be washed away?”

“How dare you insinuate—”

“Miss Hampton, I do not need to
insinuate
. Your actions speak loud enough.”

“Commodore
Billingsford
?” Rebecca stomped. “Are you going to allow
this man
to speak to me in such a way and in a condescending tone?”

Billingsford
chuckled. “Miss Hampton, you act as if you are royalty. You are not, so if I were you, I would shut my mouth and keep it closed.”

“Oh! I do not need to stand here and take this kind of treatment.”

“No, you don’t,” the commodore answered, “but if you want your money, you will.”

If Emmie wasn’t so upset over Rebecca’s betrayal, she would have laughed. Indeed, Rebecca was two-faced, and Emmie was glad the other men knew it. Still, deep down inside, she felt Rebecca’s life might be in danger now because of what she’d done.

“As for you, my friend,” the commodore continued, “I think you should depart posthaste. You don’t need Mr. Lawrence seeing that you are working for me. And our prisoner doesn’t need to see you, either.”

“You are correct,
Billingsford
, as always. From what I have heard of Lady Sarah, she is a little spitfire.” He chuckled. “I will definitely keep in touch, soon, to find out how everything transpires.”

“I’m in hopes that our plans will flow smoothly.”

Irritation grew inside her. Whoever this man was, surely hadn’t heard the correct information about her. She was
not
a spitfire! Still, it bothered her that she hadn’t pinpointed the identity of the other man.

After the unknown man left, silence stretched in the room for a few moments. Emmie tried to keep her breathing slow instead of what her quick heartbeat was dictating. She was certain the other two were watching her now. She must not appear as if she’d been awake this whole time.

“So, Miss Hampton, I suppose we should see to our prisoner now.”

“As long as you don’t remove her blindfold. I don’t want her seeing me.”

The other man chuckled. “You are so typical. Always thinking of yourself.”

Rebecca huffed again. “Well, considering I will continue to live a normal life, as well as Lady Sarah, I don’t need her knowing the identity of the one who planned her kidnapping.”

“Actually, my dear, confused woman,” the commodore’s voice turned charming again, “I was the one who planned her kidnapping.”

“But it was I who suggested you talk to her brother.”

“Yes, I shall give you credit for that one, but nothing else.”

Their footsteps neared Emmie. She feared they would notice the bodice of her gown moving so fast due to her erratic heartbeat. Silently, she prayed they would not. She remained in the same position she’d been when she had awoken with her chin resting on her chest. She smelled them near her, and although the man didn’t stink, he definitely didn’t smell as pleasant as Gabe always had.