Bride for a Night(123)

With his current streak of luck, he might very well discover Napoleon and the entire French army filling the cellars.

Shoving Jacques forward to overtake the two females, he reached out to grasp Talia’s arm and tugged her to a halt.

“Wait, Talia,” he commanded, blowing out her candle to plunge them in blackness.

She readily stepped aside as he slowly pushed open the door, his pistol pointed into the darkness beyond.

“Hugo?” he called softly, the musty scent of aged barrels and damp stone wafting through the air.

There was a faint scrape and then light bloomed in the darkness as Hugo lit a candle and crossed to peer out the door. His golden gaze narrowed at the sight of Jacques and Sophia standing in the tunnel.

“You did not warn me you intended to bring guests.”

Harry stepped forward, his expression sulky as he regarded the Frenchman who had once been his partner.

“Gabriel, what the devil are you doing with this bastard? We need to get away from here.”

Jacques laughed with mocking amusement at the younger man’s obvious discomfort.


“Turning traitor yet again, eh, Harry?”

“I am merely attempting to right a wrong,” Harry said in sullen tones. “Or at least to right one of many wrongs. I can never fully repay the damage I have caused.”

“I would be impressed if I did not know you are a weak-willed worm who was willing to sell your soul to the highest bidder,” Jacques retorted.

Harry stiffened, his eyes dark with guilt. “It is your fault I ever became involved in the nasty business,” he accused. “If you had not offered to pay my debts I should never have been tempted.”

Jacques snorted. “Pathetic.”

Hugo shouldered aside the younger man, regarding Gabriel with impatience.

“Well?”

Gabriel nodded. “There is no longer a need to sneak through the dark when Monsieur Gerard has a fine carriage to return us to the yacht.”

Hugo frowned. “What of the soldiers? They are surrounding the house.”

Gabriel glanced toward his surly captive. “We will use Monsieur Gerard to ensure our safe passage.”

“Are you certain that is wise?” Hugo demanded. “There is no guarantee that an ambitious guard will not be willing to sacrifice his leader for an opportunity to prevent our escape. Napoleon might very well be impressed enough by his initiative to earn a promotion.”

It was a reasonable concern. Even if the guards were unquestionably loyal to Jacques Gerard, there was always the danger that one might inadvertently discharge his weapon at the sight of his leader being kidnapped by the enemy. And once the first shot had been fired, then there would be no derailing the attack.

“You should pay heed to your friend, Ashcombe,” Jacques said, interrupting Gabriel’s inner debate. “My guards will never allow you to escape.”

Gabriel grimaced. There were no safe choices, but one thing was for certain—they could not hide in the house forever. And the longer they waited, the more opportunity for the guards to seek the assistance of the numerous soldiers camped outside the city walls.

“It is a risk, but with a carriage we will be better protected than if we attempt to flee on foot, and certainly we shall be able to travel at a greater speed,” he said.

Talia moved to his side, her face pale but resolute. His tiny warrior.

“There was a carriage waiting at the side of the house when we arrived,” she announced.

It had to be the carriage that Jacques had used to haul them to the townhouse, Gabriel decided.