Lady Catherine's Secret: A Secrets and Seduction book (43 page)

Catherine pressed her lips together in a thin line. Leaning forward in her saddle, she squeezed her knees and Wildfire leapt forward, leaving her brother and Wentworth behind.

53 - The Warehouse

Catherine made her way into London’s East End, the buildings she passed a blur to her as she flew through the streets as fast as she dared. She knew that on horseback she moved faster than a carriage could. She had to arrive at Stansbury’s warehouse before he did. Everything depended upon it.

She could only hope they'd guessed right about his destination.

As she wove through the streets, she had trouble thinking clearly. Her brain seemed to be working more slowly, frozen with fear. The only thought she could process was that she had to save Daniel. Nothing else mattered. What if Stansbury hurt him— or worse? Ice filled her veins at the thought of Daniel lying dead, eyes glassy and staring.

The long ride, however, gave her time to think, and she shoved the image forcibly from her mind. It did no good to dwell on that outcome. She’d save Daniel. She’d be there in time. The alternative— well, there
was
no alternative.

Why on earth would Stansbury have kidnapped him? Was it because of their marriage? But that didn’t make sense. What could he gain from abducting Daniel
after
the wedding?

There must be some other reason.

The earlier kidnapping attempt must be related, and that had happened before their engagement. But again, why?

The obnoxious odor from the many tanneries and the docks along the River Thames grew stronger as she moved through the maze of narrow streets in the East End. The road became more crowded, forcing Catherine to slow her pace. As she neared Stansbury’s warehouse, she spotted a number of black carriages that might contain Daniel, but she couldn’t identify Stansbury among the coachmen.

She hurried as fast as the crowded roads allowed, weaving past dockworkers and businessmen who made way for her with annoyed glares. The roofs and walls surrounding her were all a dirty gray and hemmed her in on all sides.

As she approached Stansbury’s warehouse, she could see large wooden double doors standing slightly ajar, leading into an empty courtyard in front of the warehouse. The brick walls enclosing the courtyard were tall, probably eight feet high, making it impossible to see over them.

She peeked through the doors on horseback, quickly surveying the interior of the courtyard.

Empty.

Did that mean they hadn’t yet arrived? Or had she gone to the wrong place? Was Stansbury taking him somewhere else?

She tied Wildfire to a nearby post and then moved toward the open doors. She slipped between them, regretting her white fencing costume as she saw its stark contrast against the dark doors. She wasn’t dressed for subterfuge.

She shrugged the doubts away and quickly circled the courtyard, peering into the warehouse doors. The large building was virtually empty, with no employees in sight. Charles was right. This would be the perfect place to bring Daniel.

She crept into the large, empty space. Looking around, she could just make out a chair in the dim light. It was placed in the center of the warehouse, with a few lengths of rope lying next to it. They must be planning to tie him there. Once the doors were closed, even if he yelled, nobody would hear him outside on the street.

Through the open door of the warehouse, she heard the sound of a carriage arriving at the gates. Her chest tightened. It had to be Stansbury. She must have made good time on horseback. Rage filled her, along with the chill of reality. Did Stansbury have an accomplice? If not, she might be able to take him down alone.

Glancing along the dark wall of the warehouse, she looked for a place to hide. There were few options. She peeked out the warehouse door to find Stansbury had climbed off the carriage and was pushing the gate open wide. Then he clambered back onto the driver’s box and drove the carriage into the courtyard. He brought it to a halt in front of the doors to the warehouse, close to where Catherine was hiding.

“Stay there while I shut the gate!” Stansbury shouted as he jumped down to the ground. Then he rushed back to the double doors and shoved them closed.

Catherine glanced around the warehouse and realized that it wasn’t quite as dark as she had first thought. There were many cracks between the rough wooden boards, which allowed the bright sunlight to seep in, providing dim light in the building.

Catherine glanced again at the chair and tried not to imagine Daniel tied to it. She needed a plan if she was to save him. The task overwhelmed her. She’d only had one lesson in knife fighting from Daniel, so how could she hope to stop Stansbury?

Her confidence began to seep away from her, and she looked around the room again for anything that might give her an advantage.

Nothing.

Along the wall were piles of discarded items, and she found herself wondering if there were rats here as well.

Of course there were. This was a warehouse by the river, and there were always rats. She really hated rats. Mice she could handle, but rats made her skin crawl.

A dank pile of discarded sailcloth sat near the door, and she briefly considered hiding there. It would provide scant cover, but there were few other choices.

Perhaps a swift attack would be best. If she could break Daniel free, the odds would shift in their favor.

She glanced back out the door, watching the carriage as Stansbury pulled open its door. She held her breath, waiting for a glimpse of her husband.

Instead, another man came lurching out, almost losing his balance as he tried to negotiate the steps with his hands tied behind his back.

Charles Attwood? Why was he tied up? Had Stansbury kidnapped him too? How did Stansbury know him?

Stansbury pushed the door of the carriage closed. Where was Daniel? Was he still inside?

A sinking feeling caused her heart to falter. What if Stansbury had already killed him? What if she was too late?

If Daniel was dead, she’d make Stansbury pay the price for his treachery.

Catherine slipped her hand inside her fencing jacket, pulling out the knife she’d hidden there. Had it been foresight or dumb luck that had compelled her to bring it along? Neither, she realized. She’d wanted it with her because Daniel had given it to her. It had become a talisman.

She clenched the handle, holding it so that the blade was tucked behind her forearm, just as Daniel had taught her. Stansbury pulled a knife from his boot and began to saw at the ropes binding Attwood’s hands. The two chatted as he worked. Catherine couldn’t hear their words, but they didn’t appear contentious.

They were cordial.

A thought struck her with a stark chill. What if Stansbury and Attwood were in collusion? If she attacked now, she wouldn’t be saving Attwood, but revealing herself to them.

They began to saunter slowly toward her door in a relaxed and friendly manner. Catherine darted to one side, moving as fast as she could toward the pile of moldy sailcloth. With a shudder of revulsion at the thought of rats, she twitched the cloth out, seeing little bits of debris go flying, but no rats. She buried herself under the rotting cloth and held her breath as it settled in place over her.

Perhaps this wasn’t the best plan, but what else could she do?

She heard one of the men push open the door, slamming it wide so that it banged against the wall.

“I was afraid she might get here first,” Attwood said.

“We had a good lead on her,” Stansbury said. “She and her brother could be here any minute, though. We need to watch the gate. This plan is sure to keep them out of the action.”

The two men stood silently for a time, watching the courtyard gate through the open door of the warehouse.

“You’re certain this will work?” Attwood asked in a tone that suggested it wasn’t the first time he’d posed the question.

“Of course I’m certain,” Stansbury snapped. “When we were driving away in the carriage, I made sure to look her in the eyes. She definitely recognized me. Wentworth’s out of the competition, as are Spencer and Lady Catherine. Huntley will be so rattled when they don’t show up that he’ll be in a panic.”

Catherine caught her breath to keep from making a sound. Daniel was alive! She tried to make sense of everything else she heard. It sounded as though Stansbury had concocted some elaborate plan.

The men stood quietly for a few more moments, and then Attwood broke the silence again. “Where’d you get the blunt for the wager?”

Stansbury grunted. “I sold my newest carriage and the matching pair of bays. I was having trouble paying to stable them anyway,” Stansbury said. “But at these odds, it will be worth it.”

“Twenty to one. That’s worth quite a lot. Even kidnapping.”

“How about you?” Stansbury asked. “Where’d you get your stake?”

“Here and there. A bit of wheedling and a bit of stealing. I was able to pull together nearly five hundred.”

“Pounds?” Stansbury sounded surprised.

“Yes, m’lord.”

“Well done.”

“Couldn’t pass up a sure thing.”

They lapsed into silence again, and Catherine risked a peek out from under the sailcloth. The two men stood framed in the open warehouse door, watching the courtyard gates. Catherine’s grip tightened on the handle of her knife.

What on earth were they gambling on? And why were they so certain they’d win?

She heard a rustling nearby and tensed.

A rat? Please, no.

Something brushed against her foot, and she jerked it back instinctively, stifling a scream, but a gasp still emerged.

She glanced across at Stansbury and Attwood and found them staring at her pile of rotting sailcloth with startled faces.

She might as well have screamed after all.

As the two men approached her hiding place, she scrambled to stand, preferring to face them on her feet. A mouse scurried out from under the rotten sailcloth toward them, and then it turned and dashed toward the wall. Stansbury’s eyes followed it and then darted back to her face.

She let them see the knife she held, but they hardly took notice. Attwood merely pulled out one of his own.

A much larger one.

“Lady Huntley,” Stansbury sneered. His gaze raked her body, lingering on her legs and leaving her feeling unclean. “She’s a tempting little slut, don’t you agree? It’s a wonder Huntley lets her go out in public showing off her limbs in such a degrading manner.”

The trembling, gasping tone in Stansbury’s voice sent a ripple of fear down her spine. Something was wrong with him. He seemed wound very tightly, as though he were going to explode and send little bits of himself flying off at the slightest touch.

She watched him warily.

Stansbury rubbed his palms against his thighs, and with a rush of nausea, she realized his hand brushed against his private parts. She could see the bulge beneath his trousers.

When Stansbury saw the direction of her gaze, he grinned at her. “Do you like what you see,
Lady Huntley
? Do you hunger for a real man? You seem to like exposing your body in public. Maybe you’re hoping someone will come along who can make you behave as a lady ought. Someone who can bend you to his will. Your husband doesn’t seem to be up to the task.” He touched himself again. “But I assure you, I am.”

Catherine could hardly believe her ears, or her eyes. Was he suggesting... he couldn’t be, could he? She took a step back as the men began to move closer to her. Then another step back. Her foot became tangled in the old sail and she stumbled, falling backward.

“Well done, Lady Catherine. Too bad your penchant for screaming about mice finally did you in.”

“I didn’t scream,” she snapped back, fear making her voice shrill.

“In that you are correct. But you will, and quite soon.”

The two men rushed forward in unison, pinning her arms behind her back and overwhelming her so quickly that she never had time to react. Her malachite weapon clattered to the floor as Attwood dragged her to her feet and wrapped his arm around her neck, holding his knife to her throat.

“I’ll lock the gates,” Stansbury said. “We don’t want be interrupted by anyone.”

Attwood gave a nod, and Stansbury turned and trotted from the building.

Daniel and Charles would come. They had to. She just hoped they would be in time.

54 - Locked In

Daniel recognized John Cunningham among the spectators gathered to watch the tournament and sauntered across the fencing salon to join him.

“Huntley, my man. How good to see you. Congratulations again on your marriage,” Cunningham said by way of greeting. “Are you here to support your new brother-in-law, Lord Spencer, or your old friend Wentworth?”

“It’s a difficult choice, and one I won’t be forced to make. I’ll be taking part in the tournament as well.”