Miles’s voice was deep, strong, comforting. “We’re in the hold of a ship and I would imagine we’re bound for France.”
“But who? Why?” she stammered.
“Maybe your brother will know,” Miles said flatly. “Right now we must free ourselves. I’ll roll over to you and use my teeth to untie your hands, then you can free me.”
Elizabeth nodded, willing herself to calmness. If Roger’d had anything to do with their capture, he wouldn’t also be here, she told herself. When her hands were free, she gave a great sigh of relief, turned to Miles and instead of freeing his hands, she opened her cloak, pressed her bare body against his and kissed him. “Have you thought about me?” she whispered against his lips.
“Every moment.” Eagerly he leaned forward to kiss her again.
Laughing, she pushed him away. “Shouldn’t I untie you?”
“The parts of me that need freedom have it,” he said as he moved his hips closer to hers.
Elizabeth buried her fingers in his shoulders and invaded his mouth with her own.
Only the loud, wakening groans of Roger made her pull away.
“If I didn’t hate your brother before, I would now,” Miles said with feeling as Elizabeth sat up, leaned over him, and began to untie the ropes on his wrists.
“What is this?” Roger demanded. He sat up, fell down again and finally managed to sit. “What have you done now, Montgomery?”
Miles did not answer the challenge but rubbed his wrists as Elizabeth worked on the ropes on her own ankles. As Miles began to untie his ankles, Roger exploded again.
“Do the two of you plan to free yourselves and leave me here? Elizabeth, how can you forget…”
“Do be quiet, Roger,” Elizabeth said. “You’ve done more than enough harm already. Do you have any idea where this ship is taking us?”
“Ask your lover. I’m sure he’s the one who planned this.”
Miles didn’t bother to answer Roger as he turned to Elizabeth. “I want to know whether I have your loyalty for the moment. If someone opens the hatch I’ll jump him while you use the ropes to tie him. Can I depend on you?”
“Whether you believe it or not, you have always had my loyalty,” Elizabeth said in a cold voice.
“Have you tried demanding our release?” Roger asked. “Offer them money.”
“And will you empty your pockets for them?” Miles asked, glancing at the small strip of cloth that Roger wore.
No one said any more as the hatch began to open and a foot appeared on the ladder.
“Down!” Miles commanded and both Roger and Elizabeth feigned sleep as they sprawled on the wooden floor. Miles silently slipped to the far side of the ladder.
The sailor stuck his head down, seemed satisfied with the two prisoners’ silence and took another step. At the same moment he realized one prisoner was missing, Miles grabbed both the man’s feet and sent him sprawling. There was no sound except a heavy thud, lost in the creaking and groaning of the ship.
Roger lost no time in springing into action as he lifted the sailor’s head by his hair. “He’ll be out for a while.”
Miles was unbuttoning the man’s clothes.
“And do you expect me to remain here while you take his cloths and escape?” Roger demanded. “I’ll not leave myself at the mercy of a Montgomery.”
“You will!” Elizabeth hissed. “Roger, I am sick of your distrust. You are the one who has caused most of the problems between the Montgomerys and Chatworths, and now if we’re to get out of this, you must learn to cooperate. What can we do, Miles?”
Miles was watching her as he struggled into the too-small clothes. Sailors were often chosen because of their diminutive size since small men could maneuver more easily inside the confines of a ship. “I will return as soon as I’ve found out anything.” With that he was up the ladder and out.
Elizabeth and Roger tied and gagged the unconscious sailor and left him in a corner.
“Will you always side with him?” Roger asked sulkily.
Elizabeth leaned back against the wall of the ship. Her head hurt and her