She saw his face just as he brought his doubled fist down on her head. Jewels fell to the floor unconscious.
“I’ve got the girl—you do the horse and meet me at the inn in Swindon. That’s where I’m making the exchange …” So saying, Renkins picked Jewels up, swung her lifeless form over her horse, and started to lead it out.
A stable boy appeared suddenly. His eyes opened wide, and with a yelp he ran screaming for help.
Jem looked around for his knife, as he had lost it in the straw during the scuffle, but even as his hand found the hilt, a foot came up and knocked him in the face, throwing him neatly backwards and putting him out of commission. “Hurt m’poor horse, will ye? Well, it would all be for naught, you bloody fool, because that stallion isn’t Lightning!” said Sir James, looking worriedly around for his sister.
*
Lightning was safely being led by the marquis and Robby, who entered the courtyard some ten minutes later to be met with the sounds of mayhem.
“Good God … what is towards …?”
The marquis threw the lead line of the stallion and his own horse’s reins to Robby and snapped, “Keep them close, ol’ boy …” Then he nimbly jumped down, made his way through the commotion of several stable boys all talking at the same time, and discovered Jimmy shaking a stout young man with Arthur holding a gun on him, shouting, “I’ve got him in my sights, Jimmy! I’ve got him …”
“Put the gun down, Art … we don’t need it … just trying to make this bloke talk. Something is wrong. Where is m’sister?” He shook the man again and demanded once more, “Where is she?”
“Oi … oi … he’ll kill me if oi tells … oi don’t tells …” the man said, holding a hand to the bump on his face. His eye was already turning black and blue.
“You needn’t worry about him killing you, for you won’t get that far. I shall kill you here and now if you don’t tell me at once—where has your partner taken her?” The marquis stepped into the fray and put his hands around the man’s throat.
Jem started to cry. It was obvious he was terrified, but death looked to be immediate as the marquis began to throttle him, and he choked and begged, “Awright, awright, oi’ll tell ye …”
“Hurry up …”
“He be taking her to meet up with the minister and some lord at Swindon … at the Arms …”
Ryker was already on the move. Over his shoulder, he said, “I trust you to handle this one, Jimmy, and make certain your stallion is well guarded!”
“Yes, but I’m coming with you … she is my sister!” Jimmy called.
“You are needed here, and I promise you, she may be your sister, but she is my future bride, and I will have her safe and sound—and Omsbury dead.”
*
Jewels groaned as her eyes fluttered open. She was in a dimly lit room … where …? She put a hand to the bump on her head. Oh, but it hurt, and she had the makings of an awful headache. She could hear the sounds of a carriage moving past her window. It took some effort, but she got up from the hardwood chair she had been slumped in and went to the window, where she could see the courtyard of a posting inn—not the same one where they had stopped to eat.
Where? she asked herself again, and then the door opened and Lord Omsbury entered, a smooth, satisfied smile on his face.
“Not feeling too well, my dear? Here … I have put a bit of laudanum in your tea … it will help …”
“You can take the tea and the laudanum and make your way to hell at your own speed, for if Ryker gets to you, you’ll be getting there sooner than you will like!” she snapped. The headache pounded, and she swayed a bit and put a hand out to steady herself.
He was on her immediately and held her in a grip she couldn’t break free from. “There, there … one way or another, you will drink your tea while the minister fills out the paperwork that will make us legal man and wife!”
“Never—I will tell everyone it is a lie!”
“It will be too late. After a night with me … who would want you? Ryker? I assure you, he won’t take my leavings.”
“Pig, odious brute,” she said and shov
ed at him with all her might.
He forced her against the wall and there meant to take a kiss when the door was flung open, and Jewels saw him, standing like the knight in shining armor she had always dreamt would come for her. He filled the doorway; faith, she thought, he filled the room! He was a mountain of volcanic fury.
“Face me, Omsbury … and take on someone your own size …”
Omsbury put her in front of him, but she slammed her foot down on his and he jumped in pain. She ran to Ryker, who held her to him, kissed the top of her head, and put her at his side.