Ned and Clarissa looked blank.
Toby blinked.
Jack froze—and looked at Horatio.
Suddenly serious, Horatio frowned. “I spoke with her, then we joined Lucilla and the boys. At the end of the fireworks display, Sophie had disappeared. I thought she was with you.”
“She must have gone to the temple,” Toby said, genuinely horrified.
“Gurnard’s still there,” Ned pointed out.
“I’ll find her.” Jack kept his expression impassive, despite the emotions roiling within. He exchanged a look with Horatio, who nodded. Striding to the door, Jack spared a glance for Lucilla. “Don’t worry,” he said. The smile that accompanied the words held a certain grim resolution.
Somewhat subdued, the rest of the party settled to listen to the last of the music.
“You know,” Lucilla murmured as Horatio took the seat beside her, “I’m really not sure we’ve done the right thing.”
“How so?”
“Well, I’m quite sure Sophie can handle Captain Gurnard. But can she handle Jack Lester?”
Horatio smiled and patted her hand. “I’m sure she’ll contrive.”
* * *
ON GAINING THE Dark Walk, Sophie paused to catch her breath. Peering through the shadows, she could just make out the distant glimmer of the temple’s white pillars, set back in a small grove. The path leading to the water-gate lay nearby; somewhere beyond the temple lay one of the less-used street gates.
Dragging in a deep breath, Sophie quit the shadows. There was no one about. Her soft slippers made little sound on the gravel as she neared the temple steps. Standing at the bottom, she peered in but could see nothing but shadows. Surely Clarissa could not be inside?
For a full minute, she vacillated, then, holding her cape close about her, Sophie mounted the steps. If there was no one inside, it couldn’t hurt to look.
The shadows within enveloped her. Sophie glanced about, then stifled a shriek as a dark shape loomed beside her.
“Well, well, well. Come to look for your cousin, I take it?”
As the shape resolved itself into Captain Gurnard, Sophie gave an almost imperceptible gasp. Straightening, she nodded. “But as she isn’t here—”
“You’ll do just as well.”
The captain wrapped one hand about Sophie’s arm.
Instinctively, she tried to pull away. “Unhand me, sir! What on earth do you believe can come of this?”
“Money, my dear Miss Winterton. Lots of money.”
Sophie remembered his scheme. “You appear to have overlooked something, Captain. I am not an heiress.”
“No,” Gurnard acknowledged. “You’re something even better. You’re the woman Lester’s got his eye on.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sophie carefully tested the captain’s hold.
“It means,” Gurnard sneered, convincing her his grip was unbreakable by shaking her, “that Lester will pay and pay handsomely to have you returned to him. And he’ll pay even more to ensure you’re…unharmed, shall we say?”
Sophie recoiled as Gurnard thrust his face close to hers. “It seems Lester’s windfall is to be my gain.” With an abrupt laugh, he turned and dragged her towards the door. “Come on.”
Dredging up every ounce of her courage, Sophie went rigid and pulled back. Her full weight served only to slow the captain, but it was enough to make him turn with a snarl.
Sophie lifted her chin, refusing to be cowed. “There is, as I said, something you appear to have overlooked, Captain. I am not going to marry Mr. Lester.”