Mercedes’ body screamed in pain. Her skull had long since stopped throbbing, but being in one position for a lengthy amount of time stiffened every muscle in her body. When Captain Wilkes wasn’t looking, she’d tugged both her arms and legs, trying to free herself from the ropes. But to no avail. After several hours, she slumped in the corner in exhaustion.
She leaned her head against the wall. Where was William? She blinked back tears threatening to streak down her face. Crying wouldn’t assist William in rescuing her, so why waste her energy?
Henry had stepped outside the barn, and relief flooded through her, if only for a moment. He’d wanted to touch her improperly, but Kat’s jealousy overrode her revenge. Kat had instructed Henry not to lay a finger on Mercedes.
Without wanting it to, a tear slid down Mercedes’ cheek. Her stomach knotted and she bent over. Agony washed through her body and mind from Kat’s betrayal. What had happened to Kat to make her so evil? Kat had always been the twin who could wrap their father around her finger. She’d always received everything she asked for. Even Mercedes had given in to her sister’s spoiled antics. But Kat had always wanted more. Much more...this time at the cost of her own sister.
Henry sauntered back inside, a smirk stretching across his mouth. He picked up the lantern and proceeded to light it. “You had me fooled, you know.” He knelt beside her and lifted a lock of hair, pressing it to his nose, inhaling deeply. “You smell so much better than your sister.”
“You had better not let Kat hear that. You know how she gets when she is angry.”
He sighed and let her hair fall from his fingers. “Yes. She can be such a devil.”
“Captain Wilkes? Tell me, do you believe me to be insane?”
He sat back, his gaze skimming over her face and neck. Her stomach churned.
“If you are, you certainly don’ play the part.”
“What about my sister? Do you think she is ill?”
“No. But you are completely different. She is wild, you are tame.” He stroked her cheek. “I almost wish you were like Kat.”
“If I were, William wouldn’t have fallen in love with me.”
He laughed and stood. “He is a fool. But then, I have known this all along.”
“What are your plans for William when he comes to rescue me?”
His chest shook with silent laughter. “You think he will come?”
“I know he will.”
“What a faithful, devoted woman you are.”
“What have you planned, Captain?”
He stepped over to the window and peered out. “Well, if Mr. Braxton does come, I shall just have to arrest him for trying to break a prisoner out of jail. Kat has had this planned for months. You see, with both Lawrence and Braxton in jail, there will be an accident and both men will die. Kat will become the wealthy widow, and I will take over his drawings and become wealthier, myself. With Kat by my side, there isn’t anything we cannot conquer.”
“Don’t be too sure of yourself. You are underestimating my husband. He is a brilliant man, with a keen mind.”
He turned and faced her, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you think me dim-witted? Kat and I have a foolproof plan.”
She squirmed, hoping again to loosen the ropes, but they didn’t budge. She sighed in desperation. “All I can say is that evil men like yourself, always come out the losers.”
Henry laughed, stepped away from the window, and headed in her direction. The dark look in his eyes sent chills over her body, turning it cold with dread. Should she remind him about Kat’s warning? The lowering sun threw shadows on his face. He appeared meaner, yet more determined. She swallowed hard.
“I have had enough talk for now.” He knelt beside her and ran his knuckles along her cheek. “I’m bored and you are the only person who can remedy that matter.”
She pulled back, but couldn’t get away from his touch. “Please, Captain. My sister will be very upset.”
“Your sister doesn’t need to know.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I will tell her.”
“I will rebut your story.”
His hand moved down her neck, his thumb stroked the skin at the base of her throat. She wanted to spit in his face, but resisted. He would certainly strike her.
She struggled once more with the ropes at her wrists, but they were still too strong, making it impossible to free her hands. “Get away from me,” she yelled.
“Never. I have come to care for you a great deal.”
Following her first instincts, she spit in his face. He pulled back, eyes wide, jaw slack. He scowled and backhanded her across the face. She cried out. Her skin stung from his blow. He raised his hand again, and she cringed, preparing for the next strike.
* * * *
When William heard his wife’s scream, he rushed into the barn—and then stopped. In the corner, Captain Wilkes’ red uniform caught his attention as well as the squirming woman the man held.
A burst of anger shot through William’s body and he itched to grab the sword at his side. Instead, he ran toward the soldier and seized the man by his coat. William found the strength to pick him up and fling him at the wall. His wife’s eyes widened, then she squealed his name. He knelt beside her and took her in his arms. “Are you all right?”
She sobbed into his chest and his heart shattered. He wished he had arrived sooner. It tore him apart knowing he hadn’t stopped another man from harming her. What kind of husband did that make him?
“Shhh…” he soothed, stroking her hair. “Captain Wilkes won’t touch you again.”
A rebel shout ripped through the air, and he snapped his head toward the soldier. Wilkes’ foot connected with William’s chest and knocked him away. Pain shot through his body and he inhaled sharply, clutching his chest. The captain raised his foot to strike him again, but William rolled in the opposite direction. Gaining his ground, he jumped up and faced his opponent.
Hunched over, arms outstretched, the other man circled him.
“I don’t want to kill you this way,” the captain said. “We have other plans for you.”
“Sorry to disappoint, but it won’t happen as you’ve planed.” William narrowed his eyes. “Because I plan on killing you right now.”
Henry laughed and shook his head. “What a brave man you pretend to be, but I know many men who are cowards just like you. Killing you will be rewarding.”
“And it will be rewarding to kill one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s spies to help out my country.”
Wilkes lunged at him and gripped William’s throat. The large man’s hands tightened around his neck. William struggled to take in air, but he couldn’t. His head pounded, and his lungs burned. The pressure at his throat began to numb his mind.
He pulled at Wilkes’ hands, but they were unmovable. Using his foot, William lashed out, hitting his opponent’s knee. The man cried out and fell to the ground. Jumping on him, William grabbed the man’s neck and squeezed.
The captain choked, gasping for air. William tightened his grip. The soldier struggled, rolling them both over. But William still held the man’s throat. Wilkes rolled once more, and William’s foot struck an object. Breaking glass from the lantern pulsated through the air. In a whoosh, flames ignited the hay.
He glanced over his shoulder. Fire danced too close, the heat touching his skin. Smoke curled around him, stinging his nose. He coughed. The flames licked at him and threatened to jump on his clothes.
Behind him, Mercedes screamed. “William, hurry.”
William cursed and bounded away from the fire, releasing Wilkes. The captain stood and reached for his saber. William unsheathed his own sword from its scabbard, bringing it up just in time to stop his opponent’s lunge. A muscle twitched in Wilkes’ jaw, his gaze narrowing.
The man parried with such skill, William felt at a disadvantage. Yet, it didn’t matter. Outrage and justice backed him. He fought for his wife, which gave him the needed strength to counterattack.
“I’m going to kill you, you blackguard,” Wilkes retorted. “You have humiliated me for the last time.” Breathless and sweating, his lips curled in an evil grin. “This will be the day I cut out your heart.”
“I’ll deny you the chance.” William moved swiftly away from the other man’s weapon. His own breath came labored, more from anger than weakness.
Around the room, they parried. William lunged, and Wilkes jumped away. Fire roared behind the captain, and he scrambled away, stumbling over a burning board.
“You’re growing weak, Captain,” William snickered.
“Nonsense.”
The captain thrust his sword forward, slicing William’s arm. A spot of blood quickly dampened his shoulder. He ignored the pain. The movement stilled the other man for a brief moment, and William lunged and stuck the tip of his saber into Wilkes’ chest. Immediately crimson liquid stained the soldier’s white shirtfront as he fell to his knees, the weapon in his hand clinking to the ground beside him.
William stepped over and kicked the steel across the floor. Wide eyes stared up at him, color abandoning his stunned face.
“Are you...going to let...me die...slowly?” Henry rasped.
For all the anger surging through William, he sensed the fright in the captain. He couldn’t bring himself to be anything less than merciful even to his enemy.
“William!”
His wife’s terrified plea brought his attention to her. Flames had spread through the barn, nearing her. He hurried over and knelt beside her. He fumbled with the ropes at her wrist.
The burning wood cracked. The roof creaked and he glanced over to the captain. The man lay on his back, wide-eyed as he stared at the roof. Within seconds, it caved in on top of him.
William grabbed Mercedes, turning away from the burning man. He picked her up and hurried out of the barn.
He gazed into the tearful eyes of his wife. Using his thumb, he wiped away the liquid from her cheeks. “I feared I’d lost you.”
“And I feared you wouldn’t find me.”
“I would move heaven and earth to find you.” He kissed her forehead.
“William, your shoulder.”
“It’s only a scratch. I will live.” He reached behind her and tugged at the ropes on her wrists. They loosened. “There.” Relief flooded through him.
She shook off the binds and reached for the ties at her ankles. Through the crackling of the burning wood, another blast resounded through the night. A pistol exploded nearby. Pain pierced his injured arm and he cried out, falling onto Mercedes.
She screamed.
He grabbed his wound and spun around. Walking away from a tree, Kat pointed the still smoking weapon his way. Her black hair framed her head in an untamable silhouette.
“Katherine, no,” Mercedes cried.
William winced as the pain made his arm useless. “How did you get free?”
She laughed, the eerie lift of her voice drifted through the air like a whistle. “You forgot about my maid, Beth.”
He tightened his hand around his bloody arm. “She’ll not be under my employ for long.”
She shook her head. “Once again I must prove you wrong. She will continue to be my maid. After all, the Widow Braxton will need all the support she can get when her husband dies.”
Mercedes sobbed beside him. He blocked her with his body, keeping himself in front of Kat’s pistol.
“Kat?” His wife sniffed. “Why? Why are you doing this?”
“Because I don’t want to be his wife.”
“But you’re not. I’m his wife.” A sob made Mercedes’ voice tight.
Kat shrugged. “I will be once you are out of the way and I step back into my role as Mrs. Braxton. Besides, I need his wealth in my fight for power.”
William scowled. “What are you planning to do with Mercedes?”
A slow smile crossed her face. “Don’t you mean Kat, my poor, insane sister? I will send her back to the asylum from where she escaped, of course.”
“You have no heart, Kat.” He glowered.
She shrugged. “Yes, in a sense.” She neared, still pointing the weapon at him.
“You’ll have to reload if you plan to shoot me again.” He dropped his focus on the pistol.
She shook her head, and then brought around her other arm from behind her, displaying a saber. “Not if I kill you another way.”
Kat lifted the rod of sharp steel. Her eyes blazed black with evil. Her mouth pursed as she tightened her hands on the handle. Narrowing her gaze, she focused on him.
Without a doubt, she would kill him. He brought up his arm to block her attack.
* * * *
Mercedes screamed and pressed her body firmly to her husband. Off in the distance, a man’s shout rent the air, and seconds later, another pistol fired.
As Kat turned toward the sound, a bullet hit her chest and her body jerked. She glanced down at the blood oozing from beneath her bodice, her hands touching the quickly spreading fluid. She gasped. Her body crumbled to the ground.
Mercedes scrambled to stand, pushing William away. She ran and fell to her sister’s side. With a shaky hand, she turned her over. Blood covered her sister’s chest. Kat rolled her head and met Mercedes’ gaze. Her sister’s face drained of color, and her lips turned blue.
“Oh, Katherine.” Mercedes sobbed. She took her sister’s hand, lifted it to her cheek and kissed the palm. Kat’s eyes closed and her chest stopped moving.
Mercedes’ heart ached with sorrow, and she sobbed, her cries echoing in the night. William kneeled beside her and slipped his arm around her shoulders. Across from her, the man holding the still smoking pistol knelt, too.
She gasped. “Gabriel?”
He placed the weapon on the ground. Tears glistened in his eyes. “Please forgive me, Mercedes, but I couldn’t have your sister killing my friend.”
Her breaths were ragged as she calmed her cries. “There is nothing to forgive. You did what needed to be done.” She glanced down at Kat and tenderly touched her cheek. “My sister is well now.” Her voice cracked with emotion. “No longer will she be able to hurt people…or spy for Napoleon.”
William grasped his friend’s shoulder. “How did you escape?”
Gabriel wiped his wet eyes. “The soldiers were searching for Captain Wilkes and left me unattended. Jane, Timothy, and the children found the keys and rescued me.” He shook his head. “Can you believe the soldiers didn’t take the keys?”
“The children?” Both Mercedes and William gasped at the same time.
“They are safe,” Gabe reassured. “Absolutely no one noticed them.”
Men’s shouts rose from a distance. Mercedes hitched a breath and looked toward the trees where the voices came. “The fire.” She turned to William. “We need to get Gabe out of here.”
Her husband’s attention dropped to Kat. “What should we do with her? If the soldiers see her, they will think she is you.”
Mercedes jumped up and glanced toward the burning barn. There was only one course of action. Her heart wrenched. This was no way for her sister to end her life on earth, no matter how evil Kat was. But the fact remained there could not be two Mercedes Braxtons. And Kat was already dead.
“We must place her body inside the barn.”
William touched her shoulder. “Are you certain?”
Her throat tightened with a sob and she nodded. While William and Gabriel rose to their feet and lifted Kat’s body, Mercedes picked up the saber and turned to follow.
“Stay back,” William instructed. “Don’t get too close to the flames.”
She held her breath, her hand to her mouth as she witnessed her sister’s body thrown in the fire. Squeezing her eyes closed, she said a silent prayer for her sister. But it had to be done. She only hoped the good Lord would forgive her.
William and Gabriel ran back to her. Her husband grasped her arm. “We must hurry and get out of here.”
“Let us head toward the docks,” Gabriel said. “Timothy informed me that a boat will set sail at any moment. There’s no other way. I must leave.”
Voices coming from the wooded area grew closer. She clutched William’s arm as he led them away from danger. She ran and her limbs throbbed with each step. William circled his arm around her waist and held her tightly to his side. Burning streaks of pain shot up her legs, reminding her she hadn’t run like this in ages. But they were running for their lives. For Gabriel’s life.
She stepped on the hem of her dress and stumbled. William grasped her with both hands.
“William, my legs...they aren’t strong enough. You go on without me.”
“I’ll never leave your side again.” He lifted her in his arms and winced, his right shoulder sagging.
“Put me down. You cannot carry me.”
Gabriel stepped to them. His breaths came fast. “We are close enough to the docks. I shall go by myself.”
“No.” William grasped his friend’s hand.
“All will be well now.” Gabriel stepped closer and wrapped his arms around William. The two men embraced, and then drew apart. Gabriel leaned in and kissed Mercedes’ cheek. He smiled. “Make him happy.”
Tears collected in her eyes once again. She nodded. “I intend to.”
“I love you...both of you. Now hurry. Return home before you are caught. Please, be safe.” Gabriel lifted a hand in farewell, then turned and ran down the hill toward the water.
Mercedes tightened her arms around her husband’s waist. “Will we ever see him again?” She looked up at the wonderful, brave man beside her.
“Yes. After all of this dies down, I’m sure he’ll return.”
“I shall miss him.”
“As will I.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “But Gabe is not safe here. The soldiers will be looking for him because of his escape, and now they might suspect him of killing Captain Wilkes.”
“What if they do not? What if they suspect you?”
“There is no proof.”
She touched his chest, and pleaded with her eyes. “But what if they do?”
“Only Captain Wilkes had reason to see me dead, and of course, that was because of your sister.”
Mercedes leaned her head against him. The tender look in his soft gaze made her heart melt. “You are my life, Mr. Braxton, and I want to be right by your side forever.”
He tightened his arms around her. “You are my life, also, and I live for you and my children.”
Tears of joy stung her eyes and she buried her face in his chest. Her love for this man grew, making her heart swell.
“William, do you know how happy you have made me?”
He withdrew only inches away, gazing down into her eyes. His smile stretched across his face. “And you have completed my life, and the lives of my children. What more could I ask for?”
She chuckled and traced her finger across his bottom lip. “How about another child?”
With a growl, he pulled her to him and kissed her lips for only a moment before he led her toward the safety of their house. “How soon can we get started?”