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SHE WONDERED IF HE could hear her heat beating. After a difficult swallow, Abbey asked flippantly, “Did Frotham issue such orders to you? I had always suspected him to be the deviant.”
She felt him move across the carriage to the seat opposite her. If she could maintain a lighter tenor, her abductor might be more apt to talk.
“You speak with such venom. I take it you are not enamored of His Lordship.”
So the man knew the Earl, as she had suspected. The abductor was no commoner. That much could be concluded by his speech. But why would the Earl hire a gentleman to execute his plans? Perhaps Frotham trusted this man.
“I am no friend of his,” she phrased. “Whatever he is paying you, I will offer you double.”
Silence.
Encouraged, she added, “I am a woman of great wealth – worth far more alive than dead.”
“I have no intention of killing you,” he said with an odd hitch in his voice. “I am aware of your affluence, but I think you do not know the full extent of your worth.”
“Ten thousand pounds,” she spat. “He offered me ten thousand pounds if I would stay away from his son. A paltry sum for all the pain...I doubt he offered you as much?”
“Why do you presume the Earl is involved?”
“Because I know his motives. He would attempt much to protect his precious son from me.”
“You believe there would be no other cause for abducting you?”
“You may wish to ransom me, sir, but I have no family and no friends to whom you could address the request. But return me safely and I will assure you a most satisfying compensation.”
“Define ‘satisfying.’”
She thought for a moment. She had just dubbed ten thousand pounds as paltry. The amount would have to be significant to give him pause.
“Twenty thousand pounds,” she pronounced. Surely the miserly Frotham could not have offered better.
His silence confirmed her assumption.
“But setting you free would not be nearly as pleasurable,” he drawled.
Did her ears deceive her? Had the man refused twenty thousand pounds?
“Twenty thousand pounds,” she repeated. “I jest not.”
“Nor do I.”
“You may have the payment in any form that you wish. Your anonymity can be maintained if you worry of retribution or reprisal.”
He leaned in. “I have in my carriage and at my will a beautiful woman. A woman whose delectable body calls for the touch of man – a proper man. A woman who can ignite the deepest desires in a man with a simple glance. You would have me set free such a prize?”
Her mouth went dry. Was the man in earnest? Or was he attempting to extract a higher amount from her?
“I would consider an amount greater than twenty thousand,” she offered, her voice beginning to waver for the first time.
She heard him settling back into his seat. “You may offer any sum you wish, Baroness. Would the price of your freedom be less tomorrow?”
She paled as she realized the implications of what he said. At present, he held all the cards.
“I doubt it would it change if I released you today or a sennight hence,” he confirmed. “Lest you decide that you would rather not be free.”
Now the man was speaking nonsense. Although...he gave every indication of being of sound mind. Though he did not seem sinister, there was clearly a malicious bent in his purpose.
“How were that possible?” she inquired, hoping to elicit more of his intentions.
“All will be revealed, Baroness, in good time.”
She sensed he was done talking, and she did not pursue the matter. What could she do? What could she offer the man to reconsider his plans? Surely the Earl wanted only to keep her from marrying the Viscount. This other purpose voiced by her abductor must be of his own doing. He had seemed interested in her offer, but did he intend to rape her first before setting her free? She could offer him more if he released her unscathed, but as he had alluded, she was in no position to set the terms. Her only option was to escape at all cost.
* * * * *
MONTAGUE KNEW FROM the silence that Lady Debarlow to be contemplating her options, much as he was doing. He had been tempted to accept her offer. He would have preferred to do business with her over the Earl. He could have his twenty thousand pounds, set her free, and have no more obligations to Frotham. But he could not in good conscience exact such a grand sum from her when her predicament was not of her doing. Nor could he guarantee that Henry would sell him back the promissory notes.
She had shown an impressive presence of mind given her current situation, but he could sense her trepidation in the tenseness of her body. He wanted to put her at ease.
“In an hour we will come upon a posting inn where you may stretch your legs,” he explained, “and partake of libations. I do not intend for this journey to be of great discomfort.”
“Where are we headed?” she asked.
“That shall remain a mystery to you.”
“And your purpose for taking me there?”
He grinned. He was looking forward to being back at Chelton, but with Lady Debarlow, the prospect was beyond inviting.
“I promise that, with good behavior, you shall be rewarded with pleasure.”
“And you know that which would please me?”
Her challenge did not surprise him. “I know what pleases the fair sex.”
Despite the darkness, he thought he saw her brows arch skeptically.
“A bold and overarching statement.”
“Allow me to rephrase for it is true that each woman has tastes unique to herself, each possessing her own sensitivities. I know how to please the fair sex.”
“How?”
She was curious. A good sign. He could sense a shade less fear.
“By making, as you were quick to call attention to, no assumptions and to allow her responses to dictate what I do. It were as if each woman be a new instructor, a new subject, and I always the pupil.”
“You have made a ‘study’ of bedding a woman.”
“Have you not done the same with your lovers? Discovered that which makes them mad with lust and exploited that knowledge?”
“You know my lovers?”
“I know of them. Your liaisons are hardly secret, though your choice of lovers is a bit mystifying.”
“Indeed?”
It were probably best that he err on the side of reserve, but the question was too tempting.
“A pup like the Viscount Tremayne is hardly worth a woman of your pedigree, shall we say?”
“Polite society would not see it as you have stated.”
“Polite society does not properly value a woman like yourself.”
He could sense she was taken aback.
“You voice a most heterodox belief, sir. Do you purport to know me well?”
“Well enough.”
“How long have you known me?”
“You are trying to discern my identity, Baroness.”
“Do you fear to reveal yourself to me?”
“Do you not find the anonymity more engaging?”
“You have not answered my question: do you fear to reveal yourself?”
He could not help but smile. She was persistent.
“Not fear, Baroness. But would you not agree that it would be foolhardy of me to do so?”
“I promise that I shall not seek retribution, if you would set me free.”
“I think not.”
As she once more lapsed into silence, he wondered that he could restrain himself until they arrived at Chelton. He could not sit in the confines of the carriage without brushing against her skirts. Picturing her in her smart outfit, her lovely arms bound behind her, he wanted very much to take her then and there. But if he made an attempt now, she would fight him with all her might. He needed to tame the caged animal first.
They reached the outskirts of a small village. The carriage stopped in front of an abandoned old lean-to. Jonathan, who had been riding with the driver, leaped off and assisted Montague with the Baroness. She resisted at first, but feeling a pair of hands upon each of her arms, she realized that a struggle would be futile. They led her inside and sat her in a wooden chair. Jonathan fetched a lamp and placed it on the table, one of the few pieces of furniture remaining in the shelter. He laid out wine, bread, and cheese.
Montague took the only other chair sat in the darkest corner of the room. He placed his mask over his head and nodded to Jonathan to remove the Baroness’ covering and bindings. Lady Debarlow winced at the light, but she quickly took in her surroundings. She looked at Jonathan, but he was headed out the door. They heard the carriage leave.
“He will return after he has secured a fresh pair of horses,” Montague supplied.
“Then it be but you and I here?” she asked, peering into the corner.
“Aye, but there is no need to entertain thoughts of escaping.”
He rose from his chair and went to pour a glass of wine for her. She eyed him as if looking through his mask.
“I have seen you before,” she said.
He held the glass out to her. Still in thought, she took it from him but did not drink.
“At Madame Botreaux’s.”
He paused before acknowledging, “I am gratified that my presence drew your notice.”
“And apparently mine yours.”
“From the very first day.”
“But how is it you know who I am?” she inquired with some agitation. “Did Penelope reveal me?”
“You know she would not.”
“Then how...?”
“I have other means.”
He could tell from her frown that she did not like the situation.
“Fear not,” he assured her. “Your identity is safe with me. I have no cause to brandish your patronage of The Cavern to anyone.”
“Forgive me if I doubt the motives of a man who resorts to kidnapping women!”
“Touché. I can offer you no proof, only a promise that I have no interest in blackmailing you.”
“You have abducted me simply because you were so taken by me?” she inquired with a wry smile.
He stepped towards her and leaned in. “Remarkably so.”
“Your approach is rather barbaric. Do you also club women about their heads before dragging them into your cave?”
“Does the thought titillate you? Despite our evolution and our ability to engage in higher thought, man is still guided by his basest instincts. I warrant the fair sex would prefer a man who can claim his woman in no uncertain terms.”
“And you are such a man?”
“Are you not here with me now?”
She smiled coyly up at him, and he felt himself drawn into her, wanting to press his lips to hers and taste her mouth once more. It seemed she turned her chin upwards to receive his kiss, but as he bent further, she threw the contents of her wine glass in his face. When he had wiped the wine from the eyes of his mask, he saw her headed for the door. He dashed towards her, knocking over the lamp in the process. The sound of it crashing to the ground made her glance back. He caught her just as she turned to open the door. She tried to jerk her arm free from him, then struck at his head. The blow nearly knocked his mask askew, but he grabbed her other wrist before she could attempt another strike. He pulled her back towards the table. She dug in her heels, but when that proved fruitless, she resisted by falling off her feet. He could have dragged her along the floor, but not wanting to wrench her arms, he hauled her up and threw her over his shoulder. She kicked and thrashed. The point of her boot caught his thigh. He contained an oath and attempted to deposit her back into the chair. However, she had managed to push her body up and clawed at his mask. She slipped off his shoulder when he fended off her attack, but he caught her as her feet touched the ground and bent her over the table. Grabbing the rope that had bound her before, he tied her arms once more behind her back. It was no easy matter for she continued her struggles, and she was no weakling. He hoped that Jonathan would not be long with the horses. He had to press her down with his weight to keep her from moving as he bound her wrists between their bodies.
“Well, Lady Debarlow,” he said when he was satisfied that he had subdued her enough, “that was certainly not the obedience that I seek. And now I shall have to punish you.”
Her body made a last attempt at resistance, and he felt her derriere against his thigh. His cock stirred.
“Greatly,” he added as he straightened and pulled her to her feet. If he had maintained their position, he would have been too tempted to take her then and there against the table. Nonetheless, he made a note to secure a table of similar height at Chelton.
He pushed her down into the chair. Their skirmish had caused her to take in deeper breaths, and he watched the rhythmic rise and fall of her bosom for a moment.
Damn. The situation was all too intoxicating. He had never had to resort to such tactics before to seduce a woman.
“You should reconsider my generous offer,” she said between breaths. “The consequences will prove dire for you elsewise.”
“I see that my words continue to fall upon deaf ears. You are not the source of funds for me but, rather, of pleasure.”
“I do not believe you. There are far prettier women you could have abducted.”
“Indeed, they are as plentiful as flowers in a garden. There is but one Lady Debarlow. I suggest you forget all attempts to escape, bribe, or threaten. And simply enjoy what is about to be done to you.”