Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Lily felt the tension in every cell of Richard’s body. They both strained to watch two men make their precarious way down a rope ladder to the yawl heaving in the waves beneath them where four sailors manned oars. Neither man looked accustomed to the task.
The first man descended awkwardly but arrived safely. The second moved painfully slowly and fell at the last, falling with good fortune into the landing craft.
“Andrew,” Richard breathed, “you damned fool.”
“Andrew Mallet?” Lily demanded, startled.
“I suspect so. The man who just fell favored one leg, as my brother-in-law does. He’ll feel that for a long time.”
Lily squinted toward the landing craft that pushed away from the ship and began its journey to the island. She couldn’t make out faces. They were soldiers, all of them, Richard’s friends. But they are also family men, who should be safe at home with their wives and children.
“How can that be? It has only been fifty-two days since you sent that message.”
“I’m damned if I know,” he growled. She felt his breath coming rapidly in his chest.
“This has to be good, doesn’t it? They will have brought the ransom, and Hamidou will let us go,” she said. She shot a surreptitious glance at Scarface.
Richard didn’t answer. She looked up then and recognized the look he had when his brain worked over time analyzing all possible outcomes, most of them bad.
“Don’t,” she said. She raised a hand to his cheek.
“Don’t what?” he asked, grasping her hand.
“Review all the possible ways this could blow up, all the reasons why it could go wrong.”
His eyes held hers. “Just remember, Lily. Whatever happens here, I love you and I did my best.”
He loves me!
It echoed in her heart, but she had no time to savor it.
“Enough!” Hamidou barked. “You have been seen. They look like they mean to talk.”
Lily looked out at the yawl that moved rapidly toward the island.
“We go down now and see how we can avoid English traps,” Hamidou said.
Strong arms hauled her away and kept her upright down the rugged hill. Others forced Richard down in front of her, in spite of his effort to turn toward her. They frog-marched him swiftly through the cluster of houses toward the cove.
Lily followed as best she could, grateful that her captor accepted the limits of her condition. By the time she reached the rise above the cove, her breath heaved and she felt faint. Her captor dropped her arm, but when she teetered, he put a hand under her elbow to steady her.
Such a mix of violence and gentleness! Will we ever understand these people?
Hamidou, Scarface, and the others holding Richard gathered above the cove. The uncle and a few other villagers stood around. Most villagers hid in their homes or on the rocky far side of the island.
From her place slightly behind the men, she could see that the yawl had reached more than halfway to the island and closed rapidly.
The civilians sat shoulder to shoulder in the center.
One most certainly was Andrew Mallet. She could now see that the other was the Earl of Chadbourn.
Relief warred with fear, and her vision began to dim, but she forced herself not to faint. Richard’s friends had come for him.
“No gold until we talk to His Lordship.” For a man who would rather be a farmer, Will Landrum, the earl, managed aristocratic hauteur well enough.
Hamidou’s men searched the boat and the terrified English sailors. They found nothing. Richard watched his friend take control of the situation after Hamidou demanded gold “Or your English lord will die on this beach.” Keep it up, Will. These animals don’t respect weakness.
“Harm any of us, and the HMS Boreas will reduce this island to gravel,” Will retorted. He and Hamidou took each other’s measure for a fraught moment.
“Understand me,” Will went on. “Your blood money is aboard ship. When we have the marquess and his lady safe, you will have it.”
“They stay until we have the gold,” Hamidou spat back.
“And know this. Your lord promised safety to the people of this island. If he does not deliver that, I cannot promise the safety of his wife.” Hamidou looked slowly up to the top of the rise, slow enough for Will to follow, and fixed on Lily who stood pale and shaking in the clutches of a Berber pirate.
Will’s eyes widened at the word “wife,” but he looked where Hamidou pointed. He paled slightly at the sight of her and looked at Richard in surprise. “Nothing happens until my colleague and I speak with His Lordship. Privately.”
Hamidou waved a hand, and Lily’s captor led her downhill. “Very well,” he said. Another gesture and Scarface raised his pistol to place it against Lily’s head, hatred in his eyes “You may talk,” Hamidou concluded.
Richard’s captors dropped his arms. His first instinct consisted of a murderous need to push Scarface into the sand.
Only one thought held him back. If I jump him, the gun may go off.
The man’s knowing smirk almost broke his resolve, but he forced his feet forward toward two of the men he respected most in the world.
“You’re a pair of fools,” he murmured. “But I’ve never been more glad to see anyone than the two of you.” He took them both into a two-armed embrace. The three stood facing one another in a tight circle, heads in.
“Where is our friend the major?” he asked.
“Jamie disappeared before you left London. He never turned up.”
No time, Richard thought. No time to worry about Jamie Heyworth now.
“Ransom?” he asked. He pitched his voice low.
Andrew’s eyes flickered behind his gold-rimmed glasses. “Of course.” Richard started to ask them how they did it so fast, but he had no time for explanations. “Most of it,” Andrew went on in a whisper. “They’ll have to count fast or look carefully to find the lack.”
“On the Boreas,” Will added. “Did you really promise them safety?”
Richard nodded. “Most of these people are just going about their miserable lives. Hamidou and his crew—”
“Hamidou is dead!” Andrew snapped.
“This man begs to differ. He commands in that name, have no doubt of that. Leave the islanders alone. Let him and his crew leave this place. What happens on the high sea in a fair fight is up to His Majesty’s Navy.”
“Good luck convincing the captain of that ship.” Will indicated the Boreas with a shrug of his shoulder.
“Tell him the Marquess of Glenaire commands it,” Richard said. Damn but it feels good to command something!
“That should work,” Will said with a grin.
“What next, Richard? How do you want us to play this?” Andrew asked.
“You two go back to fetch the gold. Demand to take Lily with you. He won’t let us both go without payment, but he might send her.”
A slight smile played on his brother-in-law’s mouth. “Your wife, Richard? And from appearances, in an interesting condition.”
“As good as, Andrew, and don’t say differently. She’s about to birth that baby any day now. I need to get her out of here.”
Will looked over Richard’s shoulder. “Our host looks impatient. Let’s get this over with.
” The three men turned back to Hamidou. “Nice suit, by the way,” Will put in, looking at Richard’s tattered robe.
“And remarkable hairstyle,” he added peering at the pale blond hair, now shoulder length, blowing in the wind.
“Get us out of here and you may tease me the rest of your days.”
“I plan to.” Will’s grin passed quickly. He approached Hamidou.
“I am satisfied,” he said, “That the marquess and marchioness are safe. We will go back and make arrangements for the gold. The marchioness will go with us.”
Hamidou shook his head. “These captives are valuable assets. No gold, no release.”
“If I may suggest,” Andrew put in, “I will stay here in the lady’s place.”
Richard put a hand on his arm. “Georgiana won’t thank me.”
Andrew smiled up at him. “I have no desire to make any more trips up and down that ladder than I have to.” If he meant to say more, a loud wail from Lily prevented it.
Richard shook off an arm and ran toward her.
Her face twisted in pain, and she bent over.
A wet stain ran down her skirts. She fell forward toward him, and he sank to his knees holding her.
She sobbed, “I can’t go anywhere. The baby isn’t going to wait.
” She moaned again as another pain washed through her.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he whispered in her ear.