Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
By the time they arrived at Three Waters, the journey had taken three hours.
The longest three hours of Mungo’s life.
So many scenarios churned through his mind, each worse than the last. Every possible outcome ended with Eliza and Fenella hurt, terrified, or gone.
He’d never known fear like this. It was a tight, unrelenting grip around his chest that didn’t ease even when the Three Waters driveway finally came into view.
It had been a silent journey, with everyone focused on what needed to be done.
Usually, Nightingales did not do silence. Even in the worst of times, someone always spoke or argued about something. But tonight? No one made a sound.
Calder rode beside him, grim and pale, no doubt thinking the same thoughts as Mungo. Are they safe? Will he have his daughter in his arms by morning?
The icy wind had long since frozen his cheeks, and dark had settled its weight around them as they rode in through the gates of the Three Waters Estate.
“It’s here,” Leo said softly. “The necklace is here.”
“Old Mungo is having conniptions, shouting out warnings,” Alex muttered. “We are in the right location.”
They moved onto the grass that ran along the side of the driveway so their horses’ hooves would be muffled. It was long, winding its way through trees and rolling pasture. The drive branched right, and he saw the shadow of a house in the distance, lamplight glowing through several windows.
“I think we keep going on this drive to see if there are outbuildings before we head to the house,” Gray said.
They agreed, and when they crested the next hill, they saw a large barn.
Bram raised a hand, and they all halted. There was little moonlight but enough to reveal two men walking around the building.
Mungo dismounted and handed his reins to Charles. The others did the same, and they were all soon moving forward.
Leo, Alex, and Ram took the rear and dealt with the two men, while Mungo and the rest moved to the front.
The large barn doors would make a noise if opened, so they headed around the side of the building and found a smaller door. When Mungo tried the handle, it moved under his fingers. He pulled it wide enough to slip inside.
“Open the door! There is nowhere to go!”
The roared words were coming from their right, so they all moved silently that way, down the central aisle that had stalls on either side.
Mungo brushed the velvety muzzle of a horse who was watching them curiously as he passed it.
“Ladies, you’ll do as the gentleman said, or it will go worse for you.”
He knew that voice.
“Ellington,” Bram whispered in his ear. “We need to get to the girls first. Revenge second.”
He nodded, knowing his friend was right even though Mungo wanted to pound his fist into the man’s face for all he’d inflicted on the people he loved.
They crept closer, Leo, Alex, and Ram with them now, and then stopped beside the last stall. Four men stood before a closed door. The one at the rear was Ellington.
“I’ll have you shot if you don’t. There are plenty of other women who will suit our needs.”
“You are depraved souls, is what you are, and I’ll never be scared of a man who preys on others for his own gain!”
Eliza. Mungo’s knees went weak at hearing her voice. Even muffled behind that door, he knew it was her.
“Is that Miss Downing?” Ellington demanded.
“It is,” another man said.
“How delightful,” Ellington replied. “I wondered if you would be the girl brought in after the other fell ill. I shall enjoy personally making you suffer for what you did to my son.”
Mungo must have moved, because Bram’s fingers dug into his shoulder.
“I’ll send you to hell first!” she called through the wood.
His woman had spirit. His woman. The words felt right.
“I don’t care how you get that door open, just do it. We have to get them ready tomorrow, as they arrive in two days,” Ellington said.
“They’ve barricaded it from the inside,” one of the men said.
“Obviously,” the baron snarled. “Burn them out if you have to,” he roared.
Mungo battled the need to show himself, instead letting Bram tug him into a stall.
“We’ll get him, but first the women,” his friend whispered.
When Ellington’s footsteps had receded, they all moved out of the stables toward the door.
“Step away from that door,” Mungo said.
The men turned, shock on their faces as they took in the guns now aimed at them. He watched them look around, trying to find an escape route, but there wasn’t one.
“Lie on your stomachs,” Leo ordered, and the men reluctantly did as he asked.
“Find rope to tie them up,” Bram ordered next.
Mungo ran to the door with Calder.
“Eliza!” He thumped his fist on the wood. “It’s me, Mungo!”
“Mungo?”
“Aye, I’m coming in,” he called through the wood.
“No! Wait—not yet,” she replied. “We have it barricaded!”
He heard something being dragged, and then some cursing from inside the room as he tried the handle.
“There’s no key,” Mungo said rattling the handle.
“Everyone move away from the door. I’m going to fire my gun!” Leo roared.
Seconds later he raised his pistol and fired at the lock. Mungo kicked the door with a roar. Calder aimed at the hinges, and the combined strike made the door fly open.
They burst into the room.
The air was thick inside from lantern smoke and the sweet, sickly scent of something. Two beds were in the middle of the room, one on its side. Behind it, he saw her—and Fenella.
“Eliza,” he croaked, and seconds later, she was in his arms as Fenella ran to her father.
“Well, I didn’t see that coming,” he heard Alex say.
“That’s because, unlike the rest of us, you are an unobservant idiot,” his brother declared.
Mungo locked his arms around Eliza as she pressed her face into his chest and held on.
“I have you now,” he whispered into her ear. “My brave girl.”
When he’d inhaled a lungful of her scent, he raised his head and found Calder weeping with Fenella in his arms. The others were helping the three women, who appeared to be unconscious.
“Laudanum,” Eliza said, looking up at him. “He kept them drugged with that until he needed them.”
“It’s all right now. We’ll take care of those responsible. You’re safe.” He kissed her softly.
“Mungo, what are you doing? Others will see,” she whispered.
He cared nothing for that right then, only that she was safe in his arms.
“We need to get these girls help at once,” Ram said. “They can’t ride. We’ll need something to transport them in.”
“I came in a cart,” Eliza said, pushing on Mungo’s chest to be released.
She was tired, likely hurting, but still she wanted to help rescue the others.
“I’ll look,” Mungo said.
“I’ll help.”
“No. You’ll stay in that room safe until we’re ready to leave,” Mungo said to Eliza.
He went to his niece and pressed a kiss on her head before leaving the room. He moved through the barn, seeking what he needed.
“You!”
He spun in time to see Baron Ellington raise his pistol.
“No!” The exclamation was followed by Eliza flying through the air and hitting the peer. They both went down.
Christ. “No!” he roared. He ran to her and hauled her upright. “Eliza are you hurt?”
“N-no.”
Mungo watched as the Baron rolled and regained his feet. The pistol was still in his hand. Mungo quickly wrestled Eliza behind him, heart pounding. He would not allow her to be hurt anymore.
“I’m killing you both,” Ellington snarled. But before he could fire, another pistol cracked. The man staggered back as a bullet tore through his shoulder.
Alex lowered his gun. “You talk too much,” he said, eyes filled with rage.
Two more men appeared at the gunshot, running in through the open door.
They charged at Mungo and Eliza. His brother moved quickest. Calder grabbed a pitchfork and swung it with all his strength, sending a man sprawling.
Leo kicked the second in the stomach, stunning him long enough for Ram to disarm him.
Behind them, Ellington made a desperate dash toward the back exit. Leo shouted a warning, and Bram ran to block his escape. Mungo saw the pistol that Ellington still clutched and ran.
He dived at the man, hitting the baron hard and taking him to the ground, sending the pistol clattering away. Ellington screamed as he landed on his wounded shoulder.
“You have ruined everything!” he roared.
“No,” Mungo growled, pinning him. “This ends tonight. You will never harm someone I love again.”
Ellington sneered. “You think you’ve won and that saving these girls matters? You can’t stop men like me. Men with money. Men who should walk in society. Respectable—”
Mungo punched him. Hard. The baron’s head snapped sideways, blood blooming from his lip.
“Alex is right. You talk too much,” Mungo said.
“Find somewhere to lock him. We’ll send the magistrate with irrefutable proof that he’s to be jailed,” Bram said, hauling a dazed Ellington upright. He then dragged the man away.
“Is it over?” Eliza’s voice sounded ragged, as if all the strength had suddenly left her body.
“Aye, it is, and I’m angry with you.”
Her eyes were a little dazed now that it was done, and all the fire had gone.
“You nearly got yourself shot,” Mungo said, the words rough because fear still thundered through his blood. “You could have died, Eliza. Do you understand that?”
Her eyes met his without flinching. “And if he had shot you, what then? Was I meant to stand and watch it happen?”
“Yes!” The roar tore from him before he could stop it.
She stepped back, away from him, but he stepped closer, lowering his voice.
“Yes, Eliza. I’d take a bullet before I let you risk yourself like that again.
Do you have any idea what it did to me, seeing you fall with him?
I thought—” His voice cracked, something he had never allowed in front of anyone before. “I thought he would shoot you!”
She touched his chest then, with a small, shaky smile on her lips. “I seem to make you roar quite a lot.”
Behind them, Bram called, “We need to move in case more men arrive.”
Mungo forced himself to release her and turned to the others. The unconscious girls were being lifted carefully into the cart, where blankets were tucked around them. Calder had his arm around Fenella, his brother’s face filled with relief.
“Two of the girls woke only briefly, but Polly is alert now,” Ram said quietly. “They’ll be weak for hours yet. Best get them back to London and the physician.”
Mungo nodded, then turned back to Eliza. She was exhausted.
“Let’s go home,” he said taking her arm. “I’d pick you up, but you’d probably hit me.”
“I would,” she said and then yawned.
Charles had somehow managed to get the horses closer, and Mungo led her to his.
“Easy,” he said as the huge chestnut stomped a hoof.
“Why am I not surprised your horse has the same manners as you?” Charles said from a safe distance away.
Mungo helped Eliza up, then mounted behind her. Calder was driving the cart with the three girls in the rear and Fenella seated beside him, her head on her father’s shoulder.
“Rest easy now, Eliza.”
Her head fell back against him with a soft sigh he felt through her body. “You’re still angry,” she murmured.
“Aye,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist as he gathered the reins. “And I’ll stay that way for a while yet. After that….” His voice dipped low, intimate. “We’ll discuss your reckless tendencies at length.”
“Everyone ready?” Bram shouted from his mount.
They all agreed they were, and were soon heading back down the drive a great deal slower than the way they’d arrived. The danger was behind them now.
Eliza fell asleep ten minutes later, her body losing all tension and slumping back into him.
Mungo opened his jacket and wrapped it around her.
This, having her in his arms, felt right and good and gave him a feeling he’d never really had before.
Contentment. Was he terrified of what tomorrow held, the things they would need to say to each other?
Absolutely. But for now, she was safe in his arms, and he would not allow himself to think beyond that until he needed to.
“She sleeps.”
“Aye.” Mungo shot his friend a look. “Spit it out, then, Bram.”
“It’s good to see you undone by a woman, Mungo. By love.”
“I’ve loved before.”
“Loving us is different, as you very well know,” his friend said as they rode toward London, side by side.
“You should be honest with yourself and her, Mungo. You need to tell her what’s inside you, my friend.”
“Aye, I know, and it’s making me itch like I’ve rolled in stinging nettle.”
His friend was smiling. “She’s good for you and just the right woman to handle you, Mungo.”
“Do I need handling, then?”
“Are you serious with that question?” Leo demanded. “Of course you need handling. I’ve never met a man who needed it more.”
He looked at the men to his left and right, and all nodded. Mungo didn’t speak again, just pulled the woman in his arms closer and prodded around inside his chest.
So this was love, then.