Whirlwind Wedding

Chapter 23

Austin closed the distance between them in a single stride and grabbed her shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I-"

He gave her a hard shake. "Don't lie to me. Your face is deathly white. You're frightened. What did you see?"

"We must take the left fork. We'll find him there."

"I'm not bringing you-"

"If we don't leave now, we'll be too late." She pulled herself from his grasp and ran toward the curricle. "Please. Hurry."

He caught up with her and grabbed her shoulder. "Too late for what?"

She fought the urge to panic. "Someone is going to die. I don't know who. I only know we're wasting time. Time we don't have." Realizing she needed somehow to reassure him of her safety, she said "I'll remain in the curricle, or I'll hide in the woods. I'll do whatever you think best, but we must go now."

He didn't hesitate any longer. He quickly assisted her, then jumped into the driver's position. With a sharp flick of his wrists, he set the curricle in motion down the left path.

A quarter hour passed before Elizabeth saw it. Grabbing Austin's arm, she pointed. "Look."

He brought the curricle to a halt. In the distance, a thin plume of gray smoke floated above the trees. "Looks like it's from a chimney."

Elizabeth closed her eyes. "Yes. A stone chimney. It's a cottage." She opened her eyes and looked directly into his. "It's Gaspard's, Austin. He's there."

His face hardened. Without a word, he jumped from the vehicle. When she made a move to follow, he pinned her in place with an icy stare. "Don't move."

Snatching the reins, he led the horses and curricle off the road and into the woods, positioning them so that they were fairly well out of sight, yet facing the road.

He came alongside the vehicle and looked up at her. "You're to remain hidden here. If I haven't returned in an hour, I want you to drive to the village and check into an inn. I'll find you."

Fear gripped her. "Are you mad? I won't leave-"

"You said you would do whatever I asked."

"This man is dangerous."

Steel glinted in his eyes. "So am I."

"He's armed."

"So am I."

Fear turned her skin clammy. Her alarm must have shown on her face, because he reached up his hand to her. Without hesitation she clasped it between both of her own. And prayed.

He squeezed her hand. "I'll be fine, Elizabeth."

She couldn't speak around the dread clutching her throat, so she merely nodded. Withdrawing his hand from between hers, he left, running between the trees toward the plume of smoke.

She pressed her palms together to retain the warmth his skin had left on hers and watched him disappear from view.

I'll be fine, Elizabeth.

"Yes, you will," she whispered. "I intend to see to it."

The instant he was out of sight, she climbed down from the curricle. She had no weapon, but perhaps…

Reaching up, she pulled her medical bag from the seat. Opening it, she withdrew a pouch and slipped it into her pocket. If she could get close enough to Gaspard to throw the peppery herb mixture into his eyes, he would be temporarily blinded. It wasn't much, but she couldn't let that stop her. If she didn't act, and act now, someone would die.

Drawing a resolute breath, she clutched her medical bag and followed the path Austin had taken into the forest. Her gown hampered her progress over the uneven ground. A thorny vine tangled in her hair, and stars swam before her eyes when she yanked free. Twice she stumbled the second time skinning her palms when she landed hard on the rocky path. Tears pooled in her eyes at the heat stinging her hands, but without pausing, she pushed herself to her feet and pressed on.

Panting from exertion, she finally caught sight of the cottage in the distance. Fear skittered through her and her skin prickled with apprehension. Pushing her trepidation aside, she moved onward using the trees and the shadows cast by the late afternoon sun to conceal herself, all her thoughts and energies centered on helping Austin.

Where are you, Austin? Dear God, where are you?

And then she heard a woman scream.

Austin heard a woman scream.

His heart thudding in heavy beats, he stole closer to the ramshackle cabin until he crouched on the ground directly beneath a window. A deep, muffled voice, obviously male, reached his ears. Rising cautiously, he peered over the window ledge.

He watched in horror as the man he'd been searching for raised his hand and struck a small child across her face. A woman's scream filled the cabin. The small girl crumpled into a heap on the floor, her hair falling over her face so he could not see how badly she was injured. Gaspard pushed the child aside with his foot as if she were trash and approached the woman.

Austin saw that the woman was bound to a chair. Bruises marred her face, and her dark hair lay matted around her head. She struggled against her bonds, sobbing.

"Bastard!" she screamed. "Keep your hands off her!"

Gaspard turned toward the window and Austin quickly ducked down. Pressing his back against the cottage, he controlled his breathing, forcing himself to bury his fury and concentrate. He had to get the woman and child out of there. He hadn't wanted to kill Gaspard at least not until after he'd questioned him, but he had to stop him. Slipping his pistol from his pocket, he checked to make sure it was ready to fire. One shot. I have one shot to stop this bastard. I cannot miss.

His best chance was to shoot him through the window. He'd remain unseen and be able to line up an accurate shot. That decided, he rose and looked in the window. Gaspard was stuffing a rag in the woman's mouth. Austin held his pistol in steady hands, waiting for the bastard to move away from the woman.

At that moment, the front door burst open. Gaspard whipped around.

The ground beneath Austin shifted and his heart stopped.

Elizabeth stood in the doorway.

Elizabeth's gaze riveted on the bound woman and the child lying in a heap near the scarred wooden table. The woman was still alive. But the child… Elizabeth's breath stalled. She couldn't see the child's face, but she could make out the faint rise and fall of her shoulders. She was breathing.

Terror and relief collided in her. She wasn't too late. They were still alive.

But for how long?

"Who the hell are you?" Gaspard asked in guttural French. He crossed the room in two angry strides. Slamming the door, he slid the lock into place, then grabbed her upper arms. His fingers bit into her flesh and she couldn't control her gasp as pain shot through her.

Elizabeth looked into his eyes and fear skittered down her back. Pure menace emanated from his gaze. She tried to reach into her pocket for the herbs, but his grip tightened and she feared her bones would break from the intense pressure. Austin was somewhere nearby. She had to stall for time, to keep this madman from killing the woman and child. And herself.

"Answer me," he growled. He shook her so hard her teeth rattled and her medical bag slipped from her grasp. "Who are you?"

She swallowed and forced an outward calm. She simply needed to stall for time. At least Gaspard's attention was focused on her, away from the woman and child. Hurry, Austin.

"My name is Elizabeth."

His eyes narrowed to slits. "What are you doing here?"

"I…" Her words drifted off as a series of images flashed through her mind. She gazed at the bound woman whose terrified eyes pleaded with Elizabeth for help. Turning back to Gaspard she said in an accusing tone, "She's your sister."

An ugly laugh erupted from him. "What do you care?" Releasing one of her arms, he reached behind him. When his hand reappeared he gripped a pistol. He shoved her away from him and she nearly stumbled. "Move closer to the wall," he ordered.

Righting herself, she inched backward her eyes riveted on his weapon. Heaven help her, she was too far away to use her herbs.

"My sister was about to meet with an untimely demise, Elizabeth. Your ill-timed arrival means you'll be joining her."

He pointed the pistol at her heart.

Austin stood outside the window, battling the panic racing through him. Elizabeth stood directly in front of the window, her back toward him. Gaspard stood about twelve feet in front of her, a pistol aimed at her. Unless Elizabeth moved, Austin didn't have a prayer of getting a shot off at Gaspard without hitting her. He'd seen Gaspard lock the front door. This was the only window.

She had to move. He had to make her get out of the way. But how?