Augusta waited until Robbie was out of sight and then she rushed to the front door of the cottage and pushed it open. Holding the pistol firmly in front of her, she stepped into the small room.
Meredith, gagged, bound, and lying helpless on the floor, stared toward the door with frightened eyes. And then she recognized Augusta. There was a muffled exclamation from behind the gag.
" 'Tis all right, Meredith. I am here, darling. You are safe now." Augusta ran across the room and yanked off the gag. Then she set to work on the ropes that bound the girl's wrists.
Meredith threw her arms tightly around Augusta's neck as soon as she was free. "Mama. I knew you would come, Mama. I knew it. I was so scared of him."
"I know, darling. But now we must hurry."
Augusta took her hand and hauled her out of the cottage and around the corner of the house.
Claudia saw what was happening at once and started forward, leading Augusta's horse. "Hurry," she called. "We must get out of here at once. I hear a horse coming toward us in the lane. Robbie must have caught the mare."
Augusta listened to the strong, rhythmic hoofbeats of a swiftly cantering horse and knew it was not the old farm horse she had just set free. This was blooded stock, the kind of animal only a gentleman would ride. There was no way to know if whoever was on his way toward them would be friend or foe.
Augusta was filled with a desperate need to get Meredith out of the way.
"Here, darling. Get up in front of Miss Ballinger. Hurry." She pushed Meredith up into the saddle and Claudia caught hold of her. Augusta stepped back quickly. "Be off, Claudia. Now."
"Augusta, what are you doing?"
"You must see to Meredith. I must be free to use the pistol if it becomes necessary. We have no way of knowing who is coming up the lane. Go, Claudia. I shall be right behind you."
Claudia wheeled her horse about, her eyes filled with worry. "Very well, but do not delay." She sent her horse flying off through the trees.
"Be careful, Mama," Meredith called softly.
Augusta mounted her own mare and prepared to follow. She could still not see whoever was approaching. He was hidden by the bulk of the cottage.
Augusta leaned forward, pistol still firmly clutched in one hand, and urged her mare into a gallop.
At that instant a shot crashed through the woods, sending up a cloud of leaves and dirt beneath the mare's hooves.
The animal reared in panic, thrashing wildly at the air with its hooves. Augusta dropped the pistol in a desperate effort to steady the creature. But one rear hoof skidded on dead leaves and the beast started to twist to one side.
Augusta leaped off the sidesaddle just as the horse stumbled and fell. She landed in a heap on the ground, winded, unarmed, and trapped by the skirts of her habit. The mare scrambled to her feet and fled through the trees, heading for home.
By the time she had caught her breath a man with heavy whiskers and hair that had been powdered to the color of steel was standing over her. He had a pistol pointed straight at her heart.
Augusta knew at once that the whiskers and gray hair were a disguise. She would have recognized Lovejoy's fox-green eyes anywhere.
"You got here a bit early, my dear," Lovejoy grunted. He motioned her to her feet. "I did not think you would miss Graystone's offspring so quickly, nor rouse your staff and start the search so soon. But I see the stupid little maid said exactly what she was supposed to say. That dolt Robbie was sure she would. And I was certain you would make the obvious assumptions."
"You wanted me, Lovejoy? Not Meredith?"
"I wanted both of you," Lovejoy snapped. "But you have deprived me of Meredith, so I shall just have to make do with you. Let us hope Graystone is as fond of his new wife as he should be; otherwise you will be quite useless to me. And I don't have any patience with things that are useless to me. Your brother learned that soon enough."
"Richard. You killed him. Just like you killed Sally." Augusta leaped at him, her hands bunched into small fists.
Lovejoy slammed her aside with a powerful backhanded slap that sent Augusta sprawling once more in the dirt. "Get up, you little bitch. We must move quickly now. I do not know how long Graystone will bumble around London before he realizes who I am and that I have left the city."
"He will kill you, Lovejoy. You know that, do you not? He will kill you for this."
"He has wanted to kill me for a long time and as you can see, he has failed thus far. Graystone has always been clever, I'll give him that, but I have always had luck on my side."
"Until recently, perhaps. Your luck has run out, Love-joy."
"Not at all. You are my good luck charm, madam. And I think you will be a very amusing one indeed. It will be a pleasure to take what belongs to that damned Graystone. I did try to warn him that you were not good wife material."
Lovejoy reached down and grabbed Augusta's arm. He hauled her to her feet.
Heedless of the pistol, Augusta whirled, scooped up her heavy skirts, and tried to flee. Lovejoy caught her in two strides and slapped her viciously. His arm circled her throat and the nose of the pistol rested against her temple.
"One more such attempt to run and I will put a bullet through your brain here and now. Do you understand?"
Augusta did not bother to answer. Her head was reeling from the violent blow. She sensed she must bide her time now.
Holding her cautiously, Lovejoy started toward the stallion that he had left in front of the cottage.
"What do you mean, you tried to warn Graystone that I would not make him a good wife?" Augusta demanded as he forced her to mount the prancing stallion.
"I really did not want the two of you getting together, Augusta. I was afraid that living in close proximity to you, Graystone might just possibly stumble across some clue from your brother's past the would lead him to me. It was not very likely, but it was always a worrisome possibility. I tried to avoid any such potential problem by heading off the marriage."
"That was what you were about when you lured me into that game of cards."
"Precisely." Lovejoy got up behind her, the mouth of the pistol pressed firmly into her ribs. "The idea was to compromise you when you came for your vowels, but that did not work. And the next thing I knew, the son of a bitch had married you out of hand."
"Where are you taking me?"
"Not far." He picked up the reins and spurred the stallion forward. "We are going to take a pleasant sea voyage, you and I. And then we shall seclude ourselves in a remote location in France while frustration and rage eat Graystone alive."
"I do not understand. Why do you need me?"
"You are my bargaining piece, my dear. With you as hostage, I shall get safely across the Channel and into seclusion in France. Graystone will pay dearly for you. His sense of honor, if not his affection, will see to that. And when he eventually is permitted to purchase your freedom, I shall lure him into a trap and kill him."
"And then what?" Augusta challenged. "Everyone will know who you are at last. My husband has friends."
"So he does. But as far as your husband's friends are concerned, I shall also be dead. Killed by a valiant Graystone who died in the attempt to free his poor wife. Who was also unfortunately killed. Very tragic. " 'Twill be something of a nuisance to assume a new identity afterward, but I have done it before."
Augusta closed her eyes as the stallion pounded down the lane. "Why did you kill Richard?"
"Your foolish brother tried to play a dangerous game, Augusta. One he did not even begin to comprehend. He joined the Saber Club because it was just the dashing sort of club that appealed to men like him. Then he somehow stumbled onto the fact that a master spy called the Spider was also a member. He reasoned I was doubtless using the place to collect valuable information. Those dashing young officers talked very freely when they were in their cups. A pretty girl, a few bottles of wine, and whatever information the members of the club had was mine for the asking."