Bought for Revenge(42)

'Forgive me,' he muttered. 'This is my fault. Whatever I have done in  the past you have my word that I will look after you and your father.'

'Brave words, Cousin, but foolish,' said Hugh, gathering up the signed papers. 'Tie them up, Strutt.'

Two pairs of heavy hands grabbed Lucas. A noose was thrown over his  shoulders and pulled tight, binding his arms to his sides. He could only  watch helplessly as Strutt seized Annabelle and began to bind her in a  similar fashion.

'Careful,' ordered Hugh, 'I want no marks on their wrists.'

'You damned villain,' cried Lucas, struggling. 'You gave your word.'

'Did you really think I would let you go?' Hugh sneered. 'You always were a chivalrous fool, Lucas.'

'Damn you, I signed your papers!'

'And very useful they will be, too, but I would still prefer to have you  out of the way. Do you really think I am a fool? If I let you live, you  will go to the court and challenge me.'

'But it will look mighty suspicious if I am murdered so soon after signing everything over to you.'

'I know. That is why you and Miss Havenham are going to have a little, er, accident.'

'So what are you planning?'

Lucas wanted to keep him talking. They had roped his body, but he was  quietly confident that, given time, he would be able to free himself.

'I told you, an accident.' Hugh picked up Belle's cloak and threw it  around her shoulders. 'I guessed my note would make you come in haste  and you would bring the curricle, but I am so pleased you brought your  bays, too. It will add so much more credence to the story. You were  taking Miss Havenham for a drive in your curricle along Dyke's Ridge,  showing off, no doubt, and took the bend a little too fast.'

Belle looked up. 'But I came looking for Lucas, Papa knows that.' She trailed off, her eyes darkening. 'You did not tell him.'

'Of course not, but I wanted you to be seen walking alone out of  Stanton. Everyone will think Lucas picked you up on the road.' He looked  up, a sudden smile lighting his face. 'They might even think you were  eloping, especially when Samuel explains to everyone that he had  forbidden the banns. But you need not worry, Cos, as new lord of Morwood  Manor I shall give you a decent burial in the family tomb.'

'So it is to be murder, is it?' Lucas taunted him. 'You just cannot wait to climb into my shoes.'

Hugh swung round, the smile replaced instantly by a ferocious scowl. 'I  have waited five-and-twenty years for what is rightfully mine!'

'Oh?' Lucas raised his brows. 'And how do you work that out?                       
       
           



       

'You were meant to die in the fire. As the next male relative, I would  have inherited.' He was pacing up and down, staring before him, his face  contorted in rage. 'You should have burned like your mother. I thought  you were asleep, like everyone else in the house. That was my mistake,  but it is not one I shall make again.'

'A mistake?' said Lucas sharply, his brows snapping together. 'What do you mean, a mistake? What do you know about the fire?'

Hugh giggled. 'Have you not guessed? I started it. I went downstairs  after your mother had locked herself in her room. It was late. Havenham  had gone and your father staggered in. He wouldn't let the servants put  him to bed, but went into the dining room to get another brandy. I  followed him.' Duggan's lip trembled. He put a hand up to his ear,  saying plaintively, 'He c-cuffed me. He had no reason to be angry with  me, but he railed and ranted. He t-told me it was time I went home.  Morwood was my home.' His face twisted. 'He was going to throw me out.'

'When my father was angry he was prone to say things he did not mean.'

'He should not have been angry with me. It wasn't my fault your mother  was going to leave him. I thought it would be a good thing. I told him  if she left Morwood And took you with her then he would have me and I  would be his son. We could go fishing together. And hunting. All the  things I could only do at Morwood, because Mama was too poor to bring me  up as she should! But, no. He s-said-' Hugh stopped, his mouth working  as he relived his memories. 'He said I was out of my mind. So I showed  him. While he was snoring at the dining table I started a fire in the  library. I didn't want to cross the hall in case any of the servants  heard me, so I climbed out of the window and went round to the west wing  and set fire to the hangings in the drawing room. Everything was so  dry, it was easy. Then I hid myself in the woods to watch. Once the  servants began milling about outside I came back to join them.' He  giggled again. 'No one even noticed.'

Lucas stepped back and leaned against the table, momentarily stunned.  'You started the fire at Morwood? And you let me believe it was my own  father.'

Sheer animal rage filled him. Bound as he was, he wanted to hurl himself  at Hugh, to bite and tear at him, even if he died in the attempt, but  from the corner of his eye he could see Annabelle, her arms tied and  with one of Strutt's oafish sons standing beside her. Belle's safety was  his priority. By a supreme effort of will he curbed his anger, fighting  it down, clearing his head. When the chance came he must be ready to  act.

Belle listened to Hugh's explanation with shock and surprise. Despite  her own discomfort and their fearful situation she felt an overwhelming  relief for Lucas. If only she could talk to him. He met her eyes briefly  and her heart lifted slightly at the faint smile of reassurance he gave  her. Darling Lucas, even now he was trying to protect her.

Hugh was bundling the signed papers back into the case. 'Get them into the coach,' he barked.

The landlord checked that the passage was clear and they walked out of  the inn, Lucas and Belle with their arms bound tightly to their sides  and Belle all the time aware that the men behind them carried a shotgun  and one of Lucas's duelling pistols. Her spine was quite rigid with  nerves, making every step difficult. A shabby travelling chaise was  waiting in the yard, the blinds drawn down. Belle looked around, wildly  hoping that someone might be there to help them. She thought she caught  the tinkle of bells on the wind. A packhorse train, possibly, crossing  the moor, or even perhaps putting up for the night in the fold behind  the inn, although she could see nothing in the darkness.

They were bundled unceremoniously into the chaise.

'Hobble them,' ordered Hugh. 'I don't want them escaping on the way.'

'Why not kill 'em out now and be done with it?' muttered Zac, the eldest of the Strutt sons.

'Daft lump.' His father spat on the ground. 'I don't want any mess in me  carriage, nor any signs that we was involved in this night's work. Now  do as you're told, then you an' Amos can take 'em to the ridge.'

Zac quickly bound their ankles and stepped back. Hugh looked in, the  flare from the carriage lamp throwing black shadows across his face. He  ignored Belle and addressed Lucas, his tone genial, as if they had just  enjoyed a sociable evening.

'This is where we say goodbye, Cousin. I am going to take the gig back  to Stanton and make sure I am seen at the Red Lion tonight, drinking  your health.'

The carriage rocked as someone climbed up on to the box. the door was  closed and the next moment they were clattering across the cobbles and  on to the rough lane. With the blinds drawn down, the interior of the  chaise was completely dark. Unable to move her arms, Belle fought hard  against her panic.                       
       
           



       

'Lucas!'

'I am here, love. Give me a moment to get out of these ropes.'

She could hear him grunting and moving beside her. She strained against  her own bonds, but the cord only bit into her flesh through the thin  sleeves of her walking gown. It was hopeless.

'At last.'

She guessed he had struggled free, for the next moment she was in his arms.

'My poor darling.' He reached around her, feeling for the knot at the back of her bonds. 'Did he hurt you very much?'

'No, not really.' She rested her head against his chest, listening to  the reassuring thud of his heart. 'But I have never been so frightened.'  She felt the rope grow loose and fall away.

'There.' Lucas began to chafe her arms. 'You will soon feel more like your old self.'

'Yes, thank you.' Tentatively she tried moving, reaching out in the  darkness until her fingers encountered Lucas's body and she slid her  hands around him. 'I feel much better already.'

His hold tightened and he held her close for a moment, resting his cheek against her hair.

'My brave girl,' he muttered. 'But we are not quite out of the woods yet, my love. Can you untie your ankles, do you think?'

'Yes, I will try.'

Soon they were free, but the coach was rocking too wildly on the stony  lane to risk jumping out. When they reached a smoother section of road  Lucas pulled aside the blind to peep out.

'We are on the new road.'

'How far will they take us, do you think?'

'They will not risk going through the toll. My guess is that they plan  to drive the curricle off the road on the first bend, where the drop is  steepest. That is not far now. Be ready to move when I say.'