Page 56 of The Heir's Fortune
“By whom?”
“It doesn’t matter. But suffice it to say that a very credible source told us that the treasure was not yours to begin with. Besides, that was generations ago. It is here now, on Ashford’s land, so his it will be.”
DonRafael scoffed. “Do you suppose that will be the case? There are two ways we can do this. The easier path forward provides you with the chance to remain alive by the end of it all. The other, not so much.”
Gideon began to slowly reach for his weapon, butDonRafael realized his intention before he grasp it.
“Stop!” he said, and then a smile began to spread across his face. “Besides, even if you do not care about your own life, do you not care for the life of another? Emilio!”
There was motion at the treeline – the very one where Gideon had kissed Madeline just yesterday, and then, causing his heart to sink to his toes, one ofDonRafael’s men walked out with the woman Gideon loved held in front of him, a pistol at her head.
“Let her go!” he ground out, butDonRafael only laughed.
“You saved her once before, but we will not repeat our mistakes a second time,” he said. “We have also come to learn that this woman is not your sister. It was even better, however,when we discovered that she is, in actuality, the woman you are enamored with.”
Gideon gritted his teeth together as he looked around at his friends, all who appeared as helpless as he felt.
“Allow me to switch places with her,” he said.
“Why would I do that?”DonRafael said. “It is clear that you value her life above yours.”
“That is true,” he said, trying to mask his desperation. “Which is why I am asking you to let her go. You have captured us and we are in no position to take the treasure from you. Allow her to return to the house and I will remain while you do what you will with the treasure.”
DonRafael squinted his eyes at him as he considered his request and Gideon said a prayer.
Finally, rubbing his chin,DonRafael shook his head. “No,” he said. “If I allow her to go you might attempt some hero routine. You will never subdue us but you may cause injury to one of us, which I will not have. She will remain under Emilio’s…careuntil this is all finished. You and your men are going to have quite the afternoon. For you will still do as you intended – load the treasure. Onlywewill be leaving with the wagons instead of you.”
His grin caused Gideon to shiver. He looked over to Devon, who solemnly held his gaze, defeat beginning to seep into his expression. With pistols drawn upon them and one pressed against Madeline’s head, they had no choice – they would have to do as the Spaniards wished. Gideon’s heart sank into his stomach as his body began vibrating with rage.
“Very well,” he said, tilting his head toward the cave. “Let us get to work.”
Gideon could have wept as he thought of the treasure returning to the Spaniards after all these years and all of the work his ancestors had done to ensure that not just anyonewould find it. He also knew what this was likely going to mean for him.
It was the loss of his pride, for one – the Spaniard had outsmarted him. He hated to admit that Cassandra had been right and they would have been better to bring more men with them.
Now he was losing not only the treasure but could also lose the chance to have Madeline.
For what kind of man was he that he had lost the fortune that was supposed to allow them to have a future together? He had nothing to offer her anymore. Not only that, but he had allowed her to be captured again and had failed to protect her when she was the one person he should be doing everything to safeguard.
He was so ashamed that he couldn’t even look at her. He didn’t want to see the disappointment he knew would be in her eyes. It had taken her years to see him as a man worthy of her love, her trust, and in this one failure he was losing it all.
Gideon was hoping for the opportunity to speak to Devon alone once they entered the cave, as it might be their only chance to devise a potential plan to find their way out of this, but one ofDonRafael’s men followed them in. Gideon wasn’t sure how much English he could understand, but he had no desire to risk it.
Devon, of course, had no problems doing so.
“How are we getting out of this?” he hissed to Gideon as they reached down to lift the first trunk.
“I cannot see a way out of it,” Gideon muttered. “We are done for. All that matters is that Madeline comes to no harm and she escapes from them. If anything happens, make sure she is safe.”
Devon’s head quickly swiveled toward Gideon. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what I said,” he responded before their guard began charging toward them in a flurry of Spanish, telling them to stoptalking. Gideon looked at Devon with an “I told you so,” before they lowered the trunk down to Whitehall and Ferrington. Rowley was waiting to help load it into the carriage.
When the trunks were finished, Gideon and Devon climbed down from the hole. Devon looked ready to charge the Spaniards, but Gideon shook his head at him, hoping he would understand. Cassandra would never forgive him if something happened to her husband.
“You have what you want. Now let her go,” he called out toDonRafael as he began walking toward them.
“I have to make sure we get away from here safely,”DonRafael said. “While you were collecting my treasure, I realized there was only one way to ensure that would be so.”
