Page 37 of Kissed By a Scoundrel
Heavy footsteps followed by shuffling ones worked their way to the far corner of the room. Katie opened one eye to peek and saw them lift the dingy tarp she’d seen earlier. It had been dark over there, Katie recalled.
“That’s a dead body,” Gummy said.
“That’s the widow. I finally got her out of the Tower, and she’s where she belongs…with me.”
Katie swallowed a gasp and kept as still as she could.
Oh Lord, I was unconscious, lying here for who knows how many hours with a dead woman in the corner.
Did they plan to kill her too and leave her under that tarp?
“Where are you gonna put her?” Gummy asked.
“You’ll know soon enough,” the big man said. “By the way, I went to Doogan’s place, and he wasn’t there. What happened to him?”
Gummy shrugged. “Maybe he’s gone to visit his mum in Spitalfields. I hear she’s been ailin’, and that boy do love his mum.” He pointed at the dead woman. “If I’m gonna get stuck with Doogan’s duties, you’ll have ter pay me more, ’else Molly’ll ’ave my hide.” The stout man heaved a deep sigh. “If only she’d find herself another bloke. She’s getting on m’nerves lately with all her grousing about money. ’Sides, since I met Daisy, it’s too much work to go between The Rooster, where Molly works, and the Skinny Goat, where Daisy works. But I do like Daisy more. She’s got a body a man could get lost in.” He threw his head back and guffawed.
“Heh, heh! Women can be more trouble than they’re worth,” the raspy voice said.
“But…but what happened to the widow? I thought you liked her,” Gummy pressed.
“Of course I do! I love her, you dolt. But something had to be done about that screeching of hers. She was enjoying the bonbons I brung her and that rag she likes to read, and then all of a sudden she started shrieking at me…yelling like the others did. Callin’ me names. I asked her to stop, but she kept on. It makes my head hurt so bad. So, I showed her how to be quiet. I put my hands ’round her neck, and she stopped. I could tell she liked it, though. She’s a wild minx, she is.”
Gummy chuckled. “Those are the best kind. How did you get her out of the Tower?”
“I had to roll her up in that dingy old carpet she hated. But when she finds out the rug came in handy to help her escape, I’m sure she’ll change her mind.”
“But ain’t she dead?” Gummy asked, obviously speaking of the widow.
“Sleeping,” the raspy voice corrected. “And when she wakes, she’ll be happy because I finally got her out of that prison tower. When she wakes, we’ll have a big laugh. And she’ll be happy to see we finally got that skinny chit. She complained it weren’t enough that we killed Colborne. She wanted me to kill the Latham girl too. She wanted to make Latham and his whore, and that old crow suffer. And they will. Mark my words. Maybe she’ll even want ter kill the girl herself. She’ll like that.”
Oh my God! The widow in the Tower is Endora Deville! Or rather, she was Endora.
The hateful woman had succeeded in ruining Thomas and Frankie’s relationship years ago. Frankie was forced by her uncle to marry an elderly Earl who held his debts. As a result, Thomas had sailed the high seas, going from port to port with his shipping line for years, trying to escape his pain and anguish, all the while believing Frankie had left him. After five long years, they met again at the Duke of Clarence’s ball. Frankie was widowed, and Thomas was still unmarried. Katie’s eyes filled with tears as she recalled how happy the Lathams were when Thomas and Frankie had been able to heal the past and allow their love to bring them together once more.
Endora Deville had then tried once again to come between them, but this time she was caught with the dowager’s help. The widow had been investigated and arrested when it was revealed that she’d killed her first and second husband.
Katie’s heart thundered in her chest and she worried they could hear it. She fought to slow down her breathing.
He plans to kill me, too! I have to get out of here.
She heard a noise outside and prayed it was Sebastian. Did he even know she was missing? No, he had said he would see her later in the afternoon. Even if he hadn’t shown up at the dowager’s, she and Paula would have gotten word to him. But how in the world would he know where to find her? Katie knew he and Nelson were conducting their own investigation over the past few days since Paula had made those sketches, but he hadn’t given her any details of what they’d found. Perhaps he didn’t want to add to her anxiety when she was doing so well with her fencing lessons. But the dowager mentioned she wanted to speak to Sebastian and Nelson about it.
Oh, why didn’t I ask Sebastian when I had the chance? Perhaps what they’d found out might have been useful to her now, when she so desperately needed to escape. But she’d been so caught up in her lessons, and truth be told, the magic of Sebastian’s kisses.
You have no time to feel sorry for yourself!
With cold awareness, she realized she was on her own. She’d have to use everything she’d learned to save herself.
“Someone’s outside,” Gummy said. “I’ll go have a look.”
“Fine, but hurry back. I’ll need your help with the girl.”
Katie pretended to still be unconscious, she opened one eye just a sliver and watched Gummy walk past her, unlock the door, and leave. But she noticed he had left it open. She had to make her move. This could be the only chance she had. She peeked at the hulking man who stooped over the body in the corner, talking to it as if she were still alive.
It’s now or never.
She was about to get up and make a run for it when a shadow moved in the open doorway. Oh, God! I’m too late. But wait, the shadow was tall and lean, not short and squat. And then wonder of wonders, Katie saw Sebastian appear in the doorway. Her eyes widened and she must have moved and alerted him to her presence because he turned and looked directly at her. He held a finger over his mouth, instructing her to be quiet.
