Page 96 of When the Rogue Returns
Ah. A slow smile curved his lips. “Come on,” he told the others, jumping back onto his horse. “My wife is leaving us a map.”
They rode silently, four abreast, scanning the road as they went. First they found a ribbon, part of the trim from Isa’s gown. Then a garter. Then some lace that had clearly been ripped from her petticoat.
After that, however, the articles of clothing stopped. “Devil take it,” Victor muttered as they pulled up after riding awhile without seeing anything. “She must have run out of things to discard.”
“I only saw one garter,” Tristan said. “I believe most women wear two.”
“Good point,” Victor said. “We must have missed something. We should retrace our steps and broaden our search to beyond the road.”
Within moments, they’d found a scarf caught on a branch next to a half-hidden track through the woods. But it was on the side of the road near the river.
Victor’s heart sank. They were headed to the river? That didn’t bode well.
He rode swiftly down the cart track, leaving the others to follow. The fact that she’d left her scarf worried him. Gerhart could notice such a thing. God only knew what he would do then.
Fear for her spurred Victor on. He didn’t have to go far before he spotted her other garter on a tree branch. And shortly after that, he heard voices arguing ahead. Reining in his horse, he tied it off and drew out his pistol as he crept closer on foot, not wanting any noise to alert Gerhart to his presence.
Then again, Gerhart was shouting so loudly, Victor wasn’t sure the man could hear anything. He caught snatches—“Jacoba, you’d best... now... the child will”—before he got near enough to see what was going on.
And it struck him with terror. In a small clearing near the bank of the river, Isa faced down Gerhart, who stood clutching a golden-haired girl against him.
Hisown girl. Amalie—oh God.
Gerhart had one arm about the child’s middle and his forearm clamped against her throat, as he must have done with Isa earlier in the day, and it was all Victor could do not to vault into the clearing to knock the bastard down and throttle him to death.
But he knew better than to let emotion guide him right now. Too much was at stake. Before Victor could reach him, the former wrestler could easily break Amalie’s neck. And Victor’s gun was no use with Gerhart holding the girl so close. He dared not risk hitting his daughter.
Fighting for calm, Victor tried to determine how best to proceed.
“Gerhart, I did everything you asked,” Isa choked out. “You have the diamonds now. Just let Amalie go! Don’t hurt my baby!”
“He won’t hurt her,” Jacoba said, sounding anxious. “You won’t, will you, my love?”
“He hurtme,” Isa snapped. “How do you think I got these bruises on my neck?”
Jacoba looked shocked. “Gerhart, you didn’t... you wouldn’t...”
“Stay out of this, Jacoba. The girl will be fine as long as Isa does what I say,” Gerhart growled. “I just need the child a while longer.”
“Please, Uncle Gerhart,” Amalie squeaked in a girlish voice that made Victor’s heart twist. “I don’t want to go in the boat!”
Then Victor spotted a dilapidated skiff, half hidden by the trees, pulled up on the bank. God rot him, Gerhart meant to go out on the river in that thing. And take Amalie with him!
He would beat the bastard to a bloody pulp!
“Listen to me, my dearest,” Jacoba said, clearly unsettled by her niece’s pleas. “We don’t need either of them anymore. Just give Amalie back to Isa. We can be well away in moments. It’s not as if my sister can stop us once we’re on the river.”
“Perhaps not, but her damned husband is bound to be lurking about.” He dragged Amalie back toward the skiff. “Clearly she left her scarf somewhere to show him the way, and I daresay he’ll find her soon enough. Having the girl with us will just ensure that he lets us get away.”
“And then what?” Isa cried.
“We’ll leave her in a safe place—assuming we aren’t pursued.”
“But Gerhart—” Jacoba began.
“Come over here and get in the damned boat!” he cried.
Victor felt rather than saw Dom, Tristan, and Lochlaw edge up beside him. The baron couldn’t hold back a gasp when he saw the scene, but fortunately Gerhart was too intent on dealing with Isa and Jacoba to notice. Casting Lochlaw a warning glance, Victor pressed his finger to his lips.
