Page 75 of The Curious Life of the Unfortunate Duchess
“If she never wishes to lay eyes upon me again, I would freely let her go if it means she is safe,” Leonard replied truthfully. “I am doing this because of my great love for Elizabeth, not to ensure she loves me in return.”
The Viscount made a strange sound and Leonard turned to him.
“What is it?” he asked from over the shoulder of his dark cloak.
“You really think you love her?”
“I do not think it,” Leonard replied without hesitation. “I know it.”
The Viscount chuckled and kicked his horse forward, the two men riding neck-and-neck through the black forest.
“I will welcome you into our family with arms wide,” he assured Leonard but it was difficult for the Duke to take the word with any genuine excitement. He still could not shake the terrible sense of foreboding that Elizabeth was in danger and that the Viscount would never have an opportunity of embracing Leonard into his family.
He glanced at the shoe and a shiver slid through him. One shoe at the scene of the kidnapping, another on Alexander Cooke’s property.
What else is Elizabeth without?
Chapter 25
The cuts on her wrists were aching terribly and Elizabeth was certain they were infected but her captor did not wish to hear of it. She struggled against the ties and cried out when the twine touched her freshly opened wounds. Once more, she sat bound to a chair but she had been twisted into a much tighter bind. She could not move an inch.
“Why did you run?” he growled furiously. “What did you think would happen if you did something so rash?”
“I had hoped to escape,” Elizabeth replied dryly.
“You may laugh but you are as good as dead if Cooper finds you. He is half-mad at best.”
“Then you should permit me to leave,” Elizabeth told him earnestly, her eyes wide and pleading.
* * *
Earlier that day, when she had seen it was Mark who had caught her in the woods, Elizabeth had been momentarily relieved. For a fleeting second, she thought he was going to permit her to continue running but her hope was instantly crushed when he grabbed her and dragged her further into the woods.
“Where are you taking me?” she cried.
“Keep your voice down!” Mark snarled, his ire nearly palpable. “What have you done?”
It was then that she realized he was not turning her back toward Cooper and the glimmer of faith she had returned. The kindness she had bestowed upon Mark on the first day had blossomed and the kidnapper had become her savior.
They paused at a small cabin after close to an hour of walking. When they entered, four bats flew at them, causing Elizabeth to scream.
“Are you daft?” Mark snapped. “He is out there looking for you.”
“Why do you not return me to him?” She knew it was a dangerous question but Elizabeth needed to know where his mind was for him to perform such a treasonous act against the man who was clearly in charge.
“Killing you was not part of the deal,” Mark muttered. “Sit down.”
He gestured at a chair which barely appeared as though it could support her weight but she did not argue when he pointed the pistol at her again.
“I do not wish to hurt you, Miss Elizabeth but you are leaving me little choice. If I have to choose between your life and mine, I will choose mine, make no mistake.”
She believed him entirely and allowed him to rebind her to the chair.
“I will not run from you, Mark,” she told him. “Please, there is no need to bind me.”
Mark scoffed at her.
“You have fooled me enough,” he barked. “I will not be fooled again.”
