Page 44 of A Duke in Pursuit of Passion
"Here," Mr Murphy's voice sounded close by and barely Ella saw him hand Alice a switchblade from his pocket. The servant smiled her gratitude sweetly before cutting right through the ropes.
It was as her hands were freed, her legs still bound tightly, that Louisa came to. And the wild look in her eyes frightened Ella more than anything ever had in her life.
Through the gag in her mouth, Louisa screamed, lunging at Ella as if she wanted to gouge her eyes out.
Luckily for Ella, her sister was weak and still tied by her legs, and so she gripped her sister's hands easily away from her face and urged, "Louisa, calm down. It's me, Ella. I'm here now. You're safe."
Relief washed over Ella as she saw the terror and hatred fading from her sister's gaze. Then the tears began pouring from Louisa's eyes, her blue gaze growing so watery that they made Ella's own tear up.
"I'm here," she continued, wishing to give her sister all the comfort she had missed out on these weeks since her disappearance.
"You must stay quiet," Nate urged her as Ella reached for the gag in her sister's mouth.
More gently, Ella added, "Can you promise to be quiet?"
It was painful to imagine leaving the gag in Louisa's mouth, but after the way she had just attacked her, she knew they couldn't afford to take any chances. When Louisa finally nodded, Ella gently removed the rag. Louisa bit back a painful-looking sob and whispered, "I thought you would never come."
And Ella's heart broke all over again. She watched her sister's eyes fluttering as though she was struggling to keep them open and turned to Nate to say, "We can't get her out of here like this."
Before the nobleman could say a word, Mr Murphy slipped between her and Alice and buried his hands beneath Louisa, pulling her up into his arms. Though he was not nearly so tall or broad as his master, Ella was surprised to see his muscles bulging beneath his clothes as he began to carry her towards the door.
"Get the women out of here and back to the carriage," Nate instructed. Mr Murphy nodded, and, holding Louisa in his arms, turned to Ella and Alice.
"Please, stay close to me."
"What about you?" Ella protested to Nate as Alice started to urge her after the manservant. She braced herself in the doorway before him, determined not to leave until she knew his plans for whatever came next.
Instead of answering, he gripped hold of her face in both hands and kissed her. Leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered, "Go."
Ella's stomach clenched, her heart skipping a beat as a whirlwind of possibilities rushed through her mind. Whatever he had planned, she could tell it was dangerous.
Yet, she had to worry about her sister right now. Nate was capable of taking care of himself. She had seen as much in the alleyway that day when he and Mr Murphy had come to their rescue.
Safely they made it to the carriage around the corner, and Ella could sense the eyes of Mr Murphy's men on them as they went, one of two even tipping their hats to her in a silent and gentlemanly promise that they would take care of things from there on out.
And though she was fearful for him, their presence did ease her concerns for Nate a little. Mr Murphy's men were clearly loyal just as he was, and she knew that if anyone would protect the nobleman, it was him.
The manservant gently placed Louisa in the carriage though he wasted no time in doing so. He only stopped to help Ella and Alice in also before he made to leave, offering instructions to the driver to take them directly back to Lady McGilligan’s.
Ella leaned out the window before he could rush off again and demanded, "Mr Murphy, what is the plan going forward?"
The man, looking frantic to get back, climbed the steps of the carriage on the outside so that he could lean in and whisper through the window, "Lord Rolfe and I shall await the men who took your sister, My Lady. We will see justice done."
Ella was surprised by the way that Alice darted forwards to grip hold of his hands where they were gripping the edge of the open window. "Please, Mack, be careful."
Feeling more than a little awkward and in shock, Ella turned her gaze away as the two servants shared a moment obviously not meant for her to witness.
She heard the telltale smacking of lips in a kiss, and as Mr Murphy darted away from the carriage, Alice leaned back in her seat with a blush to her cheeks.
Deciding now was not the time to enquire what that was all about, Ella turned her full attention to her sister slumped beside her. Gripping her arm, she pulled her upright and encouraged her head onto her shoulder. Stroking her sister's cheek, she said, "It's alright, Louisa, you're safe now."
Chapter 27
Nathaniel and Mack awaited the thugs for hours while darkness reigned outside. Though the room was stinking and foul, they waited. And it was only in the early morning hours, as the sun began to rise and the raucous sounds of the merriment downstairs started to fade, that the men came.
Getting up from where he had been perched for several minutes on the windowsill, having given up pacing, Nathaniel straightened his jacket as the men's footsteps grew slow nearing the door, clearly concerned as to how the door was hanging off its hinges.
When the three of them arrived in the doorway, looking as though they couldn't all possibly fit through at once, Nathaniel smirked and said, "Nice of you to finally join us, gentlemen."
