Page 72 of A Scandalous Proposition
‘Oh, God!’ Adam dropped his head into his hands. ‘You brought your sister here?’ He stared at the man, still hardly able to believe it. ‘Why the devil would you do something so foolhardy?’
‘She wanted to know what you were doing. She’s been watching you.’
Adam and Florentina exchanged a brief glance. Someone had been watching her, just as she’d supposed. But that someone had just perished in a storm-tossed Solent, taking the child she carried with her to her watery grave.
Chapter Seventeen
Florentina watched helplessly as Dennett followed the direction of Adam’s gaze. He looked out to sea, at the spot where the wherry had gone down so quickly that it might never have existed.The Albatrosshad been too far away to come to the aid of the people aboard the small vessel. The water was too shallow, the rocks too savage for a boat with such a deep keel to come in so close. By now it was doubtless sailing to safety without its captain.
‘She was on that wherry?’ Dennett frantically stripped off his coat. ‘What are we waiting for, Fitzroy? Come on, we must save her.’
‘It’s too late for that.’ Infinite gentleness underscored Adam’s tone. ‘She’s gone and so will you be if you attempt to get into that raging sea. No man could survive such conditions for more than a few minutes. A woman would perish even more quickly.’ He closed his eyes and dipped his head at Dennett. ‘I am truly sorry for your loss.’
‘She can’t be gone.’ Dennett stared about him, wild-eyed, tugging at his clothing and hair. ‘She must still be here somewhere. We were together in the trees but she wanted to get closer to see what all the commotion was about. I tripped over a root and by the time I picked myself up, she had gone.’
‘She thought Adam was going to be shot,’ Florentina said. ‘I heard her screaming about a trap and saw her running from the trees to warn him.’
‘You see!’ Dennett cried. ‘She impulsively tried to save you and yet you’re prepared to let her perish.’
‘I’m deeply sorry that this has happened but there is nothing anyone can do for her now.’
Florentina could see tiredness and strain etched deeply into Adam’s features. Her heart went out to him. She could only guess at the responsibility he felt for what had happened to his brother’s wife.
Dennett stripped off his clothes, ripping them in his haste, and didn’t appear to hear Adam’s words. It took Adam and one of Madison’s men to prevent him from leaping into the sea and also meeting his maker.
Florentine sensed that the four Spanish girls were totally confused by events.
‘One of the girls that just perished was that gentleman’s sister,’ she explained in a hushed voice.
The refugees crossed themselves while Dennett, seeming to understand at last that there really was nothing more he could do for his sister, fell to the ground, sobbing hysterically. Everyone watched the extraordinary scene, not seeming to know quite what to do about it. That included the man guarding Reynolds.
Without warning, an arm grasped Florentina’s waist from behind and her body was dragged back until it collided with its owner. She screamed, as did the terrified Spanish girls, loud enough to distract even Dennett from his hysteria.
‘Keep still, you little wildcat!’
A hand dealt a savage blow to her face, hard enough to make her head spin. A second arm caught her ’round the throat. She couldn’t move without choking herself. Even kicking the man’s shins was impossible from this position. Despair welled inside her. She knew that voice. Recognized the pungent smell of the body restraining her.
It was Reynolds.
‘Let her go.’ Adam spoke with calm authority as he levelled his gun at Reynolds’s head.
‘Now, why would I wanna do that? This little spitfire has caused me more than enough trouble over the past months, and I intend to get my revenge.’
‘By getting your head shot off?’
‘Can you be absolutely sure you’ll hit me and not her?’ Reynolds voice dripped sarcasm as he started dragging Florentina towards the trees. ‘You’re welcome to try but somehow I doubt whether you will ’cos I’ve seen the way you look at the little whore.’
‘You’re a dead man, Reynolds,’ Adam said with quiet mordancy, ‘unless you release her at once. Let her go and you can leave here. You have my word that no one will attempt to follow you.’
Reynolds guffawed. ‘I hardly think you’re in a position to give orders right now, so either shoot me or shut up and listen.’
‘I am all ears.’ Adam lowered his pistol, but his expression implied that he was very anxious to follow up on his threat and help Reynolds on his way to hell.
‘I thought you would be. Well, well, it’s funny how things turn out, ain’t it.’ Foetid breath hit Florentina’s ear as Reynolds spoke but, because of his restraining arm ’round her neck, she couldn’t turn away from it. ‘I was cursing the day I ever laid eyes on this little hussy, even though she’s one of the best ever to pass through me hands. But I can see now that she’ll be an asset to me after all.’
‘I doubt that very much,’ Adam said insouciantly, glancing skyward as though bored with the entire conversation. The rain had stopped altogether, the wind had blown away the clouds and the moon had reemerged. ‘She has a mind of her own and if you’re able to make her do as she’s told, then you’re a better man than I am.’
Reynolds leered. ‘Women are like dogs. You have to beat ’em occasionally, give ’em a good kicking and let ’em know who’s master. Once they get the message, you throw ’em an occasional bone, just to keep ’em sweet.’
