Read Online Lady Sophia's Rescue (Traditional Regency Romance) by Cheryl Bolen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cheryl Bolen
Tags: Romance, Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Romance - Historical, romance adult fiction, english romance, historical ebooks
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and quickly scanned just a small portion of the first sheet. He felt disgustingly like a voyeur. Half a page was enough to tell him he was reading a torrid love letter, and the crest on the paper indicated the author was Lord Wakefield, a peer who held a high office in government. No doubt, the letter had been written to a woman who was not his highly respected wife. "It appears the oilcloth protected these pages from the effects of the other night's rain."
"I take it the papers are important?"
"They're worth a great deal of money to Finkel. He obviously needs these to blackmail Lord Wakefield."
Thompson nodded. "When do we rescue the ladies?"
"Very, very soon, my good man." He had to get Isadore before Finkel forced himself on her. Which William was convinced the man would do. "I've got to get to Finkel's before they discover they've got the wrong valise. You're to go to Nick and tell him everything. And have him put this somewhere safe." He handed Thompson the Wakefield letter. "I'll go out the front; you go out the back."
At least no one was watching his house from the square, he thought as he rounded the corner to the mews to get his horse, his senses alert. A knife was safely tucked into the specially made sheath inside his boot, and his hand cradled the hilt of the sword at his waist.
As he neared the livery stable, he slowed. Something was wrong. His mount should have been saddled by now and partially out of the darkened mews.
His step slowed. "Jonah?" he called out to his groom.
There was no response.
He stopped and drew his sword.
Just as three members of Finkel's "gang" stepped out, Rotten Teeth holding a dagger to Thompson's throat.
"If ye value yer man's life, ye'll drop that sword," the man with rotting teeth said.
* * *
The very same servants who had been tied with her dress sash watched her through narrowed eyes as she entered Finkel's house on Curzon Street, now with her own hands bound behind her.
"Some very disreputable men you employ, my lord," she said to their employer, her voice full of malice.
"That is exactly why I do employ them." He stood in his drawing room, arms folded in front of him and a satisfied look on his face. "How good it is to see you again, Lady Finkel."
"Don't call me by that odious name. I have no intentions of staying married to you."
"You'll not be getting away from me." His voice was guttural. "I will have my way with you, and I will have your fortune, too."
"But you cannot want me now that I've been another man's lover."
He slammed his knuckles into his palm. "You will pay for that. Who is this skilled pugilist who's you lover?"
She thought of William Birmingham, and her heart softened. "It is not necessary that you know his name."
"Of course it is. I will crush him."
"You're not nearly as powerful as you think you are, just because you manipulate people's lives. You have no authority over me. I'll leave you the minute my hands are unbound."
"Then, my dear, it appears I shall have to see that your hands stayed tied." His gaze flicked to one of the servants whose livery still bore the tatters from this morning's scrimmage. "Take Lady Finkel to my bedchamber, and have Frockmorton bring me the valise."
The brute came up from behind, closed burly arms around her so tightly it hurt, then began to lug her – kicking like a windmill – across the room, then up the stairs.
Chapter 7
All William could think of was Isadore. He had to get to her, had to save her from being debauched by that worm Finkel. Yet he was powerless. He dropped the sword, and one of Rotten Teeth's underlings scurried to pick it up.
"I've held up my part," William said. "Now remove that dagger from my man's throat."
His gaze not leaving William's, Rotten Teeth moved the knife but did not sheath it. "Get in here," he said to William, a swing of his head pointing back into the mews.
It was so dark within, it was a moment before William saw that his groom had been bound and gagged.
Their
"I take it the papers are important?"
"They're worth a great deal of money to Finkel. He obviously needs these to blackmail Lord Wakefield."
Thompson nodded. "When do we rescue the ladies?"
"Very, very soon, my good man." He had to get Isadore before Finkel forced himself on her. Which William was convinced the man would do. "I've got to get to Finkel's before they discover they've got the wrong valise. You're to go to Nick and tell him everything. And have him put this somewhere safe." He handed Thompson the Wakefield letter. "I'll go out the front; you go out the back."
At least no one was watching his house from the square, he thought as he rounded the corner to the mews to get his horse, his senses alert. A knife was safely tucked into the specially made sheath inside his boot, and his hand cradled the hilt of the sword at his waist.
As he neared the livery stable, he slowed. Something was wrong. His mount should have been saddled by now and partially out of the darkened mews.
His step slowed. "Jonah?" he called out to his groom.
There was no response.
He stopped and drew his sword.
Just as three members of Finkel's "gang" stepped out, Rotten Teeth holding a dagger to Thompson's throat.
"If ye value yer man's life, ye'll drop that sword," the man with rotting teeth said.
* * *
The very same servants who had been tied with her dress sash watched her through narrowed eyes as she entered Finkel's house on Curzon Street, now with her own hands bound behind her.
"Some very disreputable men you employ, my lord," she said to their employer, her voice full of malice.
"That is exactly why I do employ them." He stood in his drawing room, arms folded in front of him and a satisfied look on his face. "How good it is to see you again, Lady Finkel."
"Don't call me by that odious name. I have no intentions of staying married to you."
"You'll not be getting away from me." His voice was guttural. "I will have my way with you, and I will have your fortune, too."
"But you cannot want me now that I've been another man's lover."
He slammed his knuckles into his palm. "You will pay for that. Who is this skilled pugilist who's you lover?"
She thought of William Birmingham, and her heart softened. "It is not necessary that you know his name."
"Of course it is. I will crush him."
"You're not nearly as powerful as you think you are, just because you manipulate people's lives. You have no authority over me. I'll leave you the minute my hands are unbound."
"Then, my dear, it appears I shall have to see that your hands stayed tied." His gaze flicked to one of the servants whose livery still bore the tatters from this morning's scrimmage. "Take Lady Finkel to my bedchamber, and have Frockmorton bring me the valise."
The brute came up from behind, closed burly arms around her so tightly it hurt, then began to lug her – kicking like a windmill – across the room, then up the stairs.
Chapter 7
All William could think of was Isadore. He had to get to her, had to save her from being debauched by that worm Finkel. Yet he was powerless. He dropped the sword, and one of Rotten Teeth's underlings scurried to pick it up.
"I've held up my part," William said. "Now remove that dagger from my man's throat."
His gaze not leaving William's, Rotten Teeth moved the knife but did not sheath it. "Get in here," he said to William, a swing of his head pointing back into the mews.
It was so dark within, it was a moment before William saw that his groom had been bound and gagged.
Their
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