Theodora came awake slowly, head pounding and her senses lurching from one memory to another. When she tried to move, she discovered her hands were bound behind her back. She glanced up at Mr. Small’s smug face. “Release me,” she hissed through gritted teeth as a wave of nausea rose.

“Ah, the helpless damsel awakens at last.” Small bent down and poked his face uncomfortably close to hers. “What’s wrong? Don’t you care for your new surroundings?”

Theodora quickly took stock of her location. She’d been brought to squalid stables. Her mother sat at her side, bound too most likely, already conscious but quiet. “Mama?”

“I’m so glad to see you awake. It’s been hours since he brought us here.”

“Quiet,” Small warned. “And no more tears.”

Theodora licked her dry lips and made a further quick study of her surroundings. They had been placed to the side of the large animal enclosure, leaning against a hard post that rose to a punctured roof overhead. Beams of light pierced the walls and ceiling and cast a cruel illumination over their captors. Mr. Small and an accomplice were all she could see at present. Her satchel sat on top of a barrel, the contents clearly visible. Money and the gems were stacked in neat piles out in the open.

“What are you going to do with us?”

“I cannot very well let you go. You know too much about me as it is.”

“What threat could we be to you?” she cried out.

The light piercing one wall dimmed, and an eye appeared and suddenly disappeared from a gap there.

Theodora shivered. They were most likely surrounded by Mr. Small’s accomplices. There could be dozens outside like that ill-kept fellow picking at his teeth by the far wall. She deliberately lowered her voice to mask her panic at what might become of them. “You’ve taken everything we have of value. You have a ransom in gems. Please let us go.”

“No,” Small snapped. He played with the gems. He held one up to the light, admiring the color. “Your father was quite attached to these, wasn’t he?”

“They were a gift to Mother.”

Small grinned. “At least you pair gave me much less trouble than your father did.”

“You knocked over the lamp.”

“His refusal to give them to me without a fight deprived him of his future.”

“So you did kill him.”

“I left him to die, screaming in agony.”

Theodora’s stomach clenched and Mother sobbed. “You’re a monster!” Theodora told him.

“I discovered that to get ahead in life, you have to be willing to get your hands dirty.”

“How did you learn that?”

Small smiled and fell silent, while Theodora desperately fiddled with her bonds behind her back. The rope seemed thin and soft, and not as tight as it could be around her wrists, too. She could move a little, but was it enough to free herself and then her mother? She tossed her head suddenly, determined to buy them as much time as she could to think and come up with a plan for their escape. “What trouble had my father ever been to you? He treated you as part of the family.”

Small shook his head. “If I was a family member, I’d never have had to scrape for a living, would I, Nelson?”

“No, sir. He never treated you right,” Nelson answered. “Manners are important.”

“Indeed, they are.” Small squatted down next to her and reached out to touch her black gown. “If Dalton had shown me the proper respect, you wouldn’t be wearing mourning now. I even asked for your hand, and he refused me.”

“You wanted to marry me?” Theodora stared at him in shock.

He shrugged, and his fingers drifted down her legs. “I could have learned to put up with your bookish nonsense eventually, I suppose.”

She shivered at sensing Small’s sexual interest in her that he’d never revealed before. “I was never going to love anyone after Daniel.”

“Liar, but whoever said love was a requirement of marriage when there is money involved?”

I do.

Theodora’s heart began to clatter. She did believe in love and marriage. At that moment she realized she was already in love, and Quinn could never know she’d fallen for him. She’d given her word that she’d never want to marry him. What a fool she was to have promised that before really knowing him.

“My husband treated you well,” Mama protested, finally speaking up. “He gave you far more liberty than anyone else in our employ ever had.”

“Still a servant to his fame, and a man none of you took seriously.” He inched Theodora’s gown up her legs to reveal her stockings. “He cared more for the beggars on the street than for the people who truly needed his funds. Not that it matters now.”

“How much is for me?” Nelson asked loudly, interrupting Small’s perusal of her garters.

“I’ll explain one last time.” Small sighed and quickly stood, leaving her legs exposed. He hurried to Nelson, who was pushing the piles of coins around with the tip of his stubby fingers. He knocked her empty satchel off the table carelessly, and an emerald rolled into the straw from within, unnoticed.

The payment she’d acquired from Mr. Brown kept their interest for some minutes. Theodora used the moment to twist her arms and fingers, hurriedly trying to free herself. She found the end of the rope and tugged just as Small glanced her way. “You’ll only hurt yourself if you keep struggling,” he warned.

The moment he turned away, she tugged. The ropes became loose around her wrists, but she did nothing about it for the moment. She held herself still, knowing she could be free if only she had a plan for escape that rescued her mother, too. She had to bide her time for the right opportunity. “Let us go.”

That eye returned to the peephole and stared at her.

“Now since I can’t have you running to the authorities, or your new betrothed, about this we’re going to take a short trip together,” he advised in an offhand manner, barely glancing her way as he assessed their stolen fortune. He bit into a coin and then added it to a far pile, the one nearest Nelson.

He knew about Quinn. How long had he been watching them? How much could he know?

She turned to her mother. I’m free, she mouthed, careful to make no sound.

Her mother’s eyes widened in surprise, and then she shook her head violently, warning her without words not to do anything foolish like trying to escape.

Theodora shrugged. She had to act soon. There was no telling what Small would do next, or where he would take them, but she was desperately afraid he could give them to his men outside as some sort of payment.

“Are you hurt?” Theodora asked her mother, after a quick glance at the men to make sure Small and Nelson were still occupied with counting their money.

“No,” her mother said very softly. “Nelson made sure of that.”

Theodora darted a quick glance at the little-known man standing beside Dennis Small. That was an odd thing for an abductor to do. Given Nelson’s consideration for her mother’s comfort, did that mean they had a secret ally in this room who might help them? He’d already distracted Small once from molesting her. Had he done it on purpose? And if so could Mr. Nelson be persuaded to help them escape if given the right encouragement? She would have to be very creative about how she made helping them appealing. Offering more money was unlikely to sway him, given the fortune already in hand.

She swallowed hard and realized she only had one thing she could trade. Herself. “He’s not my betrothed,” she announced loudly.

Small turned. “What was that?”

“I said, Lord Templeton is not my betrothed,” she protested. “He’s only my employer.”

“He is her betrothed,” Mama protested. “And he will come to save us both because he loves her.”

Nelson appeared to consider the matter.

Theodora’s pulse raced with dread but pressed her advantage. “No, that is not true, Mama, and you know it. Lord Templeton hired me as his secretary because we were thought to be poor. Just ask him.”

Small laughed. “I would never trust the word of anyone in that family ever again.”

Theodora stared at him in surprise. “Have you had dealings with them before?”

Small glanced away. “Once I did, years ago, and believe me, the idea of destroying their happiness is quite strong still.” A lusty gleam filled Small’s eyes, and Theodora’s skin crawled as he drew closer. He leered at her legs. “This will undoubtedly hurt him as much as his father’s actions hurt me.”

Theodora cringed as Mr. Small grasped her leg firmly. He was stronger than she expected, but she might just have the element of surprise on her side. She slipped her hands free of her bonds, ready to strike at him with everything she had in her if he moved his hand higher. But what would happen to her mama if she escaped? Mama was still bound, and may not have the strength to run away. There had to be a way to save them both.

Small’s hand was clammy on her skin and revolted her. She tried to press her knees together as she addressed Nelson, who’d drawn closer to watch events unfold, frowning. “He’s cheated you out of coin there.”

Nelson’s eyes darted up to her face, and then he scratched his head. “How would you know?”

“I’m bookish,” she promised. Could she convince the fellow he was being swindled by his own friend? “I can count very well and my father taught me to drive a hard bargain and never hold back a shilling that belonged to someone else. Small has given you the same number of coins, but his are worth far more than yours. He knows that.”

Stinging pain burned her cheek as Mr. Small backhanded her.

She covered her head as she toppled sideways, unfortunately revealing her hands were free.

“Bloody hell!” Small exploded and then he grabbed her roughly and hauled her upright. She was shaken like a sack of flour, her feet barely touching the ground. “How did you get loose?”

Theodora buttoned her lips together. Implicating Nelson would do her no good. She needed Nelson’s help if he could be swayed to their side at all.

Mr. Small, however, wasn’t stupid. He glared at Nelson harshly. “You had one job to do! Make sure they don’t escape.”

“They didn’t,” Nelson promised, gesturing toward them. “You said I didn’t have to hurt them.”

Small rolled his eyes and shoved Theodora toward Mr. Nelson. “Here, have her. She’s all yours.”

Nelson caught her in his beefy paws, but he was far gentler than she expected he’d be. She was restrained in a grip she couldn’t twist free of, so she stopped trying to fight him. Theodora couldn’t leave without her mother. She had to stay no matter what came next.

Small turned and checked Mama’s bonds, nodding as he discovered them still firm around her wrists.

“I’m not lying,” Theodora whispered to Nelson quickly. “He has cheated you out of your share. I can prove it if you help us. Don’t let him hurt us. I’ll give you anything you want.”

“For God’s sake, don’t ever listen to a woman’s promises. What did I tell you? They all lie from birth till their last breath. Haven’t I warned you about how they’ll use their charms to get what they want from us? Haven’t I always looked after you?”

Mr. Small checked his pocket watch. “There’s still time for a little more revenge before we go. Give her to me, and go bring up our horses. Pity we can’t keep that carriage, but it will stick out like a sore thumb where we’re going and be trouble in the end.”

Nelson’s grip tightened on Theodora’s arms. “What are you going to do with them?”

“With the mother, nothing. I’ll leave her here in this charming cesspit. This one, however…she’ll get what she deserves from me personally.”

Theodora quaked. She leaned into Nelson. “Don’t let him take me. I’m yours, remember.”

When Small grabbed for her, Nelson blocked his path, throwing Theodora behind him like a rag doll. “You said she was mine.”

“And don’t we always share the pretty ones?”

Nelson’s big head moved up and down, and then he shook it. “But you said she was mine. You did. I never had a woman just for me.”

Small patted his back solicitously. “Next time you will. Miss Dalton has to pay first, though. Despite her words, I think I’ll leave a message behind for Lord Templeton, to ensure his family never stands in my way ever again.”

Nelson shook his head. “I don’t want to share. We got the money. She won’t say nuffin about us or where we’re going,” Nelson said stubbornly. He glanced at Theodora. “Will you?”

“No,” she promised. “Never.”

Small scowled, and then put his arm around Nelson in a reassuring manner. However, he palmed a knife in his other hand, the one Mr. Nelson could not yet see.

“Be careful! He’s going to hurt you!” Theodora cried out a warning to Mr. Nelson that the big ox completely misunderstood.

“Friends don’t hurt each other, do they Gently,” he said.

“What did I say about using that name?” Small’s jaw clenched. “It’s not your job to do the talking or the thinking. It’s mine! I’ll explain everything later when we are away from here.”

“Wait!” She knew that name. Quinn had asked her to look for a reference to the same name, but hadn’t told her why. He knew Quinn’s family too. Even before she asked her question she knew the answer. “Are you not Dennis Small?”

Nelson cringed away from his friend. “Sorry, Gently.”

“Mr. Roman Gently,” she asked just to be sure.

“That weak fool is gone,” Small, or rather Roman, snapped.

Theodora shook her head. “But he’s not forgotten. Someone important is looking for you.”

“They’re too late.” Roman Gently tightened his grip on the knife as he tensed, ready to strike out at poor Nelson. “Nelson, come closer.”

Nelson didn’t. He turned suddenly at the sound of a boot scuffing the straw at the doorway to the stables.

Quinn! Her heart burst with adoration at the sight of him coming to her rescue.

“Yes, do come closer. But I think you’ve said more than enough to ensure you both hang,” Quinn announced as he stepped into the filthy stables. He planted his feet wide in the doorway as he held two pistols, one pointed negligently toward Mr. Nelson, but the other aimed squarely at Mr. Gently’s head.

Quinn’s face was frightening “Give me an excuse to fire. I beg you.”