Several horses remained inside the stable. Simon crawled on his hands and knees through an empty box; straw muffled his movements. He was so intent on Bruxton that he paid Kieran little notice. The groom had slipped behind a ladder, not an ideal place of concealment. The sun had broken through the loft window, dissolving shadows with imperceptible strokes.

The messenger groaned. A sign that he was alive, at least. Simon would attend him as soon as he could. Surreptitiously he raised up on one knee and reached for the latch on the other side of the box door.

Dammit. A padlock. He exhaled through his teeth. Kieran must have known which stall was unlocked. Simon would have to climb over the door, risking his chance to surprise Bruxton. He had to move swiftly.

He studied Bruxton’s shadow. A boxed horse whickered. The earl inclined his head. Simon braced his palms atop the stall door, his body still bent at the knee; he swung almost soundlessly to the other side.

“At last,” Bruxton said and fired one of the pair of pistols he gripped in his hands.

Ravenna bit the inside of her cheek and ventured as close to the drawing-room door as Rhys allowed. “I can’t wait another second.”

Rhys sighed. “Don’t test me. I am on tenterhooks as it is.”

“You should have gone with him and Griff,” she said. “You are useless here with me. I’m useless.”

“I gave my word.” He wheeled. “Someone is trying to turn the knob. Stand back, Ravenna. A servant would knock.”

“It’s me,” Griffin said from the hall, and pushed his way inside as soon as Rhys unlocked the door. Isolde, drowsing in a chair, opened her eyes with a gasp and raised the gun she clasped. Indeed, Ravenna hardly recognized the dusty-haired man in the disheveled jacket as her older brother.

“What in the world happened to you?” Rhys asked Griffin in astonishment. “Where are Simon and Kieran?”

Griff pried a splinter from his shirtfront. “The blasted door to the stables closed on me before I could make it through. It was as heavy as a granite slab. I couldn’t call for help without revealing Simon and the groom. I’d no choice but to come back up the stairs and make my way through the house. I needed Rhys to know.”

Ravenna brushed a coating of dirt off his sleeve. “Then Simon is alone with Kieran, and he might have been drawn into another ambush.”

The report of a pistol fired from the stables silenced the conversation. She caught up her skirts and broke away from Griffin to rush for the door.

Rhys beat her by seconds, blocking her way with his body. She pummeled her fists against his shoulders, begged and swore. He stood in grim resolve, until she exhausted herself and twisted away from him in frustration.

“Go with Isolde to her room,” he said, holding her still with one hand. “Lock yourselves inside with Timpkins until someone comes.”

Another shot resounded.

“You should be with him, Rhys,” Ravenna said in panic.

“No,” Griffin said. “I should. I’ll approach the stable from the main doors. Rhys is staying here until this is resolved. That is what Simon wanted.”