Part 47 (2/2)
”And my stubbornness will make certain that you return to America with me.”
”Which has been your plan from the beginning, to take me to America,” she accused teasingly.
He kissed her softly and grinned. ”And my plans always succeed.”
Storm silently prayed it would be so. It had to be so. She loved him too much to lose him.
Chapter 35.
B urke didn't want to let Storm out of his sight but he knew that in a few minutes she would walk off and be captured.
It had all been planned. William had scouted an area near Weighton where Storm, Tanin, and Angus would be spotted. While the two men would be able to escape, Storm would be imprisoned. Burke and her men would wait in an area where they could remain undetected until the time came to carry out the remaining part of the plan.
They had made certain the capture would take place near Weighton so she would be incarcerated there immediately. News of her capture would spread fast enough, which was why two days was the maximum time she could remain behind the prison walls. After that, there was no telling what orders would be given and what fate she would meet.
”Almost time,” Tanin informed Storm and walked away, leaving the couple alone.
Burke tugged her stocking cap down on her head. ”You have the knife I fas.h.i.+oned for you tucked in your boot?”
”Yes. I don't think anyone will find it between the strips of leather. It is concealed quite well.”
He grabbed hold of her. ”I hate sending you off like this.”
She placed a gentle hand on his arm. ”I know, but soon I will return with your brother and we will all set sail safely for America.”
”Promise,” he urged. ”Promise me you'll be careful and take no chances.”
”I have promised you time and again, but I will promise you this one last time,” she said quietly and squeezed his arm. ”I promise you I will be careful, and I promise you I will return safely.”
He kissed her hard and long, fearful that it might be their last kiss.
Their hands held tight for a moment and then drifted reluctantly apart, and she walked away from him, taking one last glance back before the dense woods swallowed her from his view.
He continued to stare at the trees and bushes, thinking for a split second that he should go after her and stop this madness. But then he would insult her with his lack of confidence in her.
He had thought about simply sailing off to America with her and leaving his brother behind. It wasn't something he could do. He had promised his father, and he could not break that promise. Besides, Cullen was his brother, and he could never leave him to die. He was also reminded of the look of love in Lady Alaina's eyes when she spoke of his brother. They loved as strongly as Storm and he.
He could not desert them. It would be like failing Storm and himself.
There was no easy choice in this matter and little time to make one. Once his attempt failed, there was no other option left to him, though he tormented his brain trying to find one.
Time had run out, and now he had until tomorrow evening to wait and pray that Storm and his brother made it out of Weighton alive.
Storm ached from the punches and kicks the guards had taken delight in delivering to her. Once they had discovered who she was they had pranced and strutted like braggarts, claiming they had captured the uncatchable Storm.
What they hadn't realized was that the whole time they had been praising themselves they had paid little attention to the way she had watched every twist and turn and noticed every guard post and key hook along the way to her cell.
She now had a good notion of how to make her escape and how many guards would stand in her way, not to mention which ones she felt wouldn't present much of a problem.
Burke had entered her mind a few times during capture, but she had chased him away. She'd had to; she couldn't allow her thoughts to be diverted at such an important time. Her only concern now was to find Cullen and somehow manage to get them out of there by tomorrow night.
The buffoons who had captured her never bothered to search her boot for weapons. They were satisfied as well as surprised by the sizable sword she carried, and a.s.sumed it was her only weapon.
She now sat chained to a wall in a cell that held another prisoner who was not Cullen. He was older, thin, and white-haired.
”The angel's wings have been clipped.”
Storm looked over at the man, who could barely lift his head. ”What did you say?”
”You're the angel who rescues prisoners. You must be, for only the infamous angel would be brought to the likes of Weighton. Who have you come to rescue?”
Here was her chance. ”Cullen. I look for a man named Cullen.”
The man managed to keep his head up straight. ”If I tell you where this man is, will you take me with you?”
He looked as if he could barely stand on his own, and Storm knew then and there she would not see him die in prison.
”I give you my word.” He smiled, though Storm saw that it pained him to do so.
”The word of an angel is a good thing.” He coughed, and again pain was visible on his thin face. ”You will find Cullen in the torture chamber. The guards seem to delight in punis.h.i.+ng the man.”
She sighed and shook her head.
”You have no choice?” the man asked.
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