Page 74 of The Untamed Heart

“Biscuits,” she said, surging to her feet. “Whoever heard of tea without biscuits?”

“Don’t you even think of setting foot outside this house,” Seb warned her as she hurried to the door.

“I know that. I’m not a fool,” Eustacia retorted crossly.

Closing the door, she hurried to the kitchen. Though she cared no more for biscuits than anyone else, she had needed to get out of the room. She felt sick, her stomach knotted, her skin clammy with anxiety. For a moment she stood with her hands braced upon the dresser, taking long, slow breaths to calm the thundering pace of her heart.

“Let him be safe. Let him be safe. Oh, please, God, let him be safe.”

She closed her eyes and repeated the words over and over, remembering the moments they had shared in the secret garden, and all those since, the way he looked at her, as though he had found something rare and extraordinary… and the way he kissed her.

He would be safe, she told herself firmly. God would not be so cruel as to put him through so much and then take him away from her just when he’d glimpsed a future where he could be happy. Where they could be happy.

Straightening up, she told herself firmly that all would be well. Marcus was a brave man, and if she was to be his wife, she must not let him down by acting like a wet goose.

She turned and walked to the shelf by the kitchen door where the biscuit tin was kept, then screamed as an explosion of sound. The door flew open, splintering the jamb, and a man holding a gun stepped through, aiming it at her head.

“Now, now, no hysterics if you please. Your lover and his friends have led me a merry chase this morning, or tried to, but I was too clever for them. I’m afraid Colonel Hamilton was always overconfident and never heeded the advice of a man who knew better, but I believe I showed him up for the failure he is.”

“Failure,” Eustacia said in disgust, though her voice trembled, her heart beating so fast she felt giddy. “The only failure is you, Major Keller, and that is why you are here holding a gun against an innocent and unarmed woman. You are a coward, sir.”

“Shut your mouth, you stuck up little slut,” he snarled, and struck out with his fist.

Eustacia gasped and stumbled away, avoiding the power behind the blow, though it grazed her chin, which throbbed with pain. She stared at him, realising just how dangerous he was, for the blow would certainly have broken her jaw.

“Eustacia, what—?”

Seb burst into the kitchen with Mrs Wainwright close behind him, but they ground to a halt upon seeing Keller holding a gun on her.

“You snivelling bastard,” Seb growled, taking a step closer.

“Seb, no,” Eustacia said, holding up a hand to stop him from doing anything stupidly heroic. “He’s quite mad.”

Keller snorted. “Is that what you think? I’m afraid you are out there. I’m perfectly sane and quite determined that history reflects a miscarriage of justice. It’s my portrait you ought to be painting, not Hamilton’s. He did nothing so very brave and would have turned tail and run if he’d had the chance. He wanted to, he’s said it often enough.”

“And yet he didn’t,” Eustacia replied. “That is rather the definition of bravery.”

Keller sneered at her. “I see he has turned your head, but no matter. I shall put things to rights. Now, you, take this and tie him to that chair,” he said, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a short length of rope, which he threw to Mrs Wainwright. “And make sure you tie the knot good and tight, for I shall check, and your pretty mistress here will pay for it if you play any tricks.”

“Oh, miss….” Mrs Wainwright sobbed helplessly.

“It’s all right,” Seb told her, his voice soothing. “Do as he says.”

He kept his gaze fixed upon Keller, and his expression made Eustacia’s heart leap with terror. She had never seen her easy-going brother look so ferocious, yet now murder blazed in his eyes.

Mrs Wainwright nodded and waited until Seb had sat at one of the kitchen chairs, then tied his wrists.

Keller gestured with the gun, waving Eustacia to move farther back so he could watch.

“Tighter,” he ordered, forcing Mrs Wainright to pull the rope so hard it dug into Seb’s skin.

“I’m s-sorry,” she wept, shaking her head as she did it.

“Don’t worry, Mrs Wainwright, this fellow will get his just desserts. You’ll see,” Seb told her gently.

“Not at your hands, my fine fellow,” Keller said with a laugh. “And your precious colonel is dead.”

Eustacia cried out, her hand going to her mouth. The room seemed to dim and grow cloudy, and Mrs Wainwright rushed to her, one arm sliding around her waist. “Oh, Miss Eustacia…!”