Page 100 of Never Beguile a Duke

“Before you arrived, Mr. Curtis decided to remove a section of skin from my leg and send the piece to the Duke of Roxburghe.” Winifred shuddered. “I fear Mr. Curtis will follow through with his intention upon his return.”

“I’ll speak with him,” Mr. Hollingsworth replied, a noticeable tremor in his voice.

Was he frightened of Mr. Curtis as well?

“You could untie me,” Winifred said, twisting her wrists against the rope binding them behind her back.

“I cannot.” Rising, Mr. Hollingsworth retrieved the blindfold and shook it out. “I owe a great deal of money to Mr. Curtis, and when he learned I’d been released from prison, he tracked me down and threatened to take my life.”

Mr. Hollingsworth fixed his brown eyes upon her as though silently pleading for forgiveness. “This scheme will repay the debt.”

“If you knew I wasn’t Nora, why did you abduct me?”

“Anger.” Mr. Hollingsworth hung his head. “Your presence in the stables indicated you nurtured an attachment for another, and I reacted without considering the consequences. I’ve placed you in unimaginable danger because of my pride, and for that, I apologize.”

He lifted the blindfold to her face and, despite her protests, wrapped the cloth around her head and secured the ends with a tight knot.

“As long as Mr. Curtis thinks the Duke of Roxburghe will pay the ransom, it doesn’t matter if you are yourself or your sister.” Mr. Hollingsworth said, moving toward the doorway. “And I’m quite certain your sister will force him to do just that.”

“Can you guarantee that once Mr. Curtis receives the sum, he’ll set me free?” Winifred’s soft question drew Mr. Hollingsworth back into the room.

“I swear,” he said, slapping his hand to his chest, “I will ensure Mr. Curtis releases you to the Duke of Roxburghe’s custody when the transaction is completed.”

“Whether you’re alive,” Mr. Curtis’ malice-filled voice slithered from the doorway, “when that happy event occurs tomorrow is entirely dependent upon how much blood you lose after I remove the section of skin.”

“Miss Webb is the fiancée of a duke, a future duchess.” Mr. Hollingsworth’s shoes scraped on the floor as he slid between Mr. Curtis and Winifred. “Even a cruel man such as yourself understands there is a standard with which she must be treated.”

“What would you suggest,” Mr. Curtis approached, backing Mr. Hollingsworth into Winifred’s knees, “to convince the Duke of Roxburghe of my sincerity?”

“A drop of blood.”

A sharp thwack echoed through the room. Moaning, Mr. Hollingsworth crumbled to the floor, collapsing on top of Winifred’s bare feet.

“Where is your imagination, Mr. Hollingsworth?” His thumb and forefinger pinching Winifred’s chin, Mr. Curtis wrenched her head up. “The Duke of Roxburghe must feel incomparable desperation to ensure compliance.”

“He does,” Winifred said, wincing as Mr. Curtis’ grip tightened. “I’m certain he’s been consumed with recovering me since learning that I vanished.”

It was a slight falsehood. In truth, it would be Nora who was consumed with rescuing Winifred, and Nora who would ensure the Duke of Roxburghe paid the ransom.

“Place her hand on the parchment,” Mr. Hollingsworth groaned as he struggled to his feet.

“What will that do?” scoffed Mr. Curtis, releasing Winifred’s chin.

“If you cut her palm, you can leave an image on the paper in her blood.” Mr. Hollingsworth shuffled behind the chair and knelt as though intending to untie the ropes binding her wrists.

“That’s quite intelligent,” Mr. Curtis replied, but before Mr. Hollingsworth could free Winifred, he was yanked away from her hands by Mr. Curtis.

“I’ll handle the missive,” Mr. Curtis said, escorting Mr. Hollingsworth to the staircase. “You prepare for the Duke of Roxburghe’s arrival tomorrow.”

Mr. Hollingsworth descended one step. “I have your word that, once you receive the funds, my debt is cleared?”

“You’ll never hear from me again.”

“And if I don’t return with the money?”

“After I kill Miss Webb,”—Mr. Curtis’ soft voice sent a shiver through Winifred’s body—“I’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth.”

“Understood.”