he taking her? Was he one of the spies? Did he plan to do away with her? She hoped to learn all of the answers soon, except for the question regarding life and death. Perhaps if she appealed to this misguided man, he might have a merciful nature.
The stranger grasped several branches and pulled open a large-enough hole to sidle through with his burden.
“Where’d ye find a woman ’ere, Bear? Bloody trouble. Cover ’er mouth. We don’t want ’er screamin’ ’er bloody ’ead off and givin’ us away.” The hard, nasal voice echoed in the small chamber of the dark enclosure.
Her captor, well-named Bear, slipped Patience down from his shoulder and pulled her back against him, smacking a dirty, foul-smelling hand over her mouth. She noticed a smaller man pulling a curtain of heavy branches together at the cave’s opening.
She struggled with her captor, anxious to get away from the man’s implacable grip and repulsive smell. He obviously had not washed lately, if ever, judging from the strong, putrid odor emanating from his body which threatened to gag her—or else she would surely gag once she was free of his large hand.
Suddenly, another man pulled her roughly out of Bear’s clamped embrace. She cried out in pain as a tall, thin man put pressure on her sore wrist, dazedly wondering how many men were in this tiny cave. Slowly closing her eyes, she had an overwhelming feeling that she would either swoon or vomit. Still deciding what to do first, the thin man thankfully released her wrist and stuffed a handkerchief in her mouth, a surprisingly clean one. He made quick work of tying her hands and feet with a slip of frazzled rope before shoving her in a corner. Obviously, this villain had very little practice with tying up hostages, for the loose knots would be easy to untie. Quicker than a sneeze, she could remove the rag and scream—but didn’t.
“Keep still, don’t move,” the tall one ordered in a raspy voice.
Patience, too frightened and shaken, only nodded. She shook her head to remove several long strands of hair which blocked her view. When she could finally look around the small, cramped area, Bear stood on the opposite wall staring at her. His was the face that had terrified her on the rock. Not that his face was utterly gruesome, but he did show more hair than skin on his face, which must have been the reason for his name. Her scream had been more in surprise than fear of this man. His large eyes watched thoughtfully, but she could not guess what lay behind his hairy mask.
The tall, thin man who had tied her up hunkered down near the entrance, peering through a small hole. Yet another man, rather short and energetic, paced up and down in front of her, every few minutes stopping to stare at her and shake his head in disgust.
The guard quickly turned and motioned for everyone to be quiet.
Her heart pounded in her ears. Along with her captors, she heard the sound of footsteps and voices.
The earl and his friend. She recognized them but could not distinguish their conversation. She shivered uncontrollably.
No way out. Even if she wanted to call out to the earl, how would she explain her presence on the beach? And she was not about to let these men know how frightened she was. She had to figure a way out of this mess without the earl’s help, nothing else would do.
“She must be here somewhere.” Londringham spoke distinctly from only a few feet away. The cave’s occupants heard sand squashed under boots in front of the hidden entrance.
“There is nothing here, Londringham. Besides, with no moon or light, we could not find a tree unless we bumped into it. Let us return tomorrow.” Kilkennen’s growing frustration was evident.
A few minutes of silence, then farther away, Londringham’s response: “By then it may be too late.”
Patience lost track of time as she tried to surreptitiously wiggle her hands free. She ignored her wrist throbbing in pain so she could focus on any information
The stranger grasped several branches and pulled open a large-enough hole to sidle through with his burden.
“Where’d ye find a woman ’ere, Bear? Bloody trouble. Cover ’er mouth. We don’t want ’er screamin’ ’er bloody ’ead off and givin’ us away.” The hard, nasal voice echoed in the small chamber of the dark enclosure.
Her captor, well-named Bear, slipped Patience down from his shoulder and pulled her back against him, smacking a dirty, foul-smelling hand over her mouth. She noticed a smaller man pulling a curtain of heavy branches together at the cave’s opening.
She struggled with her captor, anxious to get away from the man’s implacable grip and repulsive smell. He obviously had not washed lately, if ever, judging from the strong, putrid odor emanating from his body which threatened to gag her—or else she would surely gag once she was free of his large hand.
Suddenly, another man pulled her roughly out of Bear’s clamped embrace. She cried out in pain as a tall, thin man put pressure on her sore wrist, dazedly wondering how many men were in this tiny cave. Slowly closing her eyes, she had an overwhelming feeling that she would either swoon or vomit. Still deciding what to do first, the thin man thankfully released her wrist and stuffed a handkerchief in her mouth, a surprisingly clean one. He made quick work of tying her hands and feet with a slip of frazzled rope before shoving her in a corner. Obviously, this villain had very little practice with tying up hostages, for the loose knots would be easy to untie. Quicker than a sneeze, she could remove the rag and scream—but didn’t.
“Keep still, don’t move,” the tall one ordered in a raspy voice.
Patience, too frightened and shaken, only nodded. She shook her head to remove several long strands of hair which blocked her view. When she could finally look around the small, cramped area, Bear stood on the opposite wall staring at her. His was the face that had terrified her on the rock. Not that his face was utterly gruesome, but he did show more hair than skin on his face, which must have been the reason for his name. Her scream had been more in surprise than fear of this man. His large eyes watched thoughtfully, but she could not guess what lay behind his hairy mask.
The tall, thin man who had tied her up hunkered down near the entrance, peering through a small hole. Yet another man, rather short and energetic, paced up and down in front of her, every few minutes stopping to stare at her and shake his head in disgust.
The guard quickly turned and motioned for everyone to be quiet.
Her heart pounded in her ears. Along with her captors, she heard the sound of footsteps and voices.
The earl and his friend. She recognized them but could not distinguish their conversation. She shivered uncontrollably.
No way out. Even if she wanted to call out to the earl, how would she explain her presence on the beach? And she was not about to let these men know how frightened she was. She had to figure a way out of this mess without the earl’s help, nothing else would do.
“She must be here somewhere.” Londringham spoke distinctly from only a few feet away. The cave’s occupants heard sand squashed under boots in front of the hidden entrance.
“There is nothing here, Londringham. Besides, with no moon or light, we could not find a tree unless we bumped into it. Let us return tomorrow.” Kilkennen’s growing frustration was evident.
A few minutes of silence, then farther away, Londringham’s response: “By then it may be too late.”
Patience lost track of time as she tried to surreptitiously wiggle her hands free. She ignored her wrist throbbing in pain so she could focus on any information
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