She drew in a breath that was close to a sob and met her watery gaze in the glass. This wouldn’t do. She straightened her spine. She was Lady Charis Weston, the last of a long line of warriors. No daughter of Hugh Davenport Weston would admit defeat to a pair of poltroons like Hubert and Felix.
The horrors she saw in the mirror would pass. Right now, she needed to concentrate on escape.
Hurriedly, she washed and changed out of the ruined gown. The cheap dress was scratchy on her sensitive skin and too big, but at least it was clean and whole. Fastening the frock took too long, and she panted with pain before she finished.
She spent valuable minutes struggling with the knots in her hair. Eventually, she managed to bundle it away from her face. The girl in the mirror started to look moderately respectable. As long as nobody noticed her bruised face.
With shaking hands, she drew the greatcoat on. Her sore arm twinged as she gingerly slid it into the sleeve, but, thanks to Akash, the pain was bearable. The huge coat looked absurd on her small body, but she couldn’t manage without its warmth.
She patted the pocket to check for the pistol. Once she’d found somewhere safe to stay, she’d pawn it. She told herself taking it wasn’t theft. When she could, she’d redeem the weapon and return it. She’d already steeled herself to pawning her mother’s ring and locket although her heart ached at the prospect.
How long had she been in here? Were Gideon or Akash likely to return and demand to know what she was up to? She mustn’t linger. Dressing had taken too long already.
Her mouth was dry with nerves as she darted to the window. Beneath the sill, she knew a flat roof extended over the rear yard. Climbing about in the snow with a sprained wrist was risky. But less so than waiting for her stepbrothers to find her, or for her rescuers to discover her identity and hand her over to the local magistrate.
Carefully, she raised the sash window and eased herself out. Her bruised ribs protested, but she gritted her teeth and continued. Any pain now would be as nothing if her stepbrothers caught her.
Three weeks to freedom, she promised herself grimly.
Stifling the alluring memory of black eyes burning into hers, she found her footing on the slippery roof.
Three
Guvnor, we got trouble.”
Gideon looked up from the dregs of his ale to meet Tulliver’s worried eyes. A shock to see him anything but imperturbable.
“What is it, Tulliver?” He set his tankard on the table. He sat in the darkest corner of the inn. And the coldest. The benches around him were empty. On this frigid day, the occupants of the long room crowded around the fire blazing at the other end. But even so, all these people sharing his space, his air, left him jumpy, on edge.
Of course, he knew what Tulliver would say before the man spoke.
“The lass. She’s gone.”
Tulliver had been on watch outside the room. Gideon didn’t need to ask whether she’d got out that way. “How in Hades did she go across the roof? She’s got a sprained wrist.”
“Aye. But it didn’t stop her.” Tulliver’s voice held a trace of grudging admiration.
“Damn.” Gideon surged to his feet and strode toward the taproom’s rear door.
Stupid, stupid girl. Didn’t she realize the risks? But he reserved his sharpest castigation for himself. Careless bastard he was. How could he let her escape
? It wasn’t as if he hadn’t guessed her plans. Although given her injuries, he’d never imagined she’d clamber out an upstairs window and make it across an icy roof.
“How long ago?” he grated out.
Tulliver kept up with his rapid pace. “Seconds, I reckon. The room wasn’t cold enough for the window to be open long.”
“She could be anywhere.” He ducked under the low lintel and entered a long, flagstoned corridor. “Damn,” he said again with more emphasis.
“Damn what?” Akash emerged from a side hallway.
“Miss Watson’s gone,” Gideon said sharply.
Akash grabbed his arm. Immediately Gideon stiffened, and Akash snatched his hand away with a gesture of apology. But his eyes didn’t waver in the gloom. The stare was calm, perceptive, compassionate.
“She can’t give you back what you’ve lost. No one can.”
Gideon flinched as if he’d been struck. Had anyone else but Akash said it, they’d be nursing a broken jaw.