Kisses and Scandal (A Survivors Series Anthology ) - Shana Galen Page 0,29
met his gaze.
She jolted and gasped in a breath.
No wonder his clothing looked familiar. It was her family’s livery.
And the man in front of her was James.
He looked away, guilt like a mask over his features. But Phil didn’t avert her eyes. She kept them fast on his face, allowing her hatred to burn through her and into him.
He’d been a part of this scheme. For that was what it was, she could see that now that her mind had a chance to catch up. He had probably planned it. Oh, and she had played right into it. She had made his work easy for him.
She struggled to sit upright. “How could you?” she practically spat.
“It’s not like ye think, me lady.” He still didn’t look at her.
“No? I think I’ve been abducted. Is that wrong?”
He shook his head. “No,” he said quietly.
“I also think you and this man”—she gestured to the man behind her who wore his hat low over his face—“abducted me and plan to force my mother to pay ransom for my return. Is that wrong?”
“No,” he said, his voice barely audible.
“I am such a fool! And to think I trusted you! I believed you!”
He winced. “Ye weren’t a fool.”
“How long have you been planning this? Weeks? Months? Since the very beginning?”
James didn’t answer and the other man nudged him with a boot. “Why don’t ye answer the lady, James? Tell her ye’ve been planning it from the start.” His hard eyes met hers. “Sure and it’s nothing personal, me lady. We need the money, we do. As soon as yer ma pays the ransom, we’ll let ye go. No harm done.”
No harm done. Not to her body, if she believed them. But her heart—oh, her heart was irreparably damaged. Shame seared a hot trail through her as she realized how easily she had fallen into James Finnegan’s trap. He’d never loved her. He’d never cared about her. He had only ever wanted her money. And to think she’d invited him to her bed the night before. She’d wanted him to be her first lover, so now he’d stolen that from her too.
The coach slowed and stopped, and the other man grabbed her arms and began to shove her out the door of the carriage.
“Leave her. I’ll do it,” James said.
“No!” Phil shot back. “Don’t ever touch me again.” Someone threw a coat or blanket over her head, and everything went dark. She stumbled down the carriage steps, but then James—she would know his touch anywhere—took hold of her. His grip was much gentler but still firm as he guided her into a building and down a flight of stairs into what must have been a cellar. It was damp and cold, and she wanted to turn and grab onto James. She wanted to beg him not to leave her there alone.
But she still had some pride. She straightened her shoulders and when he lowered her to the floor, she pulled her knees close to her chest. James removed the blanket from her head and draped it over her. It was a horse blanket, but she didn’t object. She didn’t know how long she would be down here, and her muslin dress would not keep her very warm.
A lantern hung on a peg near the stairs, its weak light illuminating the cellar. They must have taken her to an abandoned shop. The cellar was littered with broken crates, tables, moldy fabric that might have been curtains for the shop window at one point, and a few old hats. Had this been a haberdashery? Where was she? She could hear the clatter of horse hooves outside, but they were distant. She doubted anyone would hear if she yelled—not until things quieted at night.
James crouched before her. “Listen, Phil.”
“I am Lady Philomena to you, scoundrel.”
He closed his eyes briefly as though in pain. “Me lady, I’ll be back as quick as I can. Ye won’t be down here long.”
She glared at him. “I don’t care if I ever see you again.” That was a lie. She wanted very much for him to come back. She had begun to tremble as soon as he mentioned leaving her alone here. She tried to still her body, not wanting him to see her weakness.
“Phil—me lady—if ye’ll just let me explain.”
“What’s to explain? You and those two men planned to abduct me and collect the ransom. You applied at Southmeade as a footman in order to find out my routines and habits. You