Lady Lilias and the Devil in Plaid - Julie Johnstone Page 0,83
bit out. “That’s Kilgore!”
Nash frowned, black fright sweeping over him because he did not see Lilias. Kilgore fell to one knee.
“He’s injured,” Carrington said, but Nash was already out of the gig and closed the distance between him and Kilgore in a heartbeat. He reached for the marquess just as the man glanced up, and Nash froze. The left side of Kilgore’s face appeared wet in the moonlight, and the metallic smell of blood hit Nash’s nostrils. Kilgore had been cut, and a quick perusal also showed that he appeared to have been stabbed in his right leg.
“Kilgore,” he said, gripping the man by the forearms. “It’s Greybourne.”
“And Carrington,” the duke said, now standing by Nash.
“I bloody well see you,” Kilgore panted, revealing the pain he was in when his whole body shuddered.
“Who did this?” Nash asked, the light bright enough for a moment that he could see a long gash down the left side of Kilgore’s face.
“Levine.” The one word came out as a curse. “He stabbed me in my leg, cut me across the face, and knocked me out. I awoke in his home with this on my chest.”
Kilgore shoved a crumpled missive at Nash, but in the moonlight, Nash could not see what it said. “Tell me,” he ordered, fear rampant within him.
“It says he’s going to use my woman for what I did.”
Rage made Nash shake. “Lilias?” Kilgore nodded. “Why does Levine think Lilias is your woman? He just met her with me not long ago.”
“She saved me,” Kilgore said, coughing. “He’d knocked her out and forced me into his home with her. He was going to kill me, but when she awoke, she pleaded for my life. She made up the most unbelievable tale right on the spot, and Levine believed her. She told him that she loved me and I loved her, and it would be much worse on me, much better vengeance, if Levine took her from me and left me alive.”
Fury nearly stole his ability to speak. “Where did he take her?”
“To my house,” he replied. “He thinks—” Kilgore swayed, and Nash gripped him more tightly. “He thinks that’s where I seduced the woman he claims to have loved.” Kilgore shook violently and coughed before he continued. “But all I did was shelter her there while making plans for her escape. That’s it.” He sucked in a ragged breath and swayed once more.
“What of your servants? Won’t they stop—”
“Don’t have any,” Kilgore choked out while shaking his head. “Levine knows.” He grabbed Nash’s overcoat, and Kilgore’s gaze clung to him. “He must have been studying me even as I watched him. I’m sorry,” Kilgore said, misery in his voice. “I thought myself so damn clever.”
“Jesus,” Nash said, glancing to Carrington and then back at Kilgore. Worry clawed at him now, causing him to tremble as badly as Kilgore. “No one is there? No one is at your home to help Lilias?”
“No,” Kilgore rasped. “My aunt is away at Bath.”
The thoughts going through Nash’s head would drive him mad. He thrust Kilgore at Carrington. “Take Kilgore and get him help.”
On a nod from Carrington, Nash left them both standing there and ascended the gig, praying he would get to Lilias before it was too late.
Chapter Fourteen
This was not how her story was supposed to end. Lilias jerked on her wrists once more, which were tied painfully tight to the bedposts of Kilgore’s bed. Her gaze darted across the candlelit room to the closed bedchamber door, and she yanked against her bindings repeatedly, the rope cutting into her skin, burning and causing her to whimper. But white-hot fear drove her to continue trying until warm blood trickled from her wrists. She was trapped.
Her throat tightened with the need to scream her fear and rage, but she refused to give Levine the satisfaction of believing he’d broken her. She was a fool to have gone to his home, to have made up that ridiculous lie, but she’d been desperate to save Kilgore.
Heaven above, Kilgore!
Her stomach roiled recalling all the blood on his face and leg, and then her stomach heaved recalling how Levine had told her he intended to use her so Kilgore would have to spend the rest of his life tormented by images of Levine touching her. The man was insane!
Heavy footsteps suddenly thudded on the stairs, and her pulse spiked as she began to yank again, wincing against the pain. Even if she didn’t care about Levine thinking he’d broken her spirit,