happened, her sister had betrayed her for a fur coat. The shock turned to crippling anger as Ellie kissed his cheek and laid her head on his shoulder. And yet . . . the burning love Kat had expected to see blossoming across Ellie’s face was consumed by contempt. Hidden from Eric’s view, her sister’s gaze darted from Kat’s face to her arm and back up.
Kat shook her head, not understanding. Ellie’s eyes widened as she tried to force her silent message across, again looking from Kat’s arm to her face and then up to Eric.
Her arm . . . The weight of the club pressed against Kat’s wrist.
Oh.
But that club wasn’t enough to do the damage she needed. She needed something heavier. Like herself.
Ever so slowly, like a cat walking on glass, Kat moved around behind Eric, who was nuzzling Ellie’s neck. Then, in one swift motion, she launched herself onto his back, knocking Ellie away and wrapping her legs around his waist with her arms squeezing around his neck. He thrashed about, but she locked her ankles and wrists and held on, choking off his air with all her might. His movements became weaker until, wheezing, he finally tottered to his knees, then fell unconscious onto his face. Kat rolled off of him.
Ellie stared in horror. “You killed him.”
“I didn’t. Merely incapacitated him for a few minutes.”
“Where did you learn to do that?”
“Barrett. Get the cords from the drapes.”
Doing as Kat asked, Ellie ran back with a jumble of strings in her hands. “We can’t strangle him!”
Kat grabbed the cords and dropped to her knees next to the motionless Eric. “As much as that would make my day, we’re letting him live.”
She made quick work of securing his hands and legs together in a series of knots that would make a sailor proud. As she tied everything off, a part of her mind assessed the situation. She’d certainly never thought she’d have the tenacity to do something like this—and certainly not to succeed. Perhaps one day when their lives weren’t at risk, she might find the time to gloat about it.
Grabbing Eric’s bound hands, she motioned for Ellie to take his legs, and together they half carried, half dragged him to the servant’s closet down the hall. Stuffing him inside, Kat balled a semiclean rag into his mouth in case he woke up early and decided to alert the soldiers of their escape.
Ellie slammed the door shut. “Did Barrett teach you to tie knots like that?”
Kat shook her head. “I used to watch Mother’s lady’s maid tie her corsets tight enough to eliminate breathing. The girl’s father was in the admiralty.” She brushed back a loosened hair from her forehead. “For a minute there, I thought you wanted to stay with him.”
“And lose this cracking figure to ten brats? No, thank you.” Ellie ran a hand over her hip. The smile faltered on her lips as she glanced at the closet door. “I almost feel sorry for him.”
“Don’t. He deserves it plus a whack for good measure.” Grabbing Ellie’s arm before her bleeding heart got the best of her, they hurried into the kitchen, where Kat threw open the large window that Pierre always opened when he burned the toast.
Ellie backed away, bumping against the counter with arms outstretched. “You can’t be serious.”
Kat hiked her evening skirt up and hopped up on the counter. She had to warn Barrett and his men before it was too late. “Unless you’d rather meet the soldiers about to bust down your front door, I suggest you stop talking and get yourself through this window.”
“To do what?”
“Shimmy down the drainpipe.”
Ellie balked. “What about the suitcases?”
“Leave them.”
“You’ve picked up the most criminal behaviors since I last saw you in England.”
“Seems I’m to use all of them to get you out of here. Come on.”
Hefting Ellie up behind her, Kat swung her legs out the window and wiggled her body onto the ledge just below. Her heart thundered in her ears until it drowned out every screaming fear. Except the one of plummeting four stories down into the courtyard garbage heap. Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Grabbing the drain, she took a deep breath and swung out to wrap her body around it. Inch by inch, she wormed her way down with Ellie huffing right above her. Two stories from the ground her heel caught the edge of her hem, jerking her body down. Her fingers clawed into the pipe, breaking nails as