The Fearless Miss Dinah by Laura Rollins

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Henry peered down the sheer cliff toward the ocean below.

“He says there’s a narrow path down to the beach just off that way,” Mr. Harding said, pointing off to their left.

“He picked a good spot for the exchange,” Sir Mulgrave muttered.

“It’ll be blasted hard for any of us to sneak up on him,” Uncle Jeffrey added, “or even hide close enough to intervene if the need arises.”

“I think that’s the point,” Mr. Wilson said with a growl.

Henry, with the heavy portmanteau in one hand, kept his gaze down at the beach. “I’ll go down alone. You four stay up here.”

“I said it was hard,” Uncle Jeffrey said. “I didn’t say it was impossible.”

Henry shook his head, turning and facing the other men. “I’ll not risk him spotting you and taking off before we get Dinah back.”

“I’ll be down on that beach with you,” Sir Mulgrave said, his words hard, “even if I have to wade into the ocean and hide among the seaweed.”

Dinah’s father had been calm ever since hearing his daughter had been taken. Calm, but it was the type of calm that scared even the most stalwart of hearts. It was the kind of calm that barely concealed the maelstrom taking place inside. Sir Mulgrave hadn’t verbally blamed Henry for all that had happened, not even after hearing the full story. But Henry wouldn’t be surprised if, after they had Dinah back once more, the man demanded she leave Henry for good.

“Come with me,” Uncle Jeffrey said. “With a little luck, we’ll find just the right spots.”

Henry started forward again, but Mr. Harding stopped him with a hand on his arm. He waited until the other three men were out of earshot before speaking.

“I can think of only one reason Spade wants to meet you here.”

“He’s planning to escape by boat.”

Mr. Harding nodded. “He’ll know we didn’t have time to find a boat ourselves. It’ll be nearly impossible to chase after him.”

Henry had come to the same conclusion.

“He’s going to force you to choose—it’ll either be get him or save Dinah.”

“I know.”

“You have to decide ahead of time which is your top priority, otherwise you’ll lose both.”

Henry turned and faced Mr. Harding with a dark scowl. “Nothing is more important to me than Dinah.”

Mr. Harding didn’t wither under the intense glare; it was that trait that had first made Henry respect the man enough to be willing to work with him. “Even if it means giving up your chance at getting justice for your friend? Giving it up for good? Because I can guarantee you, once Spade sails away, there won’t be another opportunity to catch him.”

Henry was silent for a minute—his whole life these past couple of years had been focused on getting Spade. On getting his friend’s killer. Every plan he’d made, every goal he’d set, it all was aimed at getting justice for his friend.

But none of it would matter if he lost Dinah in the process. “Steven would understand,” Henry said, his voice soft.

Mr. Harding almost smiled. “Then we shall leave it up to the heavens to see that Spade gets justice.”

Henry nodded. “We’ll leave it up to the heavens.”

Mr. Harding clapped a hand on Henry’s back. “Let’s go get your wife back.”

* * *

Henry walked slowly down the beach, the sun setting over the water. Between the tall cliffs on his left and the ocean on his right, there was hardly a boulder or bush large enough to conceal a grown man, and yet Uncle Jeffrey had managed to find posts near enough to Henry for himself, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Harding, and Sir Mulgrave. Henry could only hope they were close enough to come to his aid should the need arise.

Henry stopped and pulled out the letter containing instructions on where to meet. According to it, Henry was in the right spot. A bit early, but in the right place. He folded up the letter and pocketed it, his other hand growing more and more sweaty around the handle of the large portmanteau which was weighed down with more pounds than he cared to count.

It appeared the time had come to wait. Henry put the traveling bag down and opened and closed his hand several times, allowing his palm to stretch. He hated waiting. He turned about, but the beach still appeared empty. While he had men hiding in unknown spots across the beach, it was quite possible Spade would as well.

The darkness of night stretched out toward him. Where was he? Henry’s stomach rolled as the sun sank fully beneath the waves.

Henry may not have done a good job at being Dinah’s husband, he may not have been built for love or affection. But if Henry had determined one thing during these past few days, it was that he had been built to protect the woman he loved. If nothing else happened tonight, he would see her free and safe once more.

There was a splash, and Henry spun around. A small boat, carrying no fewer than four men, came around the bend. Henry picked up the portmanteau yet again. Spade was on that boat. He had to be. Henry strained to make out any of the faces. But only one thing was clear. Dinah wasn’t among the men. His grip tightened around the handle of the bag.

The boat reached the beach and one man turned around and leapt easily out. His red hair was familiar. Henry’s stomach rolled.

“So you’re Spade,” he said as the man drew near.

The man bowed low. “If I’d known you were looking for me all those weeks ago, I could have saved you a lot of heartache.”

“We were instructed to bring that shipment of stolen goods to you—yet you were among us all the time.”

Spade listed his head and smiled. “I like to keep an eye on my investments.”

So this was the man who’d shot Steven. Henry ground his teeth. More than ever, Henry wanted to plant his fist in the man’s face and then cart him off to jail. But it was like Mr. Harding had said. He had to leave Spade’s fate in the hands of the heavens. He was here for one thing only.

“Where is Dinah?” Henry asked.

“Safe, for now. I left her tied to a particularly large rock, deep inside one of the many caves that run along this stretch of beach.”

“Take me to her, and then you can have the money.”

Spade tsked. “You aren’t the one calling the shots, remember? This is how it’ll work.” He pulled a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. “I have here directions on where to find her. You give me the money. I give you this.”

“You had better not be lying—”

“Why would I lie? For once, our objectives align. I want your money, and you want your fiery wife back. You know, strange thing.” He tapped the folded bit of paper against his lower lip. “I asked her if she believed you loved her enough to give up so much money and, judging by the expression on her face, I’d say she wasn’t so sure.” Spade eyed Henry up and down. “I half expected you not to show after that.” He shrugged, standing up straight once more. “I suppose she’ll be happy to learn you do care. That is, if you get to her in time.”

Henry’s back went cold. “What do you mean, in time?”

Spade’s smile widened and turned sickening. “Did I tell you? The small cave she’s in fills completely at high tide. Which is”—he glanced toward the ocean, the waves lapping close to his feet—“in only three-quarters of an hour. I would guess.”

Henry rushed forward. He would get that blasted paper and find Dinah if it was the last—

A gunshot sounded, and a wave of sand sprayed up between Henry and Spade. When it settled, there was a small divot in the beach where Henry had no doubt the bullet was planted.

Spade laughed. “You’ll never find her that way.” Then his smile fell, and his eyes turned cold. “Show me the money.”

Henry, breathing heavily, yanked open the portmanteau, almost spilling several of the bills. “Now show me the instructions.”

Spade shook the paper open. Though Henry couldn’t make out all the words from here, he could see it clearly enough to know that there were directions written thereon.

“Walk toward me. Slowly,” Spade commanded.

Henry closed the clasp on the bag and started forward. He reached Spade in only a few steps and held out the bag. Spade took hold of the handle, but Henry didn’t let go.

“The directions,” Henry insisted.

Spade held up the little sheet of paper. Henry wrapped his fingers around it, but Spade didn’t let go either. For a moment, they stood there, both holding the bag and the paper, staring at one another. Then Spade smiled and let go of the paper.

Henry relinquished the bag, closing his hand even tighter around the paper.

A gun fired.

Henry dove for the sand. Bullets flew over his head. Had the men in the boat fired first? Or had one of his friends? Henry had no idea who had started it and who was simply returning fire. He scrambled across the beach on arms and legs. He reached a bit of shrubbery and ducked behind it. If anyone were aiming directly for him, the seagrass wouldn’t stop a bullet, but hopefully, everyone was too worried about the other gunmen to worry about him.

Henry tore the paper open. The directions were short but clear.

“Go!” Sir Mulgrave’s deep voice called from somewhere on the cliff above him. “We’ll cover you.”

* * *

A wave crashed against Dinah, and she shivered. Though the water receded again, this time it didn’t even drop below her shoulder. Her arms were once more tied behind her back, the rope connecting her to a large rock. She had hoped, when she’d first seen where Spade intended to leave her, that he might assume, as a woman of wealth and means, that Dinah had never learned to swim and simply leave here there. No such luck. He’d tied her up and then left with a smirk across his face. Another wave rolled in, and Dinah had to hold her breath until it settled. If anyone was coming for her, they had better do it soon.

“Dinah!” someone shouted.

Henry. That was Henry’s voice.

“Here,” she called out, but then caught a mouthful of salty water. As the wave receded, she sputtered and coughed.

A hand wrapped around hers.

Henry tugged at the ropes, causing them to momentarily bite deeper into her wrists. Dinah bit down a cry then drew in a quick breath. Another wave beat against her. The ropes loosened. Dinah pulled hard, but the ropes tightened once more.

Henry’s head surfaced. “Almost there. Don’t pull until I tell you.”

Dinah only responded with a nod, as another wave was coming their way.

Henry disappeared once more, and she felt his fingers working across her wrists. Though Dinah felt the ropes loosening again, this time she kept her arms as they were. Another wave, and Henry came up for breath. He ducked down again just as a second wave hit. Dinah had to crane her chin upward to find breath.

Henry’s hands wrapped around her forearms, pushing them out and away from the rock. She was free.

He surfaced. “Can you swim?”

The elation at finally being free caused Dinah to smile. It probably appeared vulgar to him, but she couldn’t hold it back. Now that she was free to stand up fully, the water only came to her elbows. Plenty deep, but not guaranteed to drown her. “What kind of a knighted-tradesman’s daughter do you take me for?”

Henry’s arm wrapped around her waist, and he drew her in close. In the last rays of sunlight, she could make out the ferocity of his gaze. Gracious, but she loved that intense stare of his. He smelled of seawater, but underneath that was a musk she’d steadily grown to love these last couple of months. He pressed his forehead against hers. They were both soaking, and yet Dinah could not ever remember feeling warmer.

“I am so sorry,” he whispered.

“You came,” she said. “That’s all that matters.”

He cupped her cheek. “I was an idiot for ever making you doubt it.”

Dinah went on tiptoe, letting the next wave help push her upward. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “I know our union was only one of convenience, but I think we have the potential to be the passionate love match we both deserve.”

Instead of responding, he simply kissed her back. Fully, completely. His arms holding her close to him, her fingers twisting about his too-short hair. Dinah realized, then, that Henry kissed very much the same way he stared. Intensely, in an all-consuming way. Nothing else existed but her and him and that kiss.

A wave hit them and nearly set them toppling over.

“We’d best get out of here before the water rises any higher,” Henry said, taking hold of her hand. “If I don’t get you back to your father soon, he’s going to have me hung.”

“Father is here?”

“Of course,” he said, as they cautiously made their way toward the cave’s entrance. “As are Uncle Jeffrey, Mr. Wilson, and even Mr. Harding.” He turned toward her. “They all care about you.” Then his expression turned mischievous. “Though only I get to do this.” He leaned in and kissed her once more.