"You wanted me, Lovejoy? Not Meredith?"

"I wanted both of you," Lovejoy snapped. "But you have deprived me of Meredith, so I shall just have to make do with you. Let us hope Graystone is as fond of his new wife as he should be; otherwise you will be quite useless to me. And I don't have any patience with things that are useless to me. Your brother learned that soon enough."

"Richard. You killed him. Just like you killed Sally." Augusta leaped at him, her hands bunched into small fists.

Lovejoy slammed her aside with a powerful backhanded slap that sent Augusta sprawling once more in the dirt. "Get up, you little bitch. We must move quickly now. I do not know how long Graystone will bumble around London before he realizes who I am and that I have left the city."

"He will kill you, Lovejoy. You know that, do you not? He will kill you for this."

"He has wanted to kill me for a long time and as you can see, he has failed thus far. Graystone has always been clever, I'll give him that, but I have always had luck on my side."

"Until recently, perhaps. Your luck has run out, Love-joy."

"Not at all. You are my good luck charm, madam. And I think you will be a very amusing one indeed. It will be a pleasure to take what belongs to that damned Graystone. I did try to warn him that you were not good wife material."

Lovejoy reached down and grabbed Augusta's arm. He hauled her to her feet.

Heedless of the pistol, Augusta whirled, scooped up her heavy skirts, and tried to flee. Lovejoy caught her in two strides and slapped her viciously. His arm circled her throat and the nose of the pistol rested against her temple.

"One more such attempt to run and I will put a bullet through your brain here and now. Do you understand?"

Augusta did not bother to answer. Her head was reeling from the violent blow. She sensed she must bide her time now.

Holding her cautiously, Lovejoy started toward the stallion that he had left in front of the cottage.

"What do you mean, you tried to warn Graystone that I would not make him a good wife?" Augusta demanded as he forced her to mount the prancing stallion.

"I really did not want the two of you getting together, Augusta. I was afraid that living in close proximity to you, Graystone might just possibly stumble across some clue from your brother's past the would lead him to me. It was not very likely, but it was always a worrisome possibility. I tried to avoid any such potential problem by heading off the marriage."

"That was what you were about when you lured me into that game of cards."

"Precisely." Lovejoy got up behind her, the mouth of the pistol pressed firmly into her ribs. "The idea was to compromise you when you came for your vowels, but that did not work. And the next thing I knew, the son of a bitch had married you out of hand."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Not far." He picked up the reins and spurred the stallion forward. "We are going to take a pleasant sea voyage, you and I. And then we shall seclude ourselves in a remote location in France while frustration and rage eat Graystone alive."

"I do not understand. Why do you need me?"

"You are my bargaining piece, my dear. With you as hostage, I shall get safely across the Channel and into seclusion in France. Graystone will pay dearly for you. His sense of honor, if not his affection, will see to that. And when he eventually is permitted to purchase your freedom, I shall lure him into a trap and kill him."

"And then what?" Augusta challenged. "Everyone will know who you are at last. My husband has friends."

"So he does. But as far as your husband's friends are concerned, I shall also be dead. Killed by a valiant Graystone who died in the attempt to free his poor wife. Who was also unfortunately killed. Very tragic. " 'Twill be something of a nuisance to assume a new identity afterward, but I have done it before."

Augusta closed her eyes as the stallion pounded down the lane. "Why did you kill Richard?"

"Your foolish brother tried to play a dangerous game, Augusta. One he did not even begin to comprehend. He joined the Saber Club because it was just the dashing sort of club that appealed to men like him. Then he somehow stumbled onto the fact that a master spy called the Spider was also a member. He reasoned I was doubtless using the place to collect valuable information. Those dashing young officers talked very freely when they were in their cups. A pretty girl, a few bottles of wine, and whatever information the members of the club had was mine for the asking."

"They talked freely because they thought you were one of them."

"Indeed. It worked very well until your brother somehow figured out what was going on. Although I did not think he knew which of the members was the Spider, I decided not to take any chances. I knew that he planned to seek out the authorities and turn his information over to them. I followed him home one night."

"And shot him in the back before you planted incriminating documents on his person."

"It was easier that way. I burned the Saber down and made certain that all the club's records and membership rolls were consumed in the blaze. The place was soon forgotten. Now, then, enough of such pleasant reminiscences. We have a journey ahead of us."

Lovejoy brought the stallion to a halt near a small bridge. He dismounted and jerked Augusta off the horse. She stumbled as she found her footing and when she pushed the hair back out of her eyes she saw the sleek, closed carriage hidden in the trees. It was horsed with two powerful-looking bays that were secured to a tree.

"You must forgive me for what will no doubt be a most uncomfortable journey, madam." Lovejoy deftly bound Augusta's hands and gagged her with a twisted cravat. "But rest assured there is worse to come. The Channel can be very rough."

He tossed her into the small carriage, pulled down the curtains on the windows, and slammed the door shut. A moment later Augusta heard him climb onto the box and pick up the reins.

The horses set off at a furious pace. Lost in the darkness of the carriage, Augusta had no way of knowing which direction they were headed. Lovejoy had said something about a sea voyage.

The nearest harbor was Weymouth. Surely he would not be so bold as to try to get her aboard a vessel in such a public place, Augusta thought.

Then she reminded herself that, whatever else could be said of him, no one would deny that the Spider was as bold as he was vicious.

She could only bide her time and wait for an opportunity to escape or draw attention to herself. In the meantime, she must fight the despair that threatened to seize her. At least Meredith was safe. But the thought of never seeing Harry again was too much to bear.

The smell of the sea, the clatter of wagon traffic, and the creak of timber roused Augusta a long time later. She listened carefully, trying to pinpoint their location. It was unmistakably a harbor, and that meant Lovejoy had indeed driven to Weymouth.

Augusta straightened uncomfortably in the seat, wincing as the bindings cut into her wrists. She had managed to loosen the gag without Lovejoy taking notice by catching the twisted cravat on a brass fitting near the door and tugging against it.

The carriage came to a halt. Augusta heard voices and then the door was opened. Lovejoy, still in disguise, leaned inside. He was holding a large cloak and a black, heavily veiled bonnet.

"A moment, my good man," he said to someone over his shoulder. "I must see to my poor wife. She is not feeling at all well."

Augusta tried to evade the bonnet, but Lovejoy gave her a glimpse of the knife in his hand and she went still as she realized he would have no compunction about slipping it between her ribs.

In a remarkably short time, veiled and securely wrapped in the hooded cloak, Augusta was lifted out of the carriage. Lovejoy must have appeared very much the solicitous husband as he carried her along the stone quay to where a small ship was tied. No one could see the knife concealed in his hand because of the folds of the cloak.