Wonderland By Night (Heroic Rogues Series) (42 page)

“Oh, but you forget. You were not going to kill me right away. Remember?”

The other man scowled and jerked his weapon away from Gabe’s head. He dared breathe in relief. Now, if he could only figure out a way to get out of this situation without being killed, he’d be doing better than he first thought.

He surveyed the other three men standing around them, their pistols aimed at Gabe and his uncle. It surprised him to see Rufus wasn’t with them, but he figured his first-mate wasn’t present because he was trying to remain the traitor amongst the crew. Well, Gabe would deal with him soon enough. First things first. He needed to somehow figure out how he could draw his own pistol and kill at least one of these idiots here without getting Emmie or Uncle Henry shot in the process.

Slowly, Gabe’s hand moved toward his pistol, but
Billingsford
saw and shook his head.

“Tsk, tsk, Captain Hawk. I would not do that if I were you. Keep your hand away or the woman dies now, in your arms.” The commodore tilted his head and produced a faux frown. “Wouldn’t that be romantic?”

If Gabe could strangle the man now, he would, but shooting him and having a quick death would be more to Gabe’s liking. He must remember the lessons in patience his friends William and Marcus had taught him.

“Then again,”
Billingsford
continued, “perhaps dying in each other’s arms would be more romantic? The perfect way to die. Eh, Captain Hawk?”

Subtly,
Emmie’s
hand slid into the pocket of his overcoat…the same pocket where he had tucked one of his pistols. “I’m not going to die, and neither is Lady Sarah.” Gabe hoped to keep
Billingsford
and the other three focused on him and not Emmie. “Is that not correct, Uncle? None of us will die tonight—only the ones with the commodore.”

“Uh…yes, my nephew.”

Gabe’s ploy worked because all four men switched their attention to Henry. Emmie slowly slid the pistol out. Gabe sneaked his free hand around his back as she handed him the weapon.

“It is not my intention to die tonight.” Henry lifted his chin. “And from all the things I have heard about Captain Hawk, I happen to think that my nephew will prevail this evening as well. Have you not ever heard that the bad guys
always
receive their comeuppance?” His gaze moved from one man to the other. “And believe me, your just reward will not be a place saved for you in heaven.”

Billingsford
moved closer to Henry and gave him an evil stare. “You are too much like your nephew, too cocky. And, your daughter is a lot like you as well—stubborn to a fault.”

Henry took a shaky breath. “Where is she?”

The commodore motioned his head down toward the floor. “She’s below deck sleeping. I was tired of her complaining, so I knocked her out.”

Henry’s jaw tightened, and Gabe prayed his uncle wouldn’t do anything foolish yet.

“You
hit
her?”

Billingsford
shrugged. “How else could I knock her unconscious?” He shook his head. “I’m surprised you have not done that to your daughter a time or two. She is certainly annoying enough.”

Emmie slipped her hand inside of Gabe’s overcoat this time, sneaking her way to his other pistol. He hoped his uncle kept talking to keep the men focused on him instead of what Emmie was doing.

“I swear, Commodore, if you lay one more hand on her, I’ll…” He stepped closer to the other man, nearly nose to nose.

“You’ll what, pray tell?”
Billingsford
snickered.

“I’ll kill you.”

Billingsford
threw back his head and laughed. “What humor you possess, Mr. Hampton. From what I have learned about you is that you cannot harm a flea.”

“That’s because a flea has never given me the momentum to do so.”

Growling, Henry lunged forward. His hands wrapped around
Billingsford’s
throat. The commodore gasped and dropped his pistol as he tried to pull Henry’s fingers away from his neck. Two of
Billingsford’s
men stepped closer, pointing their weapons at Henry.

“Let him go,” one shouted.

Just as Emmie closed her fingers around one of the pistols, Gabe moved away from her, aimed, and shot the man who was about to kill Henry. Within seconds, the second man swung and aimed his pistol at Gabe, but before he could pull the trigger, Emmie shot him in the chest.

Not wasting any time, Gabe reached for his sword, but the third man had turned his weapon on Emmie.

“Drop your sword or I’ll shoot her,” the other man warned.

Emmie’s
eyes met Gabe’s and she shook her head. “Kill him. Don’t worry about me.”

Before Gabe knew what was happening, Henry was knocked to the ground, holding his knee as
Billingsford
loomed over him, still gasping for air. He quickly bent and retrieved his pistol before glancing at the two men who lay dead on the deck in a pool of their own blood.

“Hawk!” he shouted. “You have not won! You will
never
win again!”

“Actually, I think you are wrong,
Billingsford
. Captain Hawk will win!”

The familiar voice that boomed through the air was followed by several clicks from pistols. Gabe swung his head to look in the direction of the voice to see Rufus standing with two other crew members, Spencer and Stephens, all holding pistols and pointing them to
Billingsford
and the other man.

“
Daughtery
, what in the blazes are you doing?” shouted
Billingsford
. “Kill Gabriel Lawrence! And for heaven’s sake, shoot Mr. Hampton and Lady Sarah as well. I’m fed up with this game, and I want them all dead now!”

Billingsford’s
last man turned his weapon toward Rufus, but Spencer shot the bloke before the man had a chance. He too, fell by his deceased comrades.

Smiling, Rufus walked toward
Billingsford
, shaking his head. “Looks like you are all alone now.”

“What is wrong with you?” the commodore yelled.

“I’m not going to kill my best friend, Gabriel Lawrence, and I’m never again going to do what you tell me to do.”

“What?”
Billingsford
asked, but both Gabe and
Emmie’s
voice echoed the same word.

Rufus glanced briefly at Gabe, then focused on the commodore once more. “You see,
Billingsford
, I have
never
been a traitor. But the only way to bring you to your knees and capture you was to make you believe I was a traitor, and in doing so, helping you to get Captain Hawk.”

Spencer took the pistol from
Billingsford’s
hand. Rufus turned to Gabe and frowned.

“Please forgive me for putting you through this turmoil. I had to make
Billingsford
believe I was working with him. That was the only way we—you and I and our crew—could finally win and be free of this imbecile.”

Gabe’s mind whirled with the unbelievable confession. He didn’t know whether or not to trust Rufus, yet his heart told him to believe. If Rufus had really been the traitor, he would have been standing with
Billingsford
, not Spencer and Stephens, and the pistol would be pointed at Gabe, instead.

Speechless, all he could do was nod at Rufus. Emmie came back to Gabe’s side and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head on his chest. Still, he was too stunned to do anything. He couldn’t even remember sliding his arms around her shoulders, but how else would she be in his embrace right now?

“You
lied
to me?”
Billingsford
yelled and lunged for Rufus.

Rufus tried to ward off the attack, but the commodore was able to grip onto Rufus’ weapon. They struggled, but Gabe knew Rufus was stronger. Within seconds, the pistol fired.
Billingsford
staggered back clutching his bleeding chest. He stared at his bloody fingers, then switched his shocked gaze back to Rufus before staggering to the ground in a dead heap beside the others.

Finally, Gabe was able to breathe a relieved sigh. Emmie did so as well before hugging him tight.

“We are alive,” she whispered brokenly.

“Yes, we are.” Gabe nodded, looking at Rufus as his friend walked closer. “Rufus…I don’t know how to thank you.”

His friend clapped his hand on Gabe’s shoulder. “As many times as you have saved my life, this is the least I can do.”

Emmie lifted her head, tears filling her eyes as she stared at Rufus. “You really are not the traitor?”

“No. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about my plans, Gabe, but I had to make
Billingsford
believe I was with him and against you. If
Billingsford
thought I was lying, we would both be dead, my friend.”

Gabe nodded. “So very true. You are forgiven this time, but for the love of God, don’t put me through that agony ever again.”

Rufus chuckled. “I assure you, I went through agony too, and I will never do it again.”

“Pardon me,” Henry asked, walking up to Rufus. “But…do you know where my daughter is being held?”

“Yes. I shall take you below deck and show you. Once she awakens, she shall be fine—just with a splitting headache, I’m sure. Hopefully, she has learned her lesson and doesn’t want to make deals with the devil ever again.”

“I pray you are right,” Henry muttered.

Rufus asked Gabe, “Will you wait for us?”

“I will.”

After Rufus led Henry back down the stairs, Gabe moved Emmie away from the dead bodies, over to the corner of the deck behind some crates where it was more peaceful. He gathered her tighter in his arms and smiled down into her beautiful eyes…eyes still watery even through her smile. “I love you.”

“Oh, Gabe. I love you so much. The whole time I was kept prisoner, I prayed you would come rescue me, yet I knew if you did, you would be walking into a trap, and I didn’t want you to die.”

“No, my love.” He caressed her cheek. “I would never let you die for me.”

She arched an eyebrow. “And it’s all right for you to die for me? That makes no sense at all, Mr. Lawrence.”

He laughed and kissed her forehead. “I have a plan. Let us just forget about dying all together. We will marry, raise a family, and live together—happily forever and ever.”

Sighing, she leaned against him and shook her head. “That does sound wonderful, but I fear I cannot marry you.”

Not sure he heard her correctly, he withdrew enough to look down into her eyes. “What? You cannot marry me? Pray tell, why not?” His heart clenched, not sure he was going to like her answer.