His Defiant Amaryllis (Hinley Manor Book 2)

"It is ironic that the only thing separating friend from a fiend is a single letter."

-Christina Engela

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"A traitor?" Rosalind gasped, "are you certain?"

"It is the only reason how they have been able to abduct Lydia under our noses." Dathan replied. "And Sam was not the only one. Someone else helped her escape."

The women grew quite. Em shook her head, "Sam's a friend. Not just mine but yours as well. Why would she do this?"

"And who could be her accomplice?" Ros drew her brows, "mayhap she had help in drugging Miss Pritchard as well. Evangeline was no simpleton to drink occasionally."

"It would seem so. It had only been a moment when I left them alone. So she could not have possibly done too many things at once. I must go, she cannot have gone far."

"Dathan, Ros, that is enough!" Em raised her voice, "this is ridiculous."

"Em, love. I need you to set aside the friendship for now. We do not know why Sam did what she did and we will lose precious time banging our heads to figure it out." He squeezed her hand, "We must focus on finding her and her accomplice. They are the key to finding the duchess."

"He has a point, sister. Save your questions for later, we can ask her after all this."

A single tear fell from her eyes, "Just...don't hurt her."

"You have my word." And he kissed her forehead. "Stay here. The Prince will protect you. Remember, you are carrying our child."

Em nodded and allowed him to go.

***

Peter watched as the men dissolved into the rain and let the darkness cover his presence. They were searching the surrounding buildings for signs that the duchess had been there. But he was not in the mood to play along. He entered a nondescript stall, passed by the horses seeking shelter and went behind the stacks of hay.

Sam laid unconscious. He had covered her in a stolen blanket and went back out, just in time to see Em and her entourage arrive.

He cursed. This was not part of the plan. They were suppose to be on the other side of the sea. And that dratted Prince came among as well.

Peter blended in with the rest and it seemed no one noticed his disappearance. Before the prince's men found Dathan's quarters, he slipped through the hidden doors and located Sam. He pulled her out of the room just as Dathan had realized he had been drugged. But the effects began to seep in rather slowly, so he knocked him from behind and grabbed Sam immediately.

Now that their people are scattered, he can make his escape. He knelt down, placed a wet rag by her noise and gently patted Sam's cheeks.

"Wake up. Sam, wake up."

She groaned. Eyes flickered against the dark. "Peter?"

"Yes. It's me."

"Why is it dark here? Where am I?"

He helped her sit up, "Keep your voice down. I hid you in the stables."

"The stables?" Her voice sounded confused, "Surely you must have a good reason."

"Yes. And it is bad."

"How bad?"

"Alexi and Emelia are here."