Free Her Saving Grace by Catherine Winchester Page B

fortunately her tools revealed that the key hadn’t been left in this door.
    She put the long bar of the T-bar into the lock, then carefully inserted the picking wire above it. It took her some time to align each lever as she was nervous, and she had to repeat lifting the first two levers twice. Finally she had them all lined up and held in place by the bar, so she gently turned it, relief washing through her as she felt the bolt being pulled back. Once done she took a deep breath, put her tools away, then stood up and turned the door handle as quietly as she could. It opened soundlessly and she slipped into the hallway, quickly closing the door behind her.
    Her eyes were well adjusted to the dark by this time but she waited a few moments nonetheless, just to be certain that no one was around. Sure that she was alone, she went into the first door she saw, opening it a fraction. It was a parlour, so she quickly closed the door and moved onto the next. As she moved deeper into the building, she found a music room, a drawing room, the ballroom, two sets of servants’ stairs, the wife’s office, two other parlours, a breakfast room and a dining room.
    As she came back into the front hallway, she was beginning to think that she would never find a library or study, when the second door that she opened on the opposite side revealed bookshelves. She opened the door wide in her haste and headed towards the desk. As she got close she could see her father’s handwriting on a pile of documents and reached for them.
    “I w ouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Chapter Six
    She froze, hand still outstretched towards the papers.
    “There’s a pistol aimed at your head, so I wouldn’t get any clever ideas.”
    She heard him take a step towards her.
    “I saw you coming past the window and realised what you must be here for. Now tell me, who are you working for?”
    She withdrew h er hand but didn’t turn around, and he took another three steps in her direction.
    “I think I’ve been very patient, waiting for you to find this room-”
    She realised that he must have been waiting behind the door. If only she had been more circumspect. She wouldn’t make that mistake again and waited for her chance to escape.
    “-but my patience won’t last forever. I suggest you turn around and start cooperating.”
    She could tell from his voice that he was about four paces away from her so tucking her head in, she turned and barrelled at him, her head and shoulder hitting him in the chest and pushing him off balance.
    She ran for the door, pulling at the doorknob so the door would close behind her, but he must already have been chasing her as she didn’t hear it slam. She flew through the hallway to the front door and turned the knob but as she opened the door, he grabbed the shoulder of her cloak. Having little other option, she threw herself through the door, falling down the steps but at least he let go of her cape.
    She quickly got to her feet and ran towards the woods as if the hounds of Hell were at her heels, but she could hear him behind her. She wondered why, if he had a pistol, he didn’t shoot.
    She made it perhaps fifty feet from the house , when something hit her waist and she tumbled to the ground. She managed to get onto her back and struck the man above her, trying to get free, but he was stronger than she and managed to pin her wrists.
    She continued to struggle until he exclaimed, “Lady Wellesley!”
    She knew then that the game was up and stopped fighting; even if she got free, he now knew who she was.
    “Lord Copley,” she said, as if being tackled to the ground was an everyday occurrence, and this was just another greeting.
    “What the devil do you think you’re doing?”
    “Retrieving my father’s papers.” She was breathing heavily from her exertion but although she was fit and quickly recovering, she still felt breathless, although she did her best to hide that fact.
    “Why didn’t you ask?” The mixture of