“Gel,” said the other in a thick cockney accent, “Ye’ll only hurt yerself. We aren’ takin’ ye back. We’re takin’ ye home.”

As he’d expected.

He made a mental note to lay Leighton out for not trusting Nick alone with the task of finding his sister.

The kidnapper’s words only served to redouble Georgiana’s efforts. She thumped her feet against the floor of the old cottage, and Nick fleetingly wondered if the old floorboards would hold such a violent beating.

He imagined the captors would not much mind getting rid of their difficult prize. For the right price. He sighed. Amateurs.

“What’s happening?”

Of course.

He should have known that Isabel would follow him. But her whisper at his shoulder didn’t make him any less angry. He turned to face her. “What did I ask you?”

“I—”

“No, Isabel. What did I ask you?”

“I’m not a child, Nick.”

“Really? Because you seem to be having trouble following directions.”

“That’s not fair! You can’t have honestly thought I’d let you come storming in here without my help? ”

“Did you even consider the fact that my worrying about you would only make this more difficult?”

Her big brown eyes widened in innocent surprise. “Why would you worry about me? I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

He shook his head. “I am tired of this conversation, as well. Stay here, if you must. But try to remain out of this, will you?”

He started around the corner of the cottage, toward the single entrance, ignoring her whispered “What are you going to do?”

He was going to put an end to this ridiculous exercise.

And likely bring Isabel’s wrath down on his head.

He approached the door and knocked firmly three times. “Open this door, gentlemen. I want the girl and I’m not leaving without her. So let’s have a chat, shall we?”

There was silence in the wake of his words, and Nick turned to find Isabel standing a few feet away, mouth wide open in shock. He raised a brow. “I prefer the direct approach.”

She closed her mouth. “So I see.”

The door opened, Isabel gasped, and Nick found himself at the business end of a wicked-looking pistol. He paused, considering the somewhat unsavory, wool-capped character who was holding the weapon. “I don’t think we need bring pistols into this, do you? ”

The man behind Wool Cap, inside the cottage, grinned a gray-toothed grin and nodded in the direction of Nick’s gun. “Apparen’ly ye did, milord.”

Nick looked down at his weapon, then back up. “Fair point. Well, let’s try to make sense of it without bloodshed, shall we?” The man shrugged one shoulder. Nick took it as a positive sign. “How much is he paying you?”

“I don’ know who yer talkin’ ‘bout.”

Nick’s gaze narrowed. “We neither of us are stupid, man. You do yourself a disservice to act as though you are. How much is the Duke of Leighton paying you to bring his sister back?”

He heard Isabel’s gasp behind him. Tried to ignore it. Had to ignore it.

“An ‘undred quid.” Wool Cap looked to Gray Tooth, then back at Nick. “Each.”

“I’m guessing that means he’s paying you a hundred pounds together, but I’m not going to quibble. I’ll give you both two hundred pounds right now if you leave the girl with me and take Leighton a message.”

The two men looked at each other, then to Georgiana, then to Nick. They knew a good bargain when they heard one. “Wot message? ”

“Tell him that St. John has her.”

” ’At’s it?”

“That’s it.”

There was a beat as the man considered Nick’s words. Then he motioned with his pistol, once. “The blunt?”

“Rock?” Nick called out, not looking away from the door.

There was movement in the trees behind him, and Rock was beside him in seconds. “Here.”

“Free these gentlemen from their weapons and escort them to the edge of the property. Once there, give them their money and send them on their way.”

Rock looked from one man to the other, each wide-eyed at his enormous size. He put out one mammoth palm, and Wool Cap placed his pistol there. Rock smiled. “With pleasure.”

Nick grabbed Wool Cap and thrust him against the wall of the cottage, lifting the smaller man from his feet. “Hear me. If you return to this land, I will use my pistol. And I’m an excellent shot.”

“F-fair enuf.” The little man nodded his head, and Nick dropped him to his feet, pushing into the house and crouching low next to Georgiana to untie the linen from her mouth. She worked out her jaw and said, “Thank you.”

He moved to the ropes on her hands. “You should be more careful, my lady.”

She blushed. “How long have you known?”

He considered lying. Decided against it. “Since before I arrived.”

“You came for me?”

Nick said nothing.

“Simon sent you?”

“He is very worried about you.”

Her eyes welled with tears, and Nick knew in that moment that she was not afraid of her brother. He recognized homesickness when he saw it. He had too often felt it himself.

“I have a sister myself, Lady Georgiana. I would not like to lose her.”

“Are you—Must you take me back? “ There was palpable fear in her voice.

“No.” Her hands came free, and he moved to her feet. “Your brother asked me to find you. Not to fetch you.”