“I saw what I have seen before, in my master. Ye gazing up into nothing, listening. Hagbard told me he’d seen the signs of the messengers.” Defeat slumped his shoulders.
“I do not understand.” Beti glanced between the three men. Agmund was their boss?
“Ye would not.”
The peace imparted from the angel remained steadfast in her spirit. Her mind finally caught up. “Exactly to what purpose have ye conspired to have me kidnapped?”
“To bring ye to glory.”
She paled, but stiffened her back. “So ye do mean to kill me.”
Agitation vibrated the hands he held up. “No, Lady. I mean to bring ye to yer kingdom and earn the gratitude of my master, King Anders.”
“Ye shall be fortunate to keep yer head after this fiasco.” Hagbard’s voice rang through the clearing. Beti scanned the woods, but saw no one.
Beti smelled Kurt before he grabbed her.
“We be after the treasure and yer going nowhere until we get it.” A knife point pricked her throat.
Harry arrived on the other side. “Let’s get our money and leave.”
“I want the treasure. I come too far now not to have it.”
A sound like cracking wood and a hard thump caused Beti to fall face down into the loamy earth. Kurt’s body pinned her to ground. Before she could take in the events around her a shot rang out. She tried to pull herself free when the weight was shifted off her back and tossed to the side.
“Don’t kill me!” Agmund pleaded.
Beti pushed herself up on her knees. Strong hands lifted her to her feet. Zeke’s tomahawk lay next to Kurt’s lifeless body. Harry lay a few feet from his friend gazing into the canopy with lifeless eyes. Agmund stood before Hagbard.
“Thank God ye are unharmed.” Zeke pulled her into his arms. The warmth of his body sent new tremors through her. He clasped her so tightly she couldn’t move if she wanted to. Before she could think, he’d captured her mouth.
Dazed she responded, threading her hands through his hair.
He came. Thank ye, Lord. He came.
Zeke stepped back. “Are ye well?” He ran a thumb down her cheek. She took a step back.
“Yes.” Although she knew she’d have to deal with the impact of yet another kiss from the man who did not wish to marry her. “But I wish ye to stop doing that.”
“What?” His eyes twinkled with mischief.
“Kissing me. Ye are to stop it. Ye have made it plain ye do not wish to marry me. And that is acceptable. Kissing me while ye feel that way is not.” She turned her back to him to face Hagbard and her new destiny.
“May I say Miss Beti how delighted we are to find ye well?” Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Curd stepped around Hagbard. Thankfulness flooded her heart. Tears threatened to overflow. “Thank ye.”
“My Lady.” Hagbard said his voice solemn if not downright grim. “We must deal with this traitor.”
He yanked on the rope tied to Agmund’s wrists pulling him to his knees. The man pleaded with his eyes. Beti turned her gaze to Hagbard.
“What is the procedure for his behavior in our country?”
A gleam lit the old man’s eyes. She hoped he’d catch her turn of phrase.
“Death. Dungeon until he stands before the king. Kidnapping of the royal household is a capital offense. The king alone decides those cases.”
“Then I suppose we must bring him home with us.”
“Or I can dispatch him now.”
Agmund paled. Beti found no empathy for the man as she looked at Harry and Kurt. He was the man who put her in the trap of the two men who’d pursued her from her father’s grave.
“Or we can take him to the magistrate,” Moses offered.
Beti cast a glance at Hagbard. He nodded his agreement.
“I suggest we head back to the wagon train. Obtain our wagons and head for the coast.” She walked toward the opening in the forest.
“Ye cannot mean to leave me in this country while ye go home?” Agmund whined.
“Aye.” Hagbard turned his back and handed the rope to Moses. He took control of the ropes around Agmund’s hands.
“We will take care of these two.” Mr. Curd waved toward the two men.
“With ye permission I should like to take ye to the treasure so that we may be done with it once and for all,” Hagbard said.
Beti spun trying to contain her exasperation. Would this never stop? “I regret to tell ye that there is no treasure.”
“Aye, there is.”
