“We need to get in there,” Leopold said without preamble. “Now.”
“The door is inches thick,” Wilcox warned. “The only thing you’ll break is your shoulder.”
Leopold raked his hands through his hair. “There is only one door. Where is the key?”
“Missing. Maybe she could be coaxed out with a cup of tea and biscuit,” Wilcox suggested.
“She’s not a simpleton, man,” Tobias muttered. “What we need is a distraction.” He looked up and down the corridor. “We could set a fire and smoke her out.”
Leopold rolled his eyes. “For God’s sake, we are not setting fire to the abbey. You really are witless.”
Tobias scowled. “Well, the only other choice to get into the room is via a window. Do you think your men outside could be relied upon not to shoot at me again?”
Leopold shook his head. “That’s an unacceptable risk.”
The first time he had watched Tobias scale the abbey walls, he hadn’t known who he was but had been amazed by his skill. Now? He couldn’t accept the risk of losing him after finally finding him again.
“No, it’s not. Not when there is family involved.” Tobias stripped off his coat, his footwear, and then entered the chamber next to where Edwin was being held. “Wilcox, be a good chap and wave at the servants in the grounds outside the window. I want you to stay there as long as possible so they know I’m doing this with your permission.”
Tobias turned. “Brother, I’d suggest you return to the duchess. She’s likely to become hysterical when the glass breaks. In my experience, most women find it a bit unsettling.”
“I take it you’ve broken into ladies bedchambers before.”
“On occasion.” Tobias shrugged. “Usually there is a bit of excitement to dampen the danger, but I don’t think the mad one will be welcoming me wi
th open arms.”
“All clear,” Wilcox called.
“All right then. Make way.”
When Tobias threw his leg over the window sill, Leopold’s chest tightened. It was a damned dangerous thing to do and he would be more afraid for Tobias if he had not already seen him clinging to the walls. When he disappeared from sight, Wilcox hung out the window to watch his progress. He gave Leopold a reassuring wave to send him back to Mercy’s side and he hurried to join her. Mercy had slumped to the floor, head pressed to the wood. She was still calling to her sister to open the door.
Leopold drew Mercy to her feet and wrapped her tight in his arms. “We will have him soon, sweetheart.”
“How? Oh Leopold, she won’t even speak to me now. I want Edwin back in my arms. I want our son.”
Leopold pressed a kiss to her hair as breaking glass shattered the silence. Mercy cried out, but he kept her against him as even more broke inside the chamber. Inside, Tobias swore loudly and Blythe yelped. There was silence for a few moments and then Edwin started to cry.
The door handle rattled, and then was flung wide as Tobias thrust Edwin out of the room. Mercy moaned and hugged Edwin to her, rocking him as the boy cried hysterically. After checking that the boy was unharmed physically, Leopold glanced inside the chamber.
Tobias was just settling Blythe on the narrow bed.
Leopold stalked inside. “Did you hurt her?”
“Of course not.” Tobias held out his bloody hand. “She took one look at this bloody mess, then me, and fainted.”
“Hells teeth, you’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing. Just a scratch.” But that scratch was leaving a tidy little patch of blood on the carpet at his feet while Tobias stood staring at Blythe. “Think she’ll be all right?”
Leopold caught Tobias by the wrist and lifted his hand. There wasn’t any glass that he could see in the wound so he took a chance and loosely bound his handkerchief around it. “I don’t know. When she wakes up, we will have to detain and question her. Let us hope she does not faint again at the sight of you.”
Tobias wiggled his fingers, a wince crossed his face. “You should know, she put herself before the boy when I came through the window. She’d have clobbered me good and proper if I’d gotten too close, too. Had that candlestick in hand, ready to send me to my maker. But, when she saw the blood, she wilted. Are you sure she’s the one?”
“There doesn’t seem to be any other possibility.” Leopold murmured.
Tobias heaved a heavy sigh. “Don’t be too hard on her. It would be a shame for a beauty such as that to be miserable for long. She is beautiful when she smiles.”