All blood drained from her head. “I don’t know what you—”
“Kitty!” Nathaniel’s commanding voice tore through the house.
She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Let me pass.”
“The magazine is empty.” His voice went sickeningly quiet. “You have broken your vow, forcing me to go on a desperate search when I should have been at my wife’s bedside.”
Kitty blinked. “Empty?”
This time, Nathaniel’s voice blared like a war-cry. “Kitty! Now!”
She didn’t even look at Cyprian as she barreled past.
He yanked her arm and pulled her back. His words scraped against her like the underside of a grindstone. “You will tell me where the powder is now!”
“I don’t know—”
“You lie!” His lips flared as he spoke through his teeth. “Tell me!”
The weeks of forced servitude exploded under pressure of suppressed hatred. Kitty wrenched from his grasp and spoke through a hard whisper. “I am not lying and I have never lied! I have no idea where your powder is and I refuse to be your slave any longer. Find someone else to perform your evil works.”
She lunged for the parlor, but his iron hand held her back and he swung her to face him. His eyes were black and his timbre seething. “You are free to live your life the way you please, all I require is your obedience. I dare you to defy me!”
A tortured yelp from the surgery shot through the kitchen.
She charged from the room.
“Is your sister with child?” Cyprian’s words halted Kitty’s steps. “I should hate anything to befall her.”
Her heart crashed to a stop and she turned to him. “You wouldn’t.”
He neared, his black eyes matching the color of his soul. “Find. That. Powder.”
“Kitty!” Nathaniel rushed out and stalled, his gaze darting back and forth between them. Chest pumping, he stepped forward. Gripping her wrist he led her into the surgery.
Blinking to keep her mind focused on the vital task at hand, the words Cyprian had spoken strangled her thinking. If she didn’t find the missing powder he would hurt Eliza! Nay, Lord, please help me!
Nathaniel’s powerful voice split the air and snapped Kitty away from her thoughts.
“You must all be prepared. This will not be pleasant, but it will be quick.”
Joseph’s face turned whiter than a summer cloud. He nodded and leaned down, speaking quietly into the crying boy’s ear and brushing his fingers against Jacob’s tear stained face.
Nathaniel held out his hand to Kitty. “Where’s the spoon?”
“Here.”
Snatching it, Nathaniel went to the head of the table and lowered to his haunches so his face was even with Jacob’s. A small, tight smile on his mouth, Nathaniel’s voice turned soothing as he stroked the boy’s arm. “’Tis time. Are you ready?”
Jacob’s head bobbed slightly, huge tears flooding down his cheeks.
“You are a brave boy, Jacob. You will do well.” Nathaniel stood, and tenderly brushed his hand over the boy’s head, his smile softening. With a quick look at Joseph, he placed the handle of the spoon in the boy’s mouth. “Bite down hard, Jacob. The pain won’t last.”
“What?” Cyprian bellowed and charged in, jerking Nathaniel back by the shoulder. “You can’t take my son’s leg!”
Nathaniel pointed at Thomas then Cyprian. “He is not allowed in this room!”
Thomas came from behind and locked Cyprian’s arms with a solid grip.