Before the Dawn by Georgia Rose

Author:Georgia Rose
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: drama set in countryside, English countryside romance, countryside mystery, women in jeopardy, mysterious espionage thriller, womens fiction, character driven thriller, strong female lead
Publisher: Georgia Rose
Published: 2014-09-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

The door creaked open but no one appeared. I feared the sound of my heart beating might drown out any words, so loudly was my blood pulsing through my ears. The silence stretched out, building the tension like the interminable wait when a winner’s name is about to be revealed in a competition, everyone straining for the result.

When it came, the voice was male, heavily accented, the words spoken softly, but with an edge to them that couldn’t be ignored. “Come out.”

No “with your hands in the air” or any extraneous words. It was as if he didn’t anticipate us coming at him brandishing weapons. Either that or he was very confident. From the sound of it he knew who he was dealing with, and although his voice was surprisingly gentle he made me believe he was a man who was not going to brook any nonsense. I gulped, suddenly finding it hard to swallow.

“Do not make me come in and get you.”

No second request, just a threat spoken in the same calm tone as if he expected obedience without the need to raise his voice.

I thought quickly. We had no choices left open. We needed to keep alive until the others could reach us. They would eventually pick up our messages and know where we were, though I could’ve kicked myself that I hadn’t thought about Sharpe until it was too late. I’d messed up again.

I nodded at Grace and we walked hesitantly towards the door. I went first, putting my hand out to push it open still further. As I stepped outside I felt a blade at my throat. I involuntarily stretched my chin up, and though a natural reaction it was a bad one as it bared by neck more openly to his knife. A hand whipped across my mouth, stifling any sound I might be tempted to make. He snatched my body to his, holding me tight against him. A rank sour smell of body odour wafted up at me. His or mine? I didn’t know. His skin was dry and rough on my face, with a burnt metallic tang laced with a background of grease. As he positioned me between him and the Manor I thought for one moment of those on duty on the roof, wondering if they were still there. He must have thought so to position me like this. My captor forced me forward, his knees banging into the back of mine, and I realised a second man had slipped out of the shadows and moved in behind us.

A harsh whisper close to my ear. “If you will stay silent I’ll remove my hand.”

I nodded quickly, glad to get rid of his filthy hand, my eyes searching for my first sight of him.

“Keep your head still.”

I did. His hand moved down on to my right shoulder, his arm across my chest holding me closer than ever, the other keeping the knife at my throat. I thought through my self-defence moves, working out which to use, then realised it was futile to try anything while the others could be at risk.

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