Missing in the Pages (Pirates Trilogy #1) by Tropea Ashley

Author:Tropea, Ashley [Tropea, Ashley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-06-07T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 19

I stared open-mouthed at Carter as Stone took off after Lydia.

His blank expression met mine, and I found the dull look to be much more terrifying than the murderous one.

This time, I didn’t rage at him or plead with him to call off Stone. Instead, I hiked my damn skirts and sprinted after them, silently cursing the corset for constricting my lungs and preventing me from going any faster. But I didn’t take my eyes off Lydia’s panicked form.

I pushed my legs faster as Stone gained on her, ramming into people and muttering apologies the whole way.

And then—

Lydia collapsed, her dress puffing out around her.

And she didn’t move.

Stone screeched to a halt, almost sprawling right on top of her.

“Oh, my God,” I breathed as I ran even harder. As soon as I was close enough, I fell to my knees beside her and shook her. “Lydia! Lydia, can you hear me?”

Her chest was still heaving from exertion, but her eyes were rolled back in her head. Her face was flushed and sweaty and her perfectly coifed blonde hair was spread messily on the ground.

“Oh, my God, Lydia.” I tapped her cheek lightly. Wake up!

“She’s fine,” Stone stated. “Just fainted. Those dresses ain’t meant for running.”

“What do we do?” I looked up at Stone. He gazed at Lydia’s body with a torn expression, battling with himself.

I grabbed his arm. “Please! We have to help her!”

Stone looked behind him to where Carter was approaching us. The tan skin of his face turned a bright red as he waged an internal war with himself, and then his eyes rolled up to the sky, praying for strength. Finally, against his better judgement, he said. “She just needs air.” Then he knelt beside me.

Some of the constriction eased from my chest and I nodded eagerly. “Should we move her? Before we draw any more attention.” This time I didn’t mean the general passersby—whose presence I had nearly entirely forgotten. I looked pointedly at Hugh and James, who were still too far away to tell what had happened but were looking in our direction curiously. It wouldn’t be long before they came to investigate—

“That won’t be necessary.” Without any further explanation, Stone flipped Lydia onto her stomach, took out his sword, and sliced through the laces of her bodice. I gasped as he reached under the dress to do the same thing to her corset. Then he rolled her onto her back again—

Lydia immediately drew a large gasp and her eyes flew open, though they were slightly unfocused.

“Stone,” Carter hissed from behind us.

“Sorry, Cap’n,” Stone said, meeting Carter’s gaze without any actual apology. “But it wouldn’t be right to leave her like that.”

“Don’t listen to the captain,” I told Stone and yanked him into a hug. “Thank you.”

“Beth?” Lydia muttered groggily. “What’s going on?”

“You fainted,” I said. “And this man helped you.”

Lydia’s eyes met Stone’s brown ones and then her gaze sharpened. She began scrambling away. “No, no, you killed a man. I saw you do it.

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