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Gradually the space widened, but not enough for him to stand up. He was aware of Aug following him.
Celia! he called. All he could hear was the mocking echo of her name. They forged ahead about one
hundred feet and then the course branched off in two directions. Justin paused. Which way did she
come from? he asked.
Aug pointed straight ahead. There.
Justin glanced at the sharp turn to his right. Where does that lead?
The brothel.
We ll try that way first.
It is not likely she would have
It s damn likely she did, Justin said grimly, taking the path to the right. I know her. She has a talent, a
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gift, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
They made their way along the twisting course. Justin smelled smoke, and he frowned as they continued.
He stopped short as he was confronted by the collapsed tunnel, heavy rock, dust, and debris blocking
their way. Near the top of the pile was a fissure through which small hands were prying. Smothered cries
reached his ears.
He dropped the torch and the rapier, his mind going blank. In a frenzy he hurled himself toward the
opening, grasping a large hunk of rock and struggling to pull it away. Cursing, straining, he sent the
boulder tumbling down the pile. Aug worked beside him, both of them pawing and tearing at the rock
wall.
Justin forced his head, shoulder, and arm through the opening they had widened. Blindly he reached out,
grabbed hold of a slim arm, and began to pull. Aug helped him drag a buxom woman with brown hair
through the hole, and she collapsed in a heap at the bottom of the pile, coughing weakly.
Desperately Justin reached in again. His wrist was grasped by another pair of female hands. A second
woman was pulled through the wall of rubble, and a third, and Justin saw that Celia wasn t among them.
Shaking, he threw himself at the opening. Celia! His eyes blurred with sweat and tears. Celia
He felt a hand grip his, and he clenched it hard enough to make the delicate bones compress beneath his
fingers. He pulled her arm through the hole, reached in and grasped the back of her dress, and hauled her
out. Celia lay against him, her body trembling. Justin cradled her in his lap, terrified that it had been too
much for her, that she might die. With a low animal groan he rubbed his cheek against her singed hair.
My God& Celia&
Her arms clenched around his neck. I m all right, she whispered against his ear. I m all right.
After a minute her swollen eyes slitted open. She heard the rough choking of his breath in her hair and
realized with astonishment that he was crying. She twisted to sit up in his lap, staring at him. Justin&
Her voice was hoarse. She wiped his tearstained cheek with her fingers, leaving streaks of black across
his face. As he stared at her and felt her reassuring touch, some of the torment left his gaze. It wasn t
that bad& I haven t been hurt. Now& get meout.
She began to push herself off his lap, and his arms tightened. He didn t want to let go of her.
I can walk, Celia insisted hoarsely, and looked toward Aug, who had picked up the mulatto girl. The
brunette prostitute had the torch and was leading the way.
Lunging to his feet, Justin helped Celia up and kept close behind her as they advanced to the end of the
tunnel. She found that she couldn t regain her breath. Her lungs and throat felt as if they had been
scoured and set on fire. But she didn t have any serious burns, and very little smoke had filtered into the
cavity beneath the brothel floor.
They reached daylight, and she crawled out of the tunnel with a cry of gladness. The prostitutes flopped
onto the ground underneath the shade of the trees. Wearily Celia sat down, relishing the feeling of having
the sky overhead. She inhaled deeply, coughed, and forced herself to take in more shallow breaths. The
cool breeze blew around her, and she lifted her face to it. Never in her life would she go underground
again, no matter what the reason.
Justin leaned over her, his eyes shot with red, his face haggard and drawn with torment. Without a word
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Celia put her arms around his neck and kissed him, pressing her smoke-tinged lips to his.C est bien,
she said, and stroked the back of his neck. He shuddered and held her, closing his eyes. Are you all
right? she asked.
AmI& ? Justin laughed shakily against her hair. I didn t know where you were. I thought you might
be dead. No, I ll never be all right again. He grasped the back of her head and turned her face up to his.
How could you do that to me? he whispered angrily, and kissed her. The pressure of his lips was hard
and hurtful. He lifted his head and glared at her. I told you to stay at the plantation where it was safe! I
should beat you for following me! Before she could answer he crushed her mouth with another punishing
kiss.
Vallerand. Aug s voice interrupted them.
Justin looked up at him. Aug was holding the mulatto girl at his side, supporting her. The girl s leg was
burned, but she was fully conscious and clinging to Aug as if he were a lifeline. The other two prostitutes
were with him.
We must leave the island, Aug said. A schooner is moored on the other side. There is still time to
reach it.
You re taking them? Justin asked, gesturing to the women.
Aug nodded. They wish to go. And the men will welcome them.
There s no question of that, Justin said dryly.
Come, we must hurry.
Justin was quiet.
Celia tightened her arms around his neck and hid her face against him, afraid he was thinking of leaving
her here alone. Justin& take me with you, she begged. Please don t leave me, let me go with you
Shhh, quiet, he said, smoothing her hair. Doucement.I m not going anywhere. He glanced at Aug
and smiled. Goodbye,mon ami. And good luck.
They will hang you, Aug said quietly.
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