I kicked my leg up over the pommel to vault from my horse and ran up the steps onto the porch; Noah and Hal soon out-pacing me. We arrived at the chamber door to find Michael and Sam had already overpowered Rifkind. Since meeting Isabella galloping towards us on the road down from the plantation, where she had told us of her husband’s intentions, my heart had pounded in my ears with my mouth dry as ash. When we first saw her horse approaching, Noah and Hal had drawn their swords until they realised the rider was a woman and then which woman.
Now I pushed passed everyone and hurried across the room, closing my arms around my wife and son. ‘Susannah. Christ, Susannah. Has he harmed you?’
She shook her head, unable to speak, choked by sobs.
‘He had every intention of doing so had Michael n
