Pivot Points

When I first planned what became Dangerous Weakness, I envisioned a scene in which the oh-so-perfect Marquess of Glenaire, trapped, desperate, and in rags, is forced to beg for help from his friends. If you read my earlier books you would know Glenaire sees himself as the rescuer, the helper, the one responsible for his friends. Begging for help became the pivot point on which I built the story. The rest of the story grew out of that moment: how to get him there and how to get him out of it.

I must have succeeded because in their lovely review of that book Night Owl Reviews said, “There is nothing so entertaining as watching a man who is always in control lose that control.” Yes! That’s exactly it. It is what I intended.

Here’s a snippet of the moment when help arrived:

“You’re a pair of fools,” he murmured. “But I’ve never been more glad to see anyone than the two of you.” He took them both into a two-armed embrace. The three stood facing one another in a tight circle, heads in.

“Where is our friend the major?” he asked.

“Jamie disappeared before you left London. He never turned up.”

No time, Richard thought. No time to worry about Jamie Heyworth now.

“Ransom?” he asked. He pitched his voice low.

Andrew’s eyes flickered behind his gold-rimmed glasses. “Of course.” Richard started to ask them how they did it so fast, but he had no time for explanations. “Most of it,” Andrew went on in a whisper. “They’ll have to count fast or look carefully to find the lack.”

“On the Boreas,” Will added. “Did you really promise them safety?”

Richard nodded. “Most of these people are just going about their miserable lives. Hamidou and his crew—”

“Hamidou is dead!” Andrew snapped.

“This man begs to differ. He commands in that name, have no doubt of that. Leave the islanders alone. Let him and his crew leave this place. What happens on the high sea in a fair fight is up to His Majesty’s Navy.”

“Good luck convincing the captain of that ship.” Will indicated the Boreas with a shrug of his shoulder.

“Tell him the Marquess of Glenaire commands it,” Richard said. Damn but it feels good to command something!

“That should work,” Will said with a grin.

“What next, Richard? How do you want us to play this?” Andrew asked.

“You two go back to fetch the gold. Demand to take Lily with you. He won’t let us both go without payment, but he might send her.”

A slight smile played on his brother-in-law’s mouth. “Your wife, Richard? And from appearances, in an interesting condition.”

“As good as, Andrew, and don’t say differently. She’s about to birth that baby any day now. I need to get her out of here.”

Will looked over Richard’s shoulder. “Our host looks impatient. Let’s get this over with.” The three men turned back to Hamidou. “Nice suit, by the way,” Will put in, looking at Richard’s tattered robe.

“Get us out of here and you may tease me the rest of your days.”

“I plan to.” Will’s grin passed quickly. He approached [the corsair captain].