When night descended, Samantha opened the dining room door a crack. Right away she heard one of Pryde's dogs growling nearby. "How are we going to get past them?" Prudence asked.
Samantha considered their options. They didn't have any food to offer the dogs as a bribe. They could try splitting up, but Pryde had more than enough animals to track the two of them down. And with the other doors and windows barricaded they didn't have any other way of getting outside.
Samantha's eyes fell on Miss Brigham and a plan formed in her mind. She untied Miss Brigham's hands and feet, but left the gag in her mouth. "You're going to get us out of here. Tell Mr. Pryde you're taking us to see the reverend. If you try to betray us, I'll make sure you never see daylight again. Do you understand?"
Miss Brigham nodded, so Samantha removed the gag from her mouth. "You don't have to be such a brute," Miss Brigham said. "It's so unbecoming for a girl your age to act this way. It's unbecoming for any girl to act this way. It's not your fault, I suppose. You weren't raised properly. You don't have any idea how a lady should conduct yourself. Well, I can tell you it isn't by threatening people and slapping them whenever the mood strikes you. You should learn from your friend, here. She conducts herself with grace instead of like a savage."
Prudence interposed herself between Samantha and Miss Brigham before the former could slap the latter. "Stop arguing, both of you. There are more important things at stake here," Prudence said. She helped Miss Brigham to her feet, who in an unladylike way stuck her tongue out at Samantha.
Samantha followed behind Miss Brigham and Prudence, wishing she had a weapon of some kind in case things went wrong. The dogs began growling from the shadows as soon as they stepped foot outside the dining room. "Oh my, those beasts sound so terrifying. Can't we wait to do this in the morning?"
"Call for Mr. Pryde," Samantha hissed.
"Yes, of course. Mr. Pryde? Are you there? It's Molly Brigham. Would you mind calling off these dogs of yours?"
Pryde appeared out of the darkness like a ghost. He touched Miss Brigham's acne-scarred cheek with one hand. "You're looking mighty pretty now," he said, following it with a chuckle that sounded like dry leaves rustling.
Miss Brigham swatted his hand away. "Now really, I've had quite enough of people manhandling me today. I am not a piece of meat to be poked and prodded at will."
"What are you three doing out here?"