“Do you have it on you?”
“What? Of course not!” But it was obvious from his tone that he was lying.
James pointed the pistol right at Jebediah’s chest. “Give it to me now, or I will shoot you. You are wanted for murder, Crampton. No one would fault me for killing you.”
Several tense heartbeats passed. Violet held her breath. Her body was shaking, but she tried to stay still.
Her father’s eyes were blazing with hatred as they narrowed on James, but in the end, he had to yield to the man with the gun.
“It’s in my briefcase upstairs.”
James looked at the innkeeper’s wife. “Madam, I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”
“Mrs. Henderson,” the woman supplied at once.
“Mrs. Henderson, will you please go upstairs and retrieve Mr. Crampton’s briefcase?”
Mrs. Henderson nodded, then stood up and exited the room.
A minute passed, during which they all waited in breathless silence. Eventually, Mrs. Henderson returned, the briefcase in hand.
“Thank you,” James said, taking it from her. Without lowering his gun, he reached into it and withdrew several documents. “Can you tell me what these are, Mrs. Henderson?”
She leaned forward and read them. “They are copies of an annulment, Your Grace. Signed by the Duchess of Attorton…”
Very calmly, James took the documents and threw them into the fireplace.
Lord Redfield let out a small cry of dismay, and Jebediah’s eyes seemed to glitter with malice. At the same time, relief flooded Violet. She let out a small gasp, and her legs buckled. She swayed dangerously, but Lord Redfield’s fingers tightened on her wrist.
“I would advise letting go of the Duchess,” James snarled, his eyes glinting with rage as he pointed his gun at Redfield. “If you hurt her, I will kill you.”
“You cannot kill me,” Redfield said contemptuously. “Not when I am standing between you and Violet.”
Violet sucked in a breath. It was true, she realized. And James also seemed as if he’d just realized this.
“I’ll shoot Mr. Crampton, then,” he said, pointing the gun back at her father.
“Be my guest,” Lord Redfield sneered, and Jebediah’s eyes widened. “He means nothing to me.”
For a second, all of them were silent, waiting to see what would happen.
“Release her,” James murmured, pure fury lacing his tone.
“This woman is my property!” Redfield shouted.
“I am no man’s property!” Violet hissed, and then, with a strength she didn’t know she had, she wrenched her wrist free from his grasp. “And I will not be sold in marriage to any man!”
She spun around to face her father.
“I am sick of being a pawn in your games!” she shouted. “Both of your games! But I don’t fear you any longer—neither of you. You’re not strong, powerful, fearsome men. You’re pathetic, lowly criminals, and you’re both going to prison!”
Redfield’s face reddened, and he scoffed. “Make all the grand speeches you want, but I am no criminal. I might not be able to marry you, but I certainly won’t be going to prison.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” a voice came from the door.
James started. He knew that voice! Turning, his heart leaped to see Lord Gray walking through the door, flanked by Mr. Jones, several constables, Nathan, and the maid who had told them where to find Violet.
“Lord Redfield,” Lord Gray said, holding up a warrant. “You are under arrest for the forgery of illegal documents, conspiracy to smuggle persons of interest out of England, and aiding and abetting illegal dog fighting rings in the Duchy of Attorton.”
