Isaac balked, his grip on Mattie tightening. “And give away any leverage that I have?” he asked. “I think not. You come here first.”
Aunt Sarah took a step towards Isaac and Winston quicklyput his hand out to stop her. “What are you doing?” he asked in a hushed voice. “This is not what we discussed.”
“It is the only way to free Miss Bawden,” Aunt Sarah responded, her resolve clear.
“How do we know he will do what he says?” Winston questioned.
Aunt Sarah gave him a sad look. “We don’t, but what choice do we have?” she asked softly before brushing past his hand.
As she approached Isaac, he dropped Miss Bawden’s arm and yanked his wife towards him. “You will pay for what you did!” he growled, his face contorted with rage.
Mattie rushed towards Winston, her eyes filled with relief and fear. He held his arms out to her and she ran into them, her body trembling. He embraced her warmly, murmuring, “You are safe.”
Shifting in his arms, she looked up at him with concerned eyes. “What about Lady Sarah?” she asked, her voice quivering.
“We have a plan,” he assured her, though he was certain his eyes betrayed the uncertainty he felt.
Isaac’s voice broke through their conversation. “You may go,” he said coldly. “And inform Lord Dallington that I will be back for my son.”
Winston moved to stand next to Mattie, their hands intertwined. “I’m afraid I can’t let you take my aunt.”
“And why not?” Isaac asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“I won’t let you hurt her, ever again,” Winston declared.
Isaac scoffed. “I didn’t want it to come to this, but so be it,” he said as he turned his head towards the trees. “Kill them.”
Mattie couldn’t quite believe this was happening. Everything felt surreal and the tension in the air was palpable. Winston moved to stand in front of her, his broad shoulders shielding her from danger. Was this truly the end for her, for them?
Lady Sarah’s voice broke through the tense silence. “Let them go, Isaac!” she ordered, her voice steely and commanding.
Isaac’s cruel laugh echoed across the expansive field. “What do you think you are going to do with that?” he mocked.
Mattie moved out from behind Winston and saw that Lady Sarah had broken free from Isaac’s hold and was now pointing a pistol at him. “What I should have done long ago,” she retorted.
“Do you truly mean to kill me?” Isaac sneered.
“I do,” Lady Sarah responded. “I’m tired of the beatings and pretending all is well. I’m tired, Isaac. So tired.”
Isaac took a step closer, and she cocked her pistol, her finger hovering over the trigger. “If you kill me, then you are all dead,” he threatened, his voice low.
Winston spoke up, his voice calm and authoritative. “That is not quite true,” he said. “Two Bow Street Runners have accompanied me, and they have you surrounded.”
Isaac’s eyes flickered with uncertainty as he glanced at the nearby trees. “How do we know if my men haven’t taken out your Bow Street Runners?” he asked, his tone more cautious now.
“I guess there is only one way to find out,” Winston replied. “Jasper! Grady! Are you there?”
There came rustling in the trees before Grady stepped out into the field, his pistol drawn. “Isaac’s men have been subdued and Jasper is keeping watch over them,” he announced.
Winston smirked, a glimmer of triumph in his eyes. “Well, it appears that you lost, Isaac,” he said.
In a swift, desperate move, Isaac lunged towards Lady Sarah and grabbed the pistol from her hand. “You were saying, my lord?” he mocked, pointing it at his wife. “We can still both walk away with what is ours.”
Grady brought his pistol up and pointed it at Isaac. “Put the pistol down,” he ordered.
Isaac yanked Sarah towards him and slipped his arm around her waist, pressing the pistol against her side. “Sarah is mine!” he exclaimed. “Leave us be.”
Winston took a step forward, his eyes locked on Isaac. “No. I can’t do that.”
