If that was so, Nicholas no longer had any doubts that this situation had come about because of the work he had done, and was still doing, as part of Prinny’s private army.
“I am sure your opinion of me is correct,” he spoke pleasantly.“But the Mastersons have no part of whatever wrong you believe I have done you.”
“Believe?I not only believe, Iknowwhat you have done,” the smaller man accused angrily.“My brother ended his life at the end of a rope because of you.”
“Gentlemen, there is a child present,” he chided when Susan Masterson gave a distressed cry before burying her face against her brother’s chest.
“Go,” the smaller man snapped at the brother and sister.“But remember, if you do or say anything to alert the authorities to this situation, I will not rest until I have killed your whole family.”
“Go,” Nicholas echoed in a gentler voice, nodding his satisfaction when the two were allowed to hurry away.
The fact that the smaller man had a slight accent when he grew angry, along with the accusation that Nicholas was responsible for his brother having been hanged, told Nicholas exactly whom he was dealing with.There was only one man whose capture he had been a part of who had later faced the gallows.
Several months ago, the eight members of Prinny’s private army had commenced trying to discern the identity of a particular traitor who was passing information to the French.That information was of such a sensitive nature that the guilty person could only have been a member of Parliament.
Or someone who worked for one of those members and so was also privy to that information.
Which, it transpired, had been exactly what had happened in this case.
Nicholas had hunted the culprit down, eventually finding him at a port where he was waiting to take a ship to France.Instead of being allowed to leave, he’d been captured by Nicholas and returned to London.The authorities had lost no time in trying the young man before hanging him for treason.
“Jack Beecham, the Earl of Shefford’s secretary, was your brother.”It was a statement, not a question.“Although I doubt that was his true name if he was your brother.”
The other man sneered.“My brother’s name was Jacques, his last name Beauchamp, the same as my own.”
The fact that this man was willing to give up his name did not bode well for Nicholas surviving this encounter.
“You are responsible for the death of my brother,” the smaller man accused as he ripped the kerchief from his face.
The lantern the bigger man still held allowed Nicholas to see that the smaller man did indeed bear a striking resemblance to his younger brother.“I believe his own actions were responsible for his death,” he corrected evenly.“I merely facilitated his capture and return to London to face charges.”
“Knowing he would be hanged,” the other man accused.
“It is the punishment for treason against the Crown—” Nicholas’s reasoning tone was interrupted by gunfire.
At first, he was uncertain who had been shot and by whom, but then the bigger of the two kidnappers cried out before gripping his shoulder with the hand not holding the lantern.Bright red blood instantly oozed between his filthy fingers.
“Nicholas!”
He turned sharply at the sound of that beloved voice, his mouth going dry, his breathing uneven, as he saw a ghostly figure he recognized as Julia running toward the bridge where he and the kidnappers stood.Her gown was pale, her beautiful hair a golden cloud flying out behind her as she ran.
Nicholas’s heart stopped beating when he heard the sound of a gun being cocked beside him, quickly followed by another shot being fired.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
“I am not sure I am strong enough to cope if this is going to happen on such a regular basis: twice in this past week!”Julia murmured softly as she sat in the chair beside the bed where Nicholas once again lay unconscious, a dressing on his temple.“I know I distracted you by calling out, but I was just so pleased to see you alive and unharmed,” she grumbled in self-castigation, her fingers tightening about his.“Only to then think my life was over when I thought that blaggard had shot you through the heart.”
“I could never have allowed that when my heart belongs completely to you.”
“Nicholas!”Her hand tightened about his when she realized he was awake and she was able to look into the depths of his beautiful dark brown eyes.“Oh, Nicholas,” she groaned achingly, her own eyes stinging with unshed tears.“I thought I had lost you.”She raised his hand so that she could press its warmth against her cheek before kissing his fingers.
His smile was rueful as he raised his other hand to touch the dressing on the side of his head.“And instead, I only seem to have acquired a flesh wound to my temple.”
“One that could have been fatal if it had been an inch or so to the left,” she reproved.
He frowned.“What happened after I was shot?”
“My father and uncle, along with St.Albans and Hellsmere, rushed out of the darkness and disarmed those two men.They are now both under arrest and awaiting trial.First for kidnapping Susan Masterson, but Mr.Beauchamp also has to face the charge of attempting to kidnap and murder you.”
