Page 94 of How to Start a Scandal

Violet nodded.

‘No.’ Susan’s scream cut through the air with a suddenness that made both Violet and Mr Pattinson turn towards her.

Susan stamped her feet on the floor, sending up a cloud of filth as she rocked back and forth in her chair like a woman possessed. ‘Don’t you dare use me as a threat against my lady. You vile creature. We’ll have you—’

The cocking of a gun sounded.

‘Killed,’ Susan finished saying. She gave a smug smile and settled back into the chair.

Seth appeared from behind her with a gun aimed directly at Mr Pattinson.

‘If you miss me with that bullet, you’ll hit your own sister,’ the solicitor said.

‘She’s not my sister,’ Seth growled. ‘She’s my wife.’

Mr Pattinson gaped at him. ‘You aren’t married.’

Violet took advantage of the man’s surprise to wriggle her wrists once more. A bend, a twist, a flex. The rough rope ripped into her skin like fire.

‘We were very recently wed.’ Seth came closer. ‘Yesterday. She’s innocent in all of this, Pattinson. She’s not from my family.’

The solicitor hesitated and slid a glance towards Violet who immediately stilled in her attempts to liberate her hands. She needed only to get one free. Just one.

‘Did she know about your brother?’ Pattinson demanded.

Seth ignored the question. ‘I know about your daughter. Nash told me.’

‘Nash.’ Mr Pattinson spat upon the ground. ‘That pathetic excuse for a man followed me all over England before I finally let him catch me.’ The solicitor gave an angry hiss from between his teeth. ‘Why couldn’t you leave me to the jewellery? I wanted to get away from London, to start a new life. Why did you have to chase after me?’

Violet twisted her hand until her thumb joint strained against the rope. She was so close, just a smidge more and she would be free.

‘You took advantage of my family while I was at war.’ Seth narrowed his eyes.

‘Your brother stole from my daughter.’ Lines creased Mr Pattinson’s brow and spittle flew from his mouth. ‘First her innocence, then her life. He took everything from me. I couldn’t stay in London, seething in loss and bitterness.’

He lifted his pistol and pointed it directly at Violet. ‘Maybe you need to know what it feels like to lose someone you love.’

She had never looked down the barrel of a pistol before. It was a fathomless hole with seemingly no end. Ironic for something that could cut short lives with such finality. She pulled harder at her hand, until something popped and pain shot up her arm. A little whimper emerged from her throat, but it didn’t matter.

She was free.

‘Don’t,’ Seth’s voice cracked. ‘Take me and let her go.’

Mr Pattinson’s gun cocked. ‘You will know loss before you die.’

Violet tightened her grip on the rock in her good hand. Before she could swing it, Seth ran at her, shoving her to the ground. A fraction of a second later, an explosion boomed in her ears and she knew with sickening certainty that the gun had gone off.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The thundering gunshot ricocheted around in Seth’s brain, echoing off the chasms of the experiences that haunted him. Gunpowder burned in his nostrils and stung at his eyes. Ringing clanged in his ears, the high-pitched whine drowning out everything else.

Something else hung in the air. Coppery. Wet.

Blood.

His mind spun. Waterloo. No—Violet. Something at his side ached and swirled into the mix of his confusion.

He staggered and it made the pain at his side sear in agony.