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Florent’s heartbeat sped up and then nearly stopped as Foster raised his gun and took aim. Foster’s most excellent marksmanship had managed to shoot the gun out of Wagner’s hand without either the criminal nor Daisy getting hurt in the process, leaving Florent free to urge his horse even faster after the fleeing Constance and her pursuer. It all happened very fast. More action than Florent had ever before experienced, and it made him realize he had been lacking any sort of adventure in his life. It was an errant thought that he fought to dismiss even as he was in hot pursuit.
So preoccupied with chasing Connie was the clearly not so bright valet that he didn’t realize how close Florent was when he leaned over and shoved him from his saddle. The valet’s pursuit was over that quickly, but Connie didn’t respond to his calls to halt.
Florent’s horse was more powerful than the one Connie was on and within moments, Flor was able to overtake her and bring her to a stop. Nearly beside herself, Connie fought him briefly before she realized who had caught her when Florent jumped down and pulled her from the back of the horse.
It was all madness, but the urgency of the matter made reaction settle in, and Florent pulled Connie into his arms for a quick embrace before he allowed his hands to travel over her to ascertain if she had been injured. Connie stiffened suddenly and their eyes met. Florent’s face hovered near hers for a moment as he briefly contemplated kissing her senseless.
His intention must have shown itself in his face for she quickly looked away and raised her still-tied hands between them.
“I do thank you for the assistance, Mr. Alcott. Would you be so kind as to untie me?”
Despite the multitude of emotions flowing through him, he couldn’t help the grin that nearly split his face. She was right to prevent his ardor. Now was certainly not the time. He got her untied and back on the horse in time for them to turn back and watch Daisy and Foster handily deal with Wagner while a couple of grooms wrestled Wagner’s valet into a trussed-up position on his horse with the very ropes he had used to tie Connie.
“What is the meaning of this?” Wagner was yelling loudly. Even from the distance where they were, they could hear him clearly. “You cannot treat me this way.”
“You’re lucky I only shot the gun out of your hand, you imbecile. With the way you were brandishing it at my betrothed, I was tempted to put the bullet through your heart.”
Florent had to avert his gaze as his sister threw herself into Foster’s arms. There were some things a brother should never witness. To his shock but secret delight, Connie giggled from where she rode at his side. Clearly the young woman was made of sterner stuff than he would have ever suspected. She ought to be in hysterics from the ordeal she had just been through. Florent was inordinately proud of her for no reason that he could have explained. Or rather, he could have explained in great detail why she was worthy of pride, he just couldn’t say why he was in a position to feel said pride toward the woman.
It was a mixed cloud of confusion and triumph in which they rode back to Everleigh with Foster calmly explaining to Wagner and his valet just which ship he planned to have them sent upon to serve their sentences in a penal colony for their involvement in the smuggling ring.
“I had nothing to do with it,” Wagner kept shouting, which would be immediately followed by his valet’s equally vehement insistence that it had all been Wagner’s idea.
