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“Josie, my love,” Ace said. “I must go tend to your father. Could you possibly hold this gun and keep us well guarded? The pistol can fire only one shot. Shoot at whoever dares to move—particularly if it’s either of these fellows—” He gestured at the Earl and Shiemour.
Josephine had never held a gun before. But if Ace thought she was capable of using it, then she wouldn’t let him down.
She carefully watched the Earl, Shiemour and his henchmen. She spun around swiftly and pointed the gun any time she saw any of them move a muscle. Most of her attention was on the Earl, though—his eyes kept glancing at the door, and she knew that with the slightest opportunity, he’d be out that door.Well, I’m not going to give him that opportunity, she thought.
Ace ran to the Duke. As he passed the room’s open windows on his way, he yelled for Paddy and Charley’s aid. Then he knelt down and checked the Duke’s pulse. There was no pulse, nor did he appear to be breathing.
Dear God,he thought,this will break Josie’s heart, if she loses her father like this. She will blame herself. I can’t let it happen.
He straddled the Duke’s burly chest, and he started pounding on it rhythmically. Nothing happened. Ace’s frustration grew.
“Live, damn you! You have to stay alive. For Josephine, you have to live, for Josephine’s sake!” He threw his full weight on the older man’s chest. He wondered if he had broken the Duke’s ribs.
But to his amazement, the old man took a breath. His face began to lose its bluish color. He coughed and spat, like a man who has been pulled from drowning in the sea.
“What? What?” the Duke said nonsensically.
Ace noticed that his speech was slurred, and he seemed to be having a hard time moving one side of his body. “Your Grace. Welcome back,” Ace said. He was surprised to find he was crying.
He looked up, and he saw Josie was crying too.With joy, I hope?“Josie,” he said, noticing that the Earl was again inching toward the door, “keep that blasted gun pointed, lass. Help will be here in a minute.”
Paddy and Charley came running into the room. “What happened?” Paddy asked.
“We heard a gunshot,” Charley said.
Ace didn’t want to waste time on long explanations. “The Baron’s dead, I think. The Earl was carrying two pistols; he used one on Lord Alfred. His Grace had an apoplectic attack, but he’s getting better. The guards are knocked out cold. Josie is unhurt.”
“Well, praise God, boss,” Charley said to Ace sarcastically. “Looks like you already did all the work for us.”
* * *
Not until Charley and Paddy had gone with the coachman to the nearest town, and had come back with a physician and the magistrate, did Ace allow himself the luxury of taking Josie into his arms.
While they waited, Ace held the gun on the Earl, Shiemour and his guards, who had regained their consciousness. Lady Josephine sat on the floor beside her father, gently comforting him. From time to time, Ace and Josie looked at each other and mouthed words of endearment: “I love you,” and “My darling.” Neither had any doubt about the other’s true feelings, but they would not give these terrible men the amusement of seeing them kissing and hugging.
Finally, the others arrived back. “Kidnapping and grievous assault on the persons of the Duke of Clover and his daughter, Lady Josephine. Murder of the Baron Roster,” Ace told the magistrate tersely, gesturing at the Earl. “And a few other crimes as well.”
“Good heavens,” said the magistrate. He was used to a quiet life in the country. “Other crimes? Isn’t that enough?” the magistrate added sardonically.
The Earl, Shiemour and the two henchmen were shepherded out the door by the magistrate who, despite his mild manner, was carrying a loaded musket. The physician examined the Duke and confirmed the diagnosis of an apoplectic attack. He took His Grace away in his carriage, saying he would get him settled in a room at the inn in town. There he could treat him.
* * *
Then Josephine and Ace were finally, blessedly, alone in that room together.
“Ace, I worried so much….”
“It can’t be as much as I feared foryoursafety….”
Josie fell into Ace’s arms. Despite all the obstacles, they were together at last. They kissed, and they embraced each other, each feeling the hot nearness of the other’s body. It was a promise of more passion to come.
“Shall we go get rooms at the inn? My father will be bedridden so, as long as Paddy and Charley don’t give us away….” Lady Josephine asked shyly, breaking away from a particularly long and luscious kiss. “We can book separate rooms, of course.”
“Rooms? Plural?” Ace asked teasingly. “It will be a sad waste of one of the rooms then. For I do not plan on leaving your side ever again.”
