Page 116 of A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Heirs

Her breath caught. For a moment, the world receded to only his eyes, unfocused and full of pain—but alive.

As he looked up at her, a faint smile tipped his lips, and he lifted his hand to cup her face. “Cara mia. Per te vivrò.” His hand fell limply back to the ground, and he groaned in pain.

“Save your strength, and don’t try to talk, Victor. I’m going to get a doctor to help you.”

“Not Adalyn. Nash wouldn’t like it,” Victor moaned.

She caressed his beautiful face. “No. Not Adalyn. Ashton. But you must be strong until I return. Mr. Grey will take care of you.”

She kissed him again, struggling to hold back the tears. She had to be strong—for Victor.

Hartley—she’d already forgotten which one—returned with a horse, saddled and ready.

Mr. Grey helped her mount the horse, a gelding several hands higher than Sunshine. For a moment, she watched as the three men picked up Victor and took him inside. Then she kicked the horse into action, grateful it was late at night and the streets were empty. She bent low over the neck of the horse, reminiscent of how she had ridden on Rotten Row to help little Eva Somersby.

However, this time, although her heart pounded furiously in her chest and matched the pounding of the horses’ hooves, the urgency seemed even greater. A thought flashed through her mind of Colonel Brandon rushing to retrieve Mrs. Dashwood as Mariane lay so deathly ill. She prayed her story would have the same happy outcome, then pressed forward to her destination.

In front of Ashton’s residence, she vaulted from the horse, and after haphazardly tying the reins to an iron gate, rushed up to the duke’s door. Tension coiled in her chest, and she pounded her fists on the solid wood as if her life depended on it. No, not her life, Victor’s.

Light still shone from the front windows, and she breathed a sigh of relief that at least someone was still up. After what seemed like an eternity, the door opened.

The butler Burrows’s eyes widened with surprise and then alarm as he took in her blood-stained riding habit and gloves. “Miss Merrick, are you injured? I shall fetch His Grace.” He motioned her inside and sent a footman to find Ashton.

With no time to argue with the old gentleman, Juliana allowed him to lead her to a chair while she waited and dearly hoped the duke had not already retired for the night.

Muffled voices and footsteps drew her attention to the long staircase leading to the upper floors as the duke rushed toward her. Without a neckcloth, his shirt hung open at the neck, and his hair was mussed as if he’d been running his hands through it.

She bolted from the chair toward him. “Your Grace, you must come!”

He made no complaint about the intrusion. His hazel eyes were serious as he raked his gaze over her in a medical assessment. “Peter said you were injured.” Lifting her bloody hands, he examined them, then frowned. “Whose blood is this, Miss Merrick?”

“Victor’s. Please, you must come immediately. He’s been shot.”

“Where is he?”

“AtThe Knave of Hearts.”

A blond eyebrow hitched. “You were with him? At this time of night? Is anyone else with you? Anyone else hurt?”

“Please, Your Grace. I’ll answer all your questions later. But there is no time to waste.”

“Burrows, have my carriage readied.”

Forgetting all propriety, Juliana grabbed the duke’s arm and reiterated. “There is no time. It will be faster on horseback.”

“You rode here—alone?”

“I did, Your Grace.”

His lips curved in an unexpected, slow grin. “Reckless, but impressive.” Ashton nodded toward Burrows, who instructed afootman to run to the mews and have the duke’s horse saddled. Another footman handed the duke his medical bag.

Precious minutes ticked by as they waited for Ashton’s mount to be readied, and she relayed the events of the evening as best she could.

Horses ready, the duke helped her into the saddle of the borrowed horse, then mounted his own. “Lead the way, Miss Merrick.”

Pleased the duke was such an accomplished rider, Juliana pushed her horse to the limit, the duke following closely behind. Upon reachingThe Knave of Hearts,both jumped from their saddles.

One of the enormous men waited outside the back entrance and ushered them inside.

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