Page 123 of The Duke's Wicked Widow
But whatever damage that firebomb had caused, it wasnothingcompared to the absolute terror in the man’s pale green eyes now.
Terror—at his wife’s predicament—which flipped to fury with a blink, when he saw who stood at his door.
“What in the everlovingfookare ye doing here, MacMillan?”
Fawkes raised a brow. “I’m flattered ye cleaned up yer language for me.”
“Ye cocksucking shiteweasel,” Demon hissed, shouldering Ellie out of the way, making her roll her eyes at the man’s posturing. “Ye festering, deformed wankpuffin.What are ye doing here?”
Well, that was the Demon he knew and disliked.
Inside the room there was another drawn-out wail, accompanied by frantic whispers from another woman, which had Ellie wincing and Demon…well, the blood drained from Demon’s face, and Fawkesknewthis man must be terrified.
The thought of Ellie in such a position, Fawkes unable to help her…he shuddered. It was clear Demon adored his wife and was horrified by her pain. Horrified at the thought he might lose her.
Taking a deep breath, Fawkes reached for the pocket of his jacket. “I dinnae ken yer midwife, but I thought these might help.”
Thank the good Lord, Ellie’s eyes lit with relief when she saw the vials and she jumped forward, her exhaustion turned to energy. “Black Haw? And—and the others?”
“Aye.” He nodded, carefully placing them in her hands. “This is to relax the uterus, to allow the bairn to come. This one is to stop the bleeding, but it’s potent, so only use if she’s hemorrhaging. This one is for pain, although it’s likely she already has something like this. This one is for—”
“Are ye mad?” Demon hissed. Then he shook himself and repeated it in a roar. “Are yemad? I’ll bedamnedbefore I allow a poisoner—a murderer—like the Duke of Deathanywherenear my wife!”
From the bed there came another drawn-out wail.
Fawkes held the man’s gaze. “I’m here to help,” he said softly.
“Help?” Demon spat, his eyes desperate, frantic. “I cannae trust—”
“I can,” Ellie said softly, touching Demon’s arm. When the man turned, she nodded. “I trust him, Demon. He has helped me, he has helped his mother. He has helped hundreds of women in this position, and I asked him to help Georgia.”
Demon’s lips formed the words, “Ye did?” but no sound came out.
When Ellie glanced at Fawkes, he sawpridein her gaze. Her trust humbled him.He has helped hundreds of woman.
She was right.
He had, hadn’t he?
Here, and in London. And today, if this arsehole would let him.
Blackrose had called him the Duke of Death, and aye, he’d supported himself and his mother by providing poisons and ingredients. But he’d also helped people.
He’d saved lives. He’d made the world better for some of those women.
He’d done that.
He could be that.
Just as he’d always dreamed.
Fawkes’s shoulders straightened as Demon’s harsh breathing slowed.
“Ye trust him?” the other man finally growled.
“With my life,” Ellie said simply, holding Fawkes’s gaze. “With Georgia’s life.”
I love ye.He’d said those words to her, and she hadn’t responded, but this…
