Page 66 of A Love to Remember
But Lord Francis was past reason. He swung around on his father. “I am not a child to be told what to do. Tremain can go to hell, and so can you. I’ll marry the bitch, and if I marry her then I get the money.”
“The money.” Kirkwood was almost as furious as his son. “The only reason we need the damned money in the first place is because you have brought the Kirkwood title to near bankruptcy.”
“And for money,” Rose said, sickened and disgusted, “you’d kill an innocent child.”
“Yes.” Kirkwood turned his pistol on her. “I’d kill anyone to save the Kirkwood name and estate. In fact, it would be easier if I kill you now, and blame it on David here. Of course, I’ll have to kill him, too. What else could I have done when I found that he’d kidnapped you and then raped and killed you?”
His teeth glinted in the firelight and the light in his eyes made him look crazed. “With you dead, I’ll have ample time to set up an accident for young Roxborough. In the meantime, as his guardian, I’ll have access to his funds. No one will ever know that, of course, because the poor boy will die before he comes of age. Perhaps riding that pony Cumberland gave him for Christmas.”
A red haze seemed to drop down over Rose’s eyes, over her mind. She was not even aware that she moved. But the sound of her palm meeting flesh brought her back to herself, and Kirkwood’s howl of pain was almost as satisfying as the feel of her nails scoring his face, tearing bloody trails down his cheek. “Coward. Murderer. Touch my son and I will tear out your eyes.”
“My God!” Lord Francis doubled over, whooping with laughter. “Little hellcat!” he gasped. “Worthy of the Kirkwood name.”
“Bitch!” Kirkwood shoved Rose away and raised his pistol.
Rose staggered back, arms protectively around her belly. The muzzle of the pistol seemed to yawn like a cavern before her.Oh, Philip.I’m sorry.
“Stop!”
Maitland’s thunderous roar echoed through the room.
Kirkwood swung around, pistol leveled at this new threat.
Maitland stood in the doorway with a pistol in each hand, one aimed at Kirkwood, the other at Lord Francis. “Lower your weapon, or I swear to God I’ll shoot you both.”
Rose’s heart thundered in her chest, almost drowning out the sound of Kirkwood’s curses. She couldn’t pull her gaze away from the door where Maitland stood, and behind him, Hadley. Two dukes had witnessed Kirkland’s treachery. Kirkwood was done for.
David slipped behind the men to go to Faith in the other room as Rose staggered over to her chair by the fire once more. The nightmare was finally over.
“Cumberland!” Maitland raised his voice. “Do you want to do the honors?”
Philip strode out of the bedroom, face grim. “It will be my pleasure.” He went first to Kirkwood and took his gun. Then he moved over to Francis and did the same. Then he handed both guns to Hadley, who had come to stand behind him, and stared at Lord Francis.
“Normally,” he said coldly, “I would ask you to name your seconds. But I don’t cross steel with common cowards. This is how I deal with cowards.” His fist shot out and slammed into Lord Francis’s jaw. “And kidnappers.” A second punch. “And murderers.” A third. “You come near the Duke or Duchess of Roxborough again and I will kill you.”
“Not necessary.” Maitland sounded confident. “I think we have enough evidence to get a conviction.”
“I concur,” said Hadley. “I heard his diabolical plan—and saw him aim to shoot Her Grace.”
The room was suddenly crowded as the rest of the Libertine Scholars pushed into the small cottage. The air felt too close, but the chill had seeped back into Rose’s bones. She let her eyelids close.
“What do you want to do with them?”
It sounded like Sebastian. She opened her eyes. What would Philip do with her now? Send her away? She swallowed down tears.
“Take them back to Flagstaff Castle.” Philip gave Kirkwood a very unfriendly look. “Old castles have their advantages. I have the perfect dungeon for you until the magistrate organizes your arrest and trial.”
Relief rushed through her. It wasn’t her he was sending away. She needed to tell him about their child. She blinked, trying to get rid of the black spots before her eyes. “Philip?”
A moment later Philip knelt at her feet, gripping her forearms in trembling fingers. “My God, Rose. When I agreed to bear witness, it was not to your death. What the devil did you think you were doing? He could have killed you.”
Intended to. Would have. “But he didn’t.” Why was everything so far away? “And Drake is safe.” And Philip was safe. And their child was safe. “I’m so c-cold, Philip. Why am I so cold?”
Philip swore and surged to his feet. A moment later she was cocooned in a blanket, wrapped like a mummy. Still, she couldn’t stop her limbs from shaking. Even the blanket and heat from the flames seemed to make no difference.
Somewhere, a long way off, she thought she heard a man’s warning shout as she began to slip from the chair. And then Rose heard nothing at all.
Chapter 20
