Page 55 of One Night of Scandal
“We just wanted you out of the way,” Sir Humphrey said. “You’re a thorn in our sides, always prattling on about reform. You’d see our boroughs redrawn, and then we wouldn’t have seats.”
“You don’t deserve seats,” Viola spat. “And that was before you became criminals.”
“Caldwell wanted to ruin your reputation—to get you expelled from the Commons,” Pennington whined. “Blame him.”
“You are not blameless,” Jack said darkly. He handed the broom handle to Viola. “Hold this.”
Crossing the space between himself and Pennington, he planted the man a facer, sending him reeling backward. Then he turned and did the same to Sir Humphrey, knocking that man to the floor.
“You’re lucky if that’s all I do to you.” Jack went back to Viola and wrapped her in his arms. He kissed her, then took the broom handle back before addressing the men once more. “Stay here until Bow Street arrives. If you don’t, they know where you live. And if you tell a soul who Tavistock really is, I’ll hunt you down and make what’s left of your miserable lives positively abhorrent. Do you understand me?”
They both nodded vigorously, Pennington cowering near the corner and Sir Humphrey huddled on the floor.
Turning, he took Viola’s hand and led her from the room, closing the door firmly behind him. He hurried down the stairs and decided they’d best leave through the back door into the alley.
Once they were outside, he felt her body start to wilt. He dropped the broom handle and turned, taking her into his arms and holding her tightly against his chest. “You’re safe now.”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t find me. And just when everything had seemed so perfect.” She pulled back and looked up into his face, her wig askew, but her face was all Viola and so beloved.
“Of course I would find you. I would search to the corners of the earth, to the very end of time. You are mine, Viola. I love you.”
Tears of joy slipped down her cheeks, and he wiped the moisture away. “Don’t cry, sweetheart.”
“I can’t help it. I’ve never been this happy. I love you too.”
He kissed her, and they clasped each other as if the world might tear them apart. It was a few moments before she took a shuddering breath and looked up into his face once more. “I hadn’t planned to marry you.”
He cocked his head to the side as a sliver of ice shot down his spine. “What do you mean?”
“I tried to tell you we didn’t have to wed. You didn’t want to get married.”
“I do now. Scandal or not, I want you, Viola. I love you. Ineedyou.” He stroked her cheek. “You wouldn’t have left me at the altar, would you?”
She shook her head. “No. I couldn’t have done it. I tried so hard not to love you, not to be vulnerable—I wasn’t sure you loved me in return.”
He laughed. “How could you not know? I was fairly certain my heart was on my sleeve for all to see.”
She smiled up at him, her hands moving across his back. “I can see it now. And it’s mine.”
“It is indeed.” He kissed her once more, then took her hand and led her from the alley. “Come, we need to get you home, and I need to visit Bow Street.”
“I’m coming with you. For the book.”
He paused when they reached the street and looked at her. “The book? You mean the article you’re writing.”
She shook her head. “I think I’d rather write a book. Unless we can find out who the informer is and why he infiltrated the Spenceans.”
“That’s what I want to do.” The idea that Caldwell or other members of Parliament had planted someone inside the Spenceans was incredibly troubling. What had been their motive? Was it to implicate Jack all along, or was it bigger than that? He wanted to address Caldwell, and he would.
He hailed a hack, and they were soon on their way to Berkeley Square.
Chapter 15
More than an hour later, Viola sat in an office at Bow Street while Jack paced in front of the hearth. The weather had turned dreary, and there was a chill in the air, but even the warm fire couldn’t banish the feeling of foreboding.
“Why is this taking so long?” Jack asked.
They’d arrived some time ago after stopping in Berkeley Square so Viola could quickly transform herself from Tavistock to Lady Viola. Then they’d hurried here in Grandmama’s coach, which was now parked outside.
