Page 73 of Her Runaway Duke
His own throat tightened at the man’s betrayal. Levi had thought he had given McGregor a new life, but he had been soconsumed in his own misery that he hadn’t realized what was happening around him.
“It’s not your fault,” she managed, her voice still hoarse as she seemed to read his mind. He began shaking his head, but her eyes bore into him. “It’s not.”
With that she gripped his forearms. “Take me home, Levi, please?”
Home. For the first time, the manor that had once seemed so cold and empty truly did feel like home, as it was now a place they shared together.
“Of course,” he said, rising, relieved to see that while the blaze wasn’t completely extinguished it did, at least, appear to be contained to the building and not spreading. He wished he could thank all of the people who were working so hard to protect the rest of the neighborhood, but at the moment, he needed to focus on his wife. “The problem is we only have Lucky, who I rode incredibly hard to get here. We can take him to Fitz’s and borrow horses and a carriage to return home, if you don’t mind?”
She nodded and leaned into him as he supported her toward Lucky who remained ever loyal, despite the chaos that surrounded him. Levi gave him a good pat before helping Siena mount the horse and then leading him into the street, orienting himself toward Fitz’s residence.
He would navigate them around less savory neighborhoods as best he could, but he was also well prepared to take on anyone who threatened.
As they traversed through London, he considered that this was the first time he had returned to the city since the fire that had taken his brother. He had hardly noticed any curious stares, and while it wasn’t as though they were absent, he realized that he no longer cared, which was remarkable in itself.
He had, in more ways than one, gone through the fire and come out the other side.
He owed a great deal of it to Siena, that much was obvious. But he had also done much of the work himself, and he was proud of it.
For now, finally, he knew he was good enough for his wife.
And he was going to spend the rest of their lives proving it to her.
Siena was weary,every bone in her body suffering from exhaustion. It hurt to breathe, and her throat was raw.
But she was alive, with Levi’s arms wrapped tightly around her. She never wanted to leave them.
At some point as they rode through London, he must have mounted Lucky behind her. She was so tired; she must have been near to falling off.
“Down we come,” he said, helping her from the horse, lifting her in his arms as though she weighed nothing and carrying her up the steps of a townhouse.
He had just set her down when the door in front of them burst open, and a very surprised Fitz stood in the doorway with McGregor standing beside him.
Panic rose within her as Levi shouted at Fitz that McGregor was a danger, but Fitz only smiled that usual grin of his.
“I know. We’ve come to an understanding, haven’t we, McGregor?”
The man snarled and tried to pull away from Lord Fitzroy, and it was only then that Siena belatedly saw the pistol that Fitz had dug into McGregor’s side.
“When McGregor here realized that the two of you were still alive, too much of a crowd had gathered for him to finish the job. He assumed correctly you would make your way here, andseemed to think that he could wait for you in the shadows of my house. Isn’t that right, McGregor?”
He only grunted in reply.
“Well, unfortunately for him, I am more capable than most believe. I found our friend lurking, and he eventually confessed to everything, so heated he was, weren’t you? The authorities should be here soon.”
“We have quite a story, Fitz,” Levi said. “It’s been a night.”
“A story I look forward to hearing, but we have much to deal with first. What am I to tell the magistrate?”
Levi told him what had occurred as succinctly as possible, which had Lord Fitzroy swearing and then releasing a low whistle.
“I don’t think it will take much convincing that McGregor is a threat,” he said. “Off we go now. Dunmore, help yourself to any guest room of your choosing. Your wife looks ready to faint.”
“Actually, if I could stable Lucky and borrow a horse and carriage to return home, I would be most grateful.”
“Of course,” Fitz said. “Whatever you need. And while it’s not required, I would request that you return them and collect Lucky yourself, so that I might see you – both of you – again soon. Soothe my worry and all that.”
“Look forward to it,” Levi said, and when Siena peered at him, she realized that he actually meant it. Perhaps times were changing.
