Page 43 of A Lady's Past
Diana remained expressionless as she slipped the bit of lace into his palm. “We will be happy to wait.”
It was a risk, but Mr. Hoare gave no outward indication that he had received the bit of her petticoat.
With Percy at her back, she had no idea what kind of reaction he’d had to her moving away from him until he grabbed her upper arm and hauled her back.
Mr. Hoare gaped at them.
Victor laughed. “You will have to forgive my man of business. He’s very protective of my wife.”
With only a slight stutter, he said, “I see. Well, I’ll just be a moment.”
Once Mr. Hoare had bowed out of the room, Victor’s charm evaporated. “You do anything so stupid again, and I’ll kill the old woman.”
The harsh whisper sent a chill up Diana’s spine. Maybe it wouldn’t matter. Either the banker would see that something was amiss and call for help, or he would return and give Victor the money. Victor would not keep his word, she was certain of that. If he left Honoria behind, that would be good enough. “I only wanted to smooth over your and Percy’s blunders. Grabbing that man’s arm! Really, what were you thinking? You could have ruined everything. I want you to get that money as much as you do. It’s the key to my freedom.”
“You are a stupid—”
The door opened and Mr. Hoare poked his head in. “I’ll just need Lady Chervil to come sign these documents.”
Honoria stood.
Victor put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. “Why can they not be signed in here? My aunt is old and feeble.”
Raising her brow, Honoria looked ready to elbow Victor in the gut. “I’m sure I can make the walk for your sake, nephew.”
“We need witnesses, sir. I assure you it is quite standard, and her ladyship seems quite spry, as she always has been.”
Honoria walked out, followed by Percy.
Taking Diana’s arm, Victor squeezed hard enough to leave a bruise. “Come, my dear.”
C. Hoare & Company was filled with armed men. The blond man Diana had seen with Michael on the street grabbed Honoria and pushed her behind him.
Michael Rollins put a gun to Percy’s head. “Kindly hand me that pistol.”
With no other option, Percy complied. His face turned bright red as two men grabbed him.
Still holding tight to Diana, Victor dragged her in front of him with the office door at his back. “I suggest you all let me pass or I promise you this woman will die. I have one of her handy explosives in my pocket, and I will blow myself and her to pieces before I allow you to take me.”
“I never made him any explosives.”
Something hard bashed against Diana’s head. “She is mine. I own this one.”
The room spun for several seconds before throbbing pain replaced the vertigo. She touched her skull and winced.
Preston Knowles stepped forward. Rage highlighted the angles of his cheeks and bright eyes. “Let her go and you might have a chance to live.”
Grabbing her around the waist, Victor took a step back.
Preston’s eyes shifted to the right.
Jacques barreled into them, knocking Diana to the floor. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled away.
The door of Mr. Hoare’s office exploded with smoke and the bitter odor of gunpowder. Bits of stone, wood and plaster rained down around her, but Jacques used his body to shield her from any harm.
Men screamed orders and ran toward the office.
Jacques rolled them over, leaned against the wall, cradled her in his lap and peppered kisses along her cheek. “Are you hurt?”
