Page 63 of Tempting a Lonely Lord
Before William could answer, Stephen hurled himself at the baron just before a shot rang out.
Darkmoor collapsed under the weight of the attack.
Stephen went down hard, blood seeping through his shirt and covering his side.
William and Lucas rushed to his side. “Stephen—damn it, stay with me,” William said urgently, searching for the bullet wound. “I found it. It’s in his shoulder.”
Despite blood pooling on his sleeve, Stephen rolled over and let out a weak breath. “I’m still with us,” he muttered.
William pressed a firm hand to the wound. “We’ll get you out of here.”
As they carried Stephen to safety, William’s mind churned with thoughts of those he loved—Michael, Bella, and their grandmothers. He prayed they were all safe. But most of all, he prayed Bella would recover.
They laid Stephen on the grass as Harriett rushed up with medical supplies.
“Bella… is she… all right?” William asked Harriett, his voice sounding hoarse to his own ears.
“She’s breathing, and that’s a very good sign,” Harriett said, bending to clean Stephen’s wound with the help of a maid.
William forced himself to stand, his focus shifting. “We need to get back and make sure that fire is completely put out, or it could spread.”
Lucas hesitated, glancing at his wife, who gave him a reassuring nod. Then he turned to William. “Let’s go.”
How he wanted to see Bella. Needed to. But there was too much to do. And too many people rushing about. He barely caught a glimpse of her—lying on a blanket, surrounded by her grandmothers, Michael, and Mrs. Bisque.
Bella.She was all he could think about while pummeling the baron. Just seeing her in the bastard’s arms had filled him with an unrelenting fury.
He hadn’t even told her how much she meant to him. How much he loved her. Yes. He did love her. He realized that now. But they had to make sure the fire was put out. It was why he’d been a good agent for the Crown. His ability to stay focused, no matter the circumstances.
As he and Lucas ran toward the burning stable, Garrett’s commanding voice rang out over the chaos.
“Take the prisoner to the gardener’s shed,” the butler called, motioning toward Darkmoor’s unconscious form. “Lock him in, put shackles on his hands and feet, and gag him. One of you stand guard while the other brings me the key.”
“Yes, sir.” The footmen moved quickly, binding the baron and hauling him away.
William couldn’t help but be impressed. Garrett had issued his orders with the precision of a seasoned general.
And then William saw something else that quite astonished him: Garrett knelt and gently scooped Lacey up into his arms. He murmured something low, and as he pressed a gentle kiss to her head, she gave a small wag of her tail. The battered but resilient dog leaned into the butler and licked his chin.
William shook his head, allowing himself the barest flicker of amusement.
It seemed Lacey and Garrett had finally settled their differences.
But there was still work to do. Before he could take Bella into his arms and tell her just how much he loved her.
~*~
Bella opened her eyes and, for a moment, stared into the sooty faces of William, Grandmère, and Garrett. She glanced by her side and saw Lacey, her back leg bandaged, but resting comfortably. Her dog was safe and sound.Thank God.
“How do you feel, Bella?” William asked gently, a tender smile on his face.
She gazed into his incredible blue eyes that looked even bluer in his soot-covered face and felt her heart do a dozen flip-flops.
“Thirsty,” she said, her voice sounding ragged.
Grandmère handed her a glass of water. “Take small sips.”
Bella nodded and drank as much as she could.
