Page 91 of A Most Unlikely Lady
Edward nodded. ‘I do.’
‘Fine. But I’m not holding his hand.’ She huffed, glaring at Henry’s hand as though it were diseased. Instead, she strode past him out of the stable. Henry gave a long-suffering sigh and hurried after her.
With the children safe, Edward could give all his attention to Ivy.
‘He’s the Wolf, Edward.’ Ivy’s hand shook, her finger tightening on the trigger. Smithwick curled into a smaller ball, his arms over his head as if they might deflect a bullet. ‘He was going to sell Henry and Sarah. He was going to kill me and try to make it look like I ran away with the money.’ Her voice was too calm. Devoid of inflection.
‘She’s lying.’ Smithwick peeked from under his own arm. His desperate gaze found Edward. Tears, blood, and snot streaked over his dirty face. ‘She’s gone mad. She admitted her plan to me. She was going to run away with her lover.’ Spittle sprayed from his mouth. ‘You must believe me.’
‘Lying coward!’ Ivy kicked him again, and he tightened back into a ball, groaning in pain.
‘Given that I am her lover, and we have no intentions of going anywhere, I’m inclined to believe the lady.’ Edward understood Ivy’s struggle. He wouldn’t mind putting a bullet in the man himself. He certainly deserved such punishment for his crimes. But Edward had a better idea. ‘Ivy, he is not worth the stain his blood would leave on your soul. He can’t hurt the children. Step away from him.’
‘I don’t mind a few stains.’
‘Fair, but he’s more valuable to us alive.’
Ivy looked at Edward. ‘How?’
She was fierce and fearsome and if he wasn’t already in love with her, this would seal his fate. She wouldn’t follow his lead without first understanding his reasoning. A fair deal, as he would do the same thing in her shoes. ‘A few nights in Newgate might loosen his tongue to share the secrets of his brotherhood. And if it does not, seeing which men in the House of Lords push to release him from his sentence will give us just as much information. If they are even willing to risk exposing themselves to save this worthless maggot.’
Ivy turned her head back to Smithwick. ‘He says he won’t hang. He says he’ll be released.’
‘Then we’ll find him again. Do you hear me, Smithwick? If you are released, you better be prepared to run, because we will find you.’
Smithwick’s response was a garbled sob.
Ivy kicked him again, Edward guessed she hit his kidney by the way Smithwick howled. But her grip on the gun loosened and he knew reason had eclipsed revenge. ‘Fine. We shall let him live long enough to know what it feels like to have a noose around his neck.’
Edward breathed a sigh of relief, then found some rope. Ivy kept her gun trained on Smithwick while Edward tied his hands and feet tight enough to cut off circulation. When he was certain the weeping lord was securely bound, he stood and walked to Ivy, wrapping his fingers around her pistol’s muzzle. ‘I think we can put this down, now.’
Holding her arm stiff, her eyes resolutely trained on Smithwick, she didn’t move. Edward gently cupped her cheek and shifted her to face him. ‘You were stunning.’
* * *
Ivy blinked and tried to make sense of Edward’s words. It was like waking from a horrible nightmare. But the keening sobs from Smithwick were far too real to be a dream. She would have killed him. Without thought or question. He threatened Henry and Sarah, and she would have pulled the trigger to ensure their safety. In a moment fraught with terror, she hadn’t felt fear, just a strange, resolute calm. But now, all the horror seeped in to chase away the rage.
Dropping the pistol, she collapsed into Edward. ‘I would have shot him. Iwantedto do it.’
‘I know. And I wouldn’t have blamed you for it, but this way is better, Ivy. I swear it.’
Edward wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest and she sank into him, her body shaking. ‘I’m quite cold.’
‘It’s shock. It will pass. Just stay right here. With me.’ Edward rocked her back and forth and she burrowed deeper into his coat, inhaling coffee, mint, and man.
She could have easily died this night and never again felt the glory of being held. Never again known the beauty of falling asleep with her head on Edward’s chest, the rhythm of his heart carrying her into dreams. They had only shared one night together and it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. If today was any measure of the danger they might face moving forward, she didn’t want to waste any more time.
‘We should marry. Immediately.’ She spoke against the rough fabric of his coat.
Edward pulled back, his eyes searching her face. ‘You are still in shock. You don’t know what you are saying.’
Ivy lifted her hand to trail a finger down his cheek. ‘I know exactly what I’m saying.’ She brushed her thumb over his lip, his pupils blew wide. ‘Edward Worthington, Commissioner of Scotland Yard, Duke of Landbourne, you are the only man I could ever imagine sharing my life with, and you are the only man I can’t imagine this life without. Will you marry me?’
Edward blew out a breath. For a terrifying moment, she thought he would refuse her. After all, they never spoke of marriage or commitment. This had been about pleasure and exploration. But he loved her. He said it himself. And she loved him.
Drat. Did I tell him that bit? I can’t remember. No wonder the men do this part. It’s bloody awful.
‘If I forgot to mention, I do love you. I love you very much and, er, that would be one of the reasons I think we should marry.’
