Page 142 of If the Slipper Fits
“Anna, tell me you’re all right?” Caden demanded.
Cadendemanded?
She wobbled on violently shaking legs and gaped at the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen.
Caden, here. He’d come. Her very own Prince Charming had come.
"I may have been shot."
She glanced around, frantic. In a blink, she took in Angelique, trying to right herself, and the driver’s box, empty. “Where is Brutus?”
“Shot?” He cursed and began patting her down, one-handed.
“By Brutus, do you mean the man whose head I fired over? He’s charging down the street, directly toward the magistrate. I’m not finding any bullet wounds, by the way.”
“Youarewearing my ruby! It’s there around your neck. Give it to me.” Angelique sprang from the coach cabin, launching herself toward them.
“She’s got a pistol,” Anna shouted, turning her body to shield Caden’s.
“Woman,” he growled. He wrapped one arm around her waist and moved her aside. She heard the cock of his pistol. “So do I.”
“No,” Angelique screamed and reeled back. “You can’t do this.”
Never taking the pistol’s aim off Angelique, he turned to Anna, his free hand untying her wrists.
She’d never seen his face look so hard. Yet, when he spoke, one corner of his mouth cocked up. “Evidently she never heard the tale of Prince Charming rescues his princess.”
Anna gazed at him, massaging her wrists. “Evidently not.”
He gazed at her, awe in his eyes. “Although, I’ll say it looked as if this princess was doing a fair job of rescuing herself.”
***
Several hours later, having returned to the Black Swann Inn to first assure herself of her grandmother’s safety, and then to answer questions of the magistrate, Anna found herself alone in her chamber.
She had bathed, dressed, and now awaited Caden—with increasing impatience.
She had yet to speak with him privately.
In stoic silence, he stayed by her side as she submitted to detailed questioning by the magistrate, who, by then, and with Caden’s assistance, had apprehended Angelique and her fearsome associate.
Caden was seeing the man off when Zeke arrived.
Zeke, it turned out, had not come because he’d been summoned. He had already departed Chissington Hall to deliver salient news.
According to the earl’s man-of-affairs, Anna and Lord Bolton had never actually been married—not legally. Neither had Angelique and her father been properly wed.
It seemed Lord Bolton and Angelique had been married to each other for many years. For reasons unknown, they’d kept their nuptials secret. Nonetheless, the truth was recorded in black and white. Neither Bolton nor Angelique had been free to marry another.
It was certainly good news. She was neither related to Angelique by marriage, nor did she face the necessity of acquiring an annulment. Meanwhile both Lord Bolton and Angelique would have to answer for their bigamy, among other crimes.
Under normal circumstances, Anna would have been overjoyed by the discovery. Due to the tumultuous events of the day, however, all she really cared about was getting Caden alone.
She finally thought the moment had come when the magistrate made to leave. Instead, grim faced, Caden told her he needed to fill his brother in on all that occurred, and suggested she and her grandmother take some time to rest after their ordeal.
She didn’t want to rest. She wanted to hear from Caden in his own words why he had come. She wanted to throw her arms around him. To tell him she loved him and wanted to marry him whether or not he loved her as she loved him.
She wanted him here.Now.
