Page 99 of Lord Ashley's Beautiful Alibi
Kane’s coach, in hideous condition, had been dragged away to a stable by a team of horses one of Kane’s men had hired after the incident. Another guard of Kane’s had found an open cart near the Louvre and appropriated it to take the six attackers to Vaillancourt’s house. Kane had given one of his men orders to return the cart and old nag to the street and wait until the owner appeared. He was to pay him an old gold louis for his kind service to a lord in need.
Kane told her not to worry about their man. “One of our guards tells me he is well. Saved. They saw him being attacked as he climbed onto the box in the street. They witnessed that our groom was badgered, too. All waited until they could capture all the culprits. Our coachman was drugged. He awaits us at home, as does our groom. Both are shaken, of course. But they are well.”
“Good to hear. Now tell me about this other business. I had no idea you have pamphleteers in your pay.” She arched both brows at him.
“Why,Madame la Comtesse, I will have you know that I am the second British envoy, and I am charged with increasing commerce between our countries.”
She laughed. “And increasing the numbers of prosperous printers and streetchanteusesin Paris.”
He laughed, not quite humble. “So many need employment.”
She chuckled. “I guess you began your patronization long before the contretemps at Castleton’s last night.”
“You’d be correct.”
She exhaled and settled nearer to her husband. “I was afraid last night when they attacked us. I cannot lose you, Kane. You are my everything, and I have not told you so. But now, I will. I must.”
He fisted his hand in her hair. “Look at me.”
She smiled into his mellow eyes. When he looked at her like that, she was not unto herself, alone. She was loved and belonged to him as much as to herself.
“I love you, Augustine. You are my wife, my treasure, my beginning of a new life, and you will be here at the ending of it. I will not lose you. We have decades more to live in happiness and peace. I lost half my sense in Varennes when that man attacked you. Tonight I nearly lost the other half.” Tears dotted his lashes. “I love you, and I will never allow any man to take you from me.”
“Only God,” she murmured, nigh unto overwhelmed with her husband’s admission. “Only God, who gave me you, can ever take you from me.”
Their coach came to a stop in front of their house.
He took her lips in a swift declaration. “Come inside. Let me prove how I adore you.”
Corsini had the door open wide for them, his face white with concern.
Gus took one look at him and grabbed him into her embrace. “Thank you, sir. You are unique, and we are so privileged to name you ours.”
The Italian foundered. “Grazie, grazie,” was all he could manage as she kissed both Kane’s cheeks.
Kane beamed at him. “I will take my wife up, but I want coffee in my study when I come down.” Then he took Gus’s hand.
The two of them scampered like children to their suite.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Kane did notappear in his study until after nine. He had bathed with his wife and taken her to bed. The two of them were exhausted from the night’s events, but not quite tired enough to postpone the intimate joining that celebrated their relief at their escape.
Corsini appeared like a genie from a bottle at Kane’s study door.
The man’s frown alarmed Kane. But he had no time to ask the reason when from behind him a vibrant, red-haired siren rushed toward him. Kane recognized her at first sight. The lady from the road to Malmaison. The lady whom Scarlett had sent him to find. The one in the sketch that Gus had drawn. Amber St. Antoine.
And on her heels strode an anguished Ramsey.
“Good morning, Lord Ashley.” Amber stood ramrod straight, her hands folded before her, her heart-shaped face placid. “Forgive the intrusion, but I know you will receive me.”
Kane circled his desk to approach her and shake her hand. “I am pleased to meet you, although, I do believe, not in these circumstances.”
“You have that right, Whit.” Ram bit off his words, not so much dismayed now as downright angry. “I have fought this, but she will not listen to me. I hope you can persuade her otherwise.”
Mystified, Kane nodded. “Please sit down, Madame St. Antoine. Ram. Corsini, please ask my wife to join us.”
“Yes,” said Amber as she took a chair near the fireplace. “Do summon Gus. I wish to see her, congratulate her on her marriage. I do hope, sir, this is a love match.”
