Page 62 of Rescuing a Tantalising Heiress
To her horror, he was lying on the ground, clutching at his arm as Hugh and Augusta tended to him. Victor was in the custody of several of the other men, struggling as they bound him with the same cords used to tie Isabella and Augusta’s wrists.
“Father,” Isabella said, pulling away from Edward’s embrace.
But her father now sat up, holding his arm.
“It’s just a graze. The bullet barely touched me,” he said, and Isabella breathed a sigh of relief.
“But how did you know where to find us?” she asked, looking up at Edward, who put his arm around her again, pulling her into a protective embrace.
“It was thanks to Hugh—he discovered where you’d both been taken, and Benjamin knew the way. I’m only glad we arrived in time,” he said as Victor was dragged away to join the other bandits, all of whom were now under armed guard.
Isabella could not understand where this apparent band of cavalry had come from, and she looked up at Edward, still with dozens of questions on her mind.
“And these men? I’ve never seen any of them before,” she said as her father came over to put his hand on her shoulder.
Edward seemed reluctant to let her go, but he did so, and her father kissed her on her forehead, putting his arms around her, even as he smarted from the wound to his arm.
“We owe these men a debt of gratitude. A secret society, no less, but one revealed for our benefit,” he said, and Isabella stared back at Edward, who smiled sheepishly.
“It’s complicated,” he said as Isabella raised her eyebrows.
“Then you can explain it all tomorrow. I’m exhausted, and I just want to go home,” she said, looking up at her father, who nodded.
“To Burlington Grange?” he said, and Isabella nodded, glancing at Edward, who smiled.
“With your permission, I’ll call on you tomorrow,” he said, and Isabella was only too glad to know he would.
The others now dispersed, taking Victor and the bandits with them. Benjamin was tasked with delivering them to the magistrate, whilst Edward, Hugh, and Augusta would return to Howdwell Heights. It felt strange to think her ordeal was over, but Isabella was tired, and as her father commandeered the carriage, she lingered at Edward’s side.
“I’m so sorry for what happened. I should’ve been there,” he said, but Isabella shook her head.
“How could you possibly have known? It’s not your fault. It’s his—it’s Victor’s. He hated my father for standing up for what’s right—the abolition of slavery,” Isabella replied.
“I hope he didn’t think me…rakish, for embracing you,” Edward said, and Isabella smiled.
“I think I embraced you, too,” she replied, and now she slipped her hand into his as he turned to kiss her.
As their lips parted, Isabella found her father watching them, but he said nothing, merely beckoning her to the carriage as Augusta and Hugh came hurrying over.
“An ordeal to bring us closer—we’re truly sisters, aren’t we?” Augusta said, and Isabella smiled.
“Truly so,” she said, embracing Augusta and kissing her on the cheek.
With their farewells said, Isabella’s father helped her into the carriage, and driving it himself, they set off for Burlington Grange. Edward and the others rode alongside them until their paths diverged, and he waved to Isabella, who was watching from the carriage window.
“Until tomorrow,” he called out, smiling at her, and she pulled down the window and waved back.
“Until tomorrow,” she replied, knowing there was no one else in all the world she would rather wait for.
Chapter 28
“I’ve let you sleep late, my lady. But it’s past ten o’clock,” Anne said, pulling back the curtains as Isabella opened her eyes.
She sat up in bed just as an excitable bark came from the open door.
“Oh, Caesar, there you are. But how…weren’t you at Howdwell Heights, Anne? How did you get here? You weren’t here last night. I’ve missed you terribly!” Isabella exclaimed as Anne came to embrace her, and Caesar leapt up onto the bed.
“We came with your visitor, my lady. The viscount’s waiting for you downstairs,” Anne replied.
