Page 63 of A Governess' Forbidden Flame
“Smart move.” Frederick grinned, seemingly pleased with the sudden turn of events.
“On one condition,” Amelia mustered through clenched teeth.
Frederick raised an eyebrow at that, although he still appeared amused.
“And what pray tell would that be?”
“You let Anna go,” Amelia demanded, and as soon as she spoke those words, she felt Sebastian’s fingers around her wrist. She did not look down. She did not look away from Frederick for even a single second. She wanted him to see that she was not afraid. He did not have that power over her any longer. Her voice assured them she would not be negotiating this condition.
Frederick laughed, turning to Vivienne. “It seems I have perhaps made a mistake in the choice of a wife, my dear.”
Vivienne, who they only now recognized as Frederick’s wife and not his sister, hissed at him venomously. “You bugger!”
“Oh, calm down,” Frederick teased while everyone’s nerves were strung like the thinnest strings of the finest violin in the world. “Everyone needs to lighten up. I agree that there have been…setbacks, but it seems that everyone finally understands what their position in this charade is. And I am glad that no one else has to get hurt.”
Sebastian tugged at her hand, and she was forced to look down. He was barely keeping his eyes open. She could see that his shoulder was bleeding profusely.
“Don’t…” she heard him whisper through the pain.
“Shhh,” she told him with a sorrowful smile.
Without thinking, she bent down and kissed him on the lips. She knew that she would never again kiss anyone after that. She couldn’t. Everything she had, her every thought, belonged to this man, and that was how it would stay forever.
“I love you, Sebastian,” she whispered so only he could hear.
Without waiting for his response, she got up and stared at Vivienne.
“Let her go,” she ordered in a way that surprised even herself. She had no idea where all this courage was coming from, but she welcomed it, and she needed more of it. She took a step forward, a determined resolve in her eyes. “I will not say it again.”
Frederick nodded. “Vivienne,” he instructed. “Let the girl go.”
The moment Anna’s hand was released from the clutches of the vile woman by her side, the girl rushed into Amelia’s embrace, wrapping her arms around her governess’s willowy body and burying her face in her gown. Amelia embraced her back, bestowing a tender kiss upon the girl’s head.
“It will be all right,” Amelia said, forcing herself to lie, but that was all she could do at a moment like this. Anna could not handle the truth that her uncle might die if a physician was not called immediately, or that she herself might end up dead at the hands of these villains. It was a painful truth that would be revealed on its own without her interference.
“Stay with your uncle,” Amelia instructed, gently pushing Anna away from herself. “I will be back.”
“Do not promise things you are not certain of,” Vivienne hissed even more venomously this time.
Amelia refused to acknowledge her with so much as a look, let alone words that took effort. Instead, Amelia smiled at Anna.
“Iwillbe back,” she repeated, undeterred.
Anna nodded, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Amelia walked over to Frederick, ignoring Vivienne completely. This was more hurtful than any words she could have bestowedon someone like her. Vivienne now aimed her pistol right at Amelia’s head, but Amelia did not even flinch. They had already hurt the person she loved most. And Anna was safe. Her own safety and well-being did not matter any longer, as long as Sebastian survived and Anna was safe and sound.
“Follow me,” Amelia instructed as she and Frederick walked side by side, heading toward the other side of the manor, to where she had found the mysterious symbol and the secret door.
Then, everything happened in an instant. Amelia had turned around for a moment, only to see Nicholas, quick-witted and surprisingly agile for a man his age, grabbing a handful of dirt and tossing it up at Vivienne, causing her to start coughing violently. The pistol in her hand started to flail about as she was caught off guard by this sudden attack.
In this diversion, Nicholas swiftly closed the distance, deftly relieving Vivienne of the pistol by grabbing her by the hand and forcing her to drop it onto the ground. He twisted her arm backward, causing her to moan with pain. She tried to fight him off, but that was a futile effort, and she ended up on the ground as well, although Nicholas had never struck a woman, even a vile one such as her.
Then, with newfound determination, he set off in pursuit of Frederick and Amelia, who were a bit ahead. Amelia noticed him coming, her eyes widening with shock. Frederick was not expecting him, the pistol loosely hanging in his hand. Nicholas’ quick thinking made him lunge at the man with all his strength.Together, they fell to the ground, rolling in the dirt, fighting for supremacy and the control of the pistol.
Amelia wanted to interfere, but she could do little to help. Having been caught off guard ended up being the strike of bad luck that aided Nicholas against Frederick. The two men were obviously no strangers to fighting, but Nicholas had age set against him, while Frederick’s body was smaller, and he had been caught initially off guard.
Everyone watched as the two men fought each other, knowing that the outcome would determine everyone’s fate. After some more commotion and several blows dealt on both sides, Frederick was lying on the ground, breathing heavily, with Nicholas’ hand holding the pistol, which was now aimed at Frederick.
“Do not move!” Nicholas shouted, standing by Amelia’s side.
