Scoundrel Ever After (Secrets and Scandals)

by Darcy Burke

  Stark fear like she’d never known turned her limbs to jelly. If not for the men holding her up, she would’ve sagged to the floor.

  Long minutes passed during which Jimmy retook his seat. He stared moodily at the table. To Audrey he looked upset, disturbed perhaps. She couldn’t stop herself from trying to persuade him to change his mind.

  “Jimmy, it’s not too late to let Ethan go.”

  “Shut ’er the fuck up, will you?” He turned to the corner where Marie sat on a small stool. Audrey hadn’t even noticed her. “Find somethin’ to gag ’er.”

  Marie pulled a long, white cloth out of her pocket as she came toward Audrey. She didn’t say a word as she put it in Audrey’s mouth and tied it at the back of her head.

  Ethan’s scent filled her nostrils and she realized it was his cravat. She heard the sound of boots and turned her head just as Ethan was led into the room. There was a bruise blooming on his cheek and blood trickled from his lip.

  “Clean ’im up, Marie, and put ’is boots on.”

  Marie went to a washbasin and dampened a cloth, which she used to cleanse Ethan’s lip. He stared stoically at Audrey, his eyes cold and dispassionate. She sensed he was working to mask his emotions and wished she could do the same. But a tear leaked from her eye, and she realized that was hopeless.

  Next, Marie fetched his boots from somewhere behind Audrey. She put his feet into them and the act reminded Audrey of when she’d helped him after he’d been wounded.

  “Bind ’is hands.”

  One of the men came forward with a rope. Ethan stuck his hands out without being asked. The rope was circled around his wrists and bound tightly.

  Another tear snaked from Audrey’s eye, and her throat nearly closed with anguish.

  Jimmy stood and straightened his coat. “Let’s go. ’Im first.”

  The men flanking Ethan grabbed his arms and nudged him forward. He moved toward Audrey. “It’s all right. You’re going to be all right.” He said the last so softly, she had to strain to hear.

  Then he turned and walked from the room.

  Jimmy jerked his head toward the men holding Audrey and they brought her forward. Jimmy took the place of the man on her right. “I want ye right beside me when we watch ’im swing.”

  The doorway wasn’t big enough to allow them all to pass through together, so Jimmy went first and he pulled her over the threshold. They moved through his throne room and into a corridor that emptied into the nearly empty common room. Audrey searched the tables and corners for Scot, but didn’t see anyone save a slattern leaning against one wall and a man passed out across a tabletop. Everyone must have gone outside to watch the hanging.

  Emotion gathered in her chest, and she struggled to breathe. Tears came fast now, tracking down her heated cheeks. They moved outside into the late morning. Gray skies and drizzle met them; still, it was much brighter than the interior of the Cup and Burrow, and Audrey had to blink several times.

  They moved into the street, which was lined with what looked to be hundreds of people. All of St. Giles’s denizens had turned out. The crowd was thick and raucous, with shouting and singing and the smell of food mingled with decay and impending death.

  Audrey looked ahead of her and fixed on Ethan’s back. The dark green and bronze silk of his waistcoat rippled over his back as he walked. Then she caught sight of the scaffold and the rope.

  Blackness edged her vision and she fell to the street.

  ETHAN HEARD JIMMY swear and turned his head to see Audrey being dragged to her feet. Her eyes rolled back in her head. Jimmy slapped her hard.

  Ethan lunged toward him, aching to inflict pain and damage, but the men holding him kept him from moving. “Don’t touch her, Jimmy!”

  Jimmy turned and looked at him, his eyes dark and narrowed. “I’ll do whatever I like to ’er. Especially after ye’re dead.” He grabbed Audrey’s chin and shook her until she blinked. “Keep yer wits about ye, gel. The best part’s comin’ up.”

  He waved them all forward and the procession continued.

  Because he had no choice, Ethan turned and walked toward the scaffold, but he didn’t look at it. Instead, he scanned the crowd in search of Jason or Carlyle or Sevrin or any of the idiots who’d launched this futile plan.

  At last his gaze settled on Scot. He was standing in the front of the crowd. As Ethan drew close enough, he mouthed, “Save her.”

  Scot nodded imperceptibly, and Ethan had to trust that he would. Next, he caught sight of Sevrin, then Carlyle. Finally, he saw Jason, who was standing very near the scaffold. His familiar gray eyes were impassive. They briefly met Ethan’s, softened slightly, and then moved on.

  Love for his brother swelled in Ethan’s chest. At this perhaps eleventh hour of his life, he finally had the family he’d sought. And he’d put all of them in harm’s way.

  The sound of a pistol cocking behind Ethan drew the men holding him to turn. Ethan spun with them and things seemed to happen in slow motion. In his peripheral vision, he saw men moving, but his gaze focused on the man holding the gun.

  Teague.

  And he was pointing it at Jimmy. Other men around him had also drawn pistols, but no one had fired yet.

  “You don’t get to hang him.”

  Jimmy smiled malevolently. “That yer job, Runner?”

  “Damned right it is. And you sure as hell don’t get to brutalize women.”

  Ethan kicked at the men holding him and pulled to get free. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jason move and then he heard the report of a pistol as Teague fired his weapon.

  “Audrey!” In the ensuing commotion, Ethan got one of his arms free and punched the man still holding him. It was enough to make him release his grip on Ethan.

  Ethan watched Audrey go down, but saw that it was Scot who’d knocked her to the ground, not Teague’s bullet, which had appeared to go wide.

  Jimmy lifted his pistol and pointed it at Teague. Ethan didn’t think. He tackled the Runner as the gun fired. They both fell.

  Burning pain sliced into Ethan’s shoulder. Audrey’s scream rent the air. His head hit the cobblestones and blackness descended.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  AUDREY WATCHED THE bullet hit Ethan in the shoulder as he tackled Teague to the ground. She pushed at Scot and her hand brushed the hilt of a knife tied to his waist. She unsheathed it, taking it from him as she’d taken the pistol from George back at the Cup and Burrow.

  There was fighting all around her, but she looked for the shock of white hair. Rain fell into her eyes and she swiped at her face, pulling the cravat from where it had dislodged from her mouth when she’d fallen. She managed to roll out from under Scot, who was now engaged with one of the men who’d been behind Jimmy.

  She struggled to find her feet as she searched for Jimmy. At last, she found him, not far away. He was fighting his way toward where Ethan lay.

  She clutched the knife in her hand and wove through the melee. Jimmy spun and saw her, his gaze falling on the blade. His lip curled and he struck fast and sure, knocking the knife from her hand and forcing her backward. He advanced on her, a knife in his own hand.

  “Audrey!” Jason called her name from behind Jimmy. He dodged between two men and tossed her a pistol.

  She caught it with both hands, cocked the hammer, and fired. At this range, there was no missing and thankfully there was also no misfire. She watched Jimmy’s eyes widen as the bullet slammed into his chest.

  He fell back. Jason stood over him and pressed his boot into his neck.

  Jimmy sputtered. Blood gurgled from his mouth, came forth in a greater torrent as Jason applied more pressure.

  It was more than Audrey needed to see. She dropped the pistol and ran to Ethan.

  Teague held him in his lap, his hand pressed to the wound in Ethan’s shoulder. “Help me.”

  She squatted down and lifted Ethan by the bicep of his unwounded arm while Teague hefted him. When Teague had gained his footing, he lifted Ethan over hi
s shoulder.

  Jason came forward and led them through the throng. Audrey followed Teague, her gaze fixed on Ethan’s ashen face.

  Vaguely, she was aware of someone close behind her. A quick look back revealed it was Sevrin.

  They wound their way from the crowded street, down a narrow alley to another street. What should have been a difficult passage was surprisingly easy.

  “The hack is up there,” Sevrin said close to her ear.

  She looked ahead and saw a hackney coach waiting. The Earl of Saxton was standing outside, though he was dressed liked one of St. Giles’ roughest men.

  Teague got to the hack and Saxton helped him lay Ethan facedown on one of the seats. However, it wasn’t long enough to hold his entire frame and his legs slumped off the side. Audrey went to climb in after him, but Teague grabbed her arm.

  “I’m done. Tell him . . . tell him thank you.”

  Audrey nodded and looked at Saxton, who helped her into the hack. She lifted Ethan’s head and shoulders and eased into the corner of the seat, settling his head on her lap. Jason entered behind her. He bent Ethan’s legs so they’d fit onto the seat and then installed himself opposite. He handed Audrey a kerchief, which she pressed to the wound in Ethan’s shoulder.

  She looked down at Ethan’s face, so pale against the lurid scarlet of her skirt. With her free hand, she stroked his dark hair back and tried to swallow through the lump in her throat.

  His eyes blinked and he looked up at her. “Are you an angel?”

  She choked through a laugh. “No. But I think there must be one on your shoulder. The uninjured one.”

  Jason leaned forward. “Ethan?”

  Ethan closed his eyes again. “Is that my brother?”

  She stroked his head. “Yes.”

  He flinched from where she held the cloth to his shoulder. “What happened to Jimmy?” he asked through gritted teeth.

  “Audrey shot him,” Jason answered. His gaze found hers across the hack and he nodded approvingly, gratefully.

  Ethan opened his eyes again and twisted his neck to get a better look at her. “Is he dead?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you all right?”

  Her heart swelled with love for him. “Yes. I feel . . . unremorseful.”

  His lips curved into a smile and his lids shuttered his eyes once more. “Good girl.”

  They rode the rest of the way in silence. Once they arrived at Lockwood House, North met them and helped Jason carry Ethan inside. It was then that they realized the bullet must’ve gone straight through, as he was also bleeding from the front of his shoulder.

  Jason and North conveyed Ethan upstairs to the bedchamber Audrey had slept in the day before. They sat him on the edge of the bed where Audrey quickly cut his clothing from his torso.

  Jason held a cloth to his back while Audrey pressed one to his front and prayed the doctor would arrive soon.

  North gave Ethan a glass of whisky, which he downed in one swallow. He thrust it back, his hand shaking. “Another.”

  As Ethan finished the second glass only slightly more slowly, the physician arrived with Scot.

  He allowed Audrey to assist as he probed the wound, cleansed it, and then sutured both the front and back. The physician proclaimed him lucky since the bullet hadn’t done significant damage and then told them all to pray infection wouldn’t set in. He dispensed laudanum, instructed Audrey on how to bandage the wound, and said he’d return the following day.

  Ethan touched the puckered wound on his chest and winced. “I don’t suppose there’s any way to get some of that poultice from the innkeeper’s wife in Hounslow?”

  “Unnecessary,” said Sevrin, stepping into the room. “I stopped by the Black Horse and brought some of Tom’s. Works wonders.” He handed it to Audrey.

  She accepted the small pot with tears in her eyes. “Thank you.” She looked at each of them in turn—the Carlyles, Saxtons, Sevrins, Scot, North, Lydia, and Jason. “I’ll be forever indebted to you for saving Ethan.”

  “We. We’ll be forever indebted.” He held his hand out to her.

  She went and took his hand, squeezing his fingers. “We.”

  She didn’t look away from him as she heard the room empty. When the door clicked shut, she opened the pot and wrinkled her nose. “What a horrid smell.”

  He let go of her hand. “If it’s going to drive you away, leave it off.”

  “Never. Now, lean forward a bit.” She set about liberally applying it to his back. “I was surprised to see Teague today.”

  “I wasn’t. I asked him to come.”

  She paused. “You did?”

  He turned his head to look at her. “He was part of my contingency plan.”

  “You asked for help. And you put your faith in him.” She didn’t bother masking her surprise—or her delight. “I’m glad. Now I understand why you leapt in front of him. He asked me to tell you ‘thank you.’”

  His head drooped forward. “He lost his sister, and he risks his life to do good. He deserved to live.”

  “So do you.”

  “I’m not quite as certain of that, but I will try.” He did his best to straighten as she applied the ointment to his front. “What I would like to know is how we escaped St. Giles.”

  “I’m not quite certain of that, but it did seem remarkably easy. It was as if people helped us along the way. They moved, they ushered us along, they wanted to see you safe.” She wiped her hand on a towel and grabbed the linen North had brought for bandages. It was quite long, so she was able to wrap it around him several times. He sucked in air and cursed under his breath as he lifted his arm to aid her efforts.

  When she was finished, she helped him lie back against the pillows. She sat on the edge of the bed facing him. “Do you know what I think?” At his questioning look, she smiled, feeling confident that she was right. “I think you were never really alone. You thought you were without friends, but you’ve always had people who cared about you, even in that world.”

  His face darkened. “Like Gin Jimmy.”

  “No.” She touched his face and ran her thumb over his lips. “Not like Gin Jimmy. People who genuinely cared about you.” She closed her eyes and swore.

  “Audrey, did you just curse?”

  She looked at him and gave him a lopsided smile. “Apparently I did. But with good cause. I forgot about Nan. She’s a maid at the Cup and Burrow, and I said I’d take her out of there with us.”

  “I remember Nan.”

  “Of course you do. You helped her. You showed her kindness and mercy when no one else would. And I’m willing to bet she wasn’t the first one.”

  He turned his head and pressed a kiss into her palm. “Your faith in me has made all the difference.”

  “Maybe, but I still think you were doing something right all along.”

  His eyes found hers. “I don’t know if that’s true, but I definitely got something right now.”

  “I would say so.” She leaned forward and brushed her lips over his. He tried to prolong the kiss, but she drew back with a smile. “You need to rest. I don’t even know how you’re conscious after what happened.”

  He clutched her hand. “I’ve spent too much time in the dark, my love. I want every moment with you that I can grasp.”

  “And you shall have them. I promise to be here when you wake.”

  His forehead creased with doubt. “You won’t leave me?”

  She brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead. “Ethan, my dearest love, no one is ever going to leave you again.”

  Epilogue

  July 1819, Wootton Bassett

  THE SUMMER SUN beat through the linen of Ethan’s shirt, heating him to the extent that he sought the flagon of water beneath the tree twenty yards distant. As he slaked his thirst, he watched the men dig the foundation for the new school at Stipple’s End.

  Pride and excitement mingled in his veins as he thought of the changes he was bringing to the orphanage. Fox had been th
rilled to bring Ethan and Audrey into the fold. Together, they’d planned to enlarge Stipple’s End. Within the next two years, they hoped to double the staff as well as the number of beds, in addition to the new school that would prepare the children for futures they might never have dreamed of.

  Like the future Ethan was now living.

  The investments he’d begun making eight years ago—right after he’d ventured to Lockwood House and fought with Jason—had made him a wealthy man, and he couldn’t spend the funds on anything other than improving the lives of others. He’d been given a second chance and was committed to giving them to as many people as he could.

  A child sprinted across the field toward him. Instinctively, he tensed. He’d relaxed since moving to the country, but some reflexes were still ingrained.

  It was Hal, a nine-year-old boy from the orphanage. “Ethan!” The panicked tone of his voice did nothing to ease Ethan’s anxiety.

  He set the flagon down. “What is it?”

  “It’s Mrs. Lockwood.” The children had learned to call Ethan by his given name, as they addressed Fox so intimately, but they still called Audrey Mrs. Lockwood, as they called Miranda Lady Miranda. “She needs you at home!”

  The mild sense of apprehension that had struck him upon noticing Hal coming toward him bloomed into full fear. Thank God he had a horse here. “Is she all right?”

  Hal was breathing heavily from his run. “I think so?” He didn’t look certain and that was enough to send Ethan dashing for his horse.

  A scant ten minutes later, he was riding up the lane to their small house. Nan, whom they’d rescued from the Cup and Burrow and brought to the country with them as their housekeeper, met him at the door. She smiled. “Good afternoon, Mr. Lockwood.”