The Duke's Bride: Book 5 (The Clearbrooks)

by Teresa McCarthy

  Roderick stared at his wife, his eyes wide with shock. “You almost shot my ear off!” He pushed Jane into the arms of one his men. “Get her out of here, now! Our cover is gone!”

  “Roderick,” she cried as his man threw her over his shoulder and ran through the fields, back to safety.

  “I will get him back,” he said to himself, jerking a pistol from his jacket pocket. Without a second to lose, he burst into the kitchen.

  “Over there!” someone shouted.

  A shot fired and Roderick dove beneath a table. The roar of gunfire had the baby squealing in fear.

  Another one of Lady Trayton’s men raised his gun and pulled the trigger.

  Roderick rolled across the floor. He peered up just as Lady Trayton’s men rushed from the room. Cowards. He saw the captain lying on the floor, bleeding from a head wound while still tied to a chair. Was the man even alive? With his heart in his throat, Roderick shifted a wary gaze back to his crying son. Nothing in his wildest dreams could have prepared him for this scenario.

  Lady Trayton clutched the screaming baby to her chest and seemed beside herself as she watched the last of her men depart from the room. “Come back here, you fools!”

  “They don’t want a hand in your kidnapping now,” Roderick said harshly. He stood and held the pistol by his side, but his keen gaze was on his son buried in the woman’s arms. “You have nowhere to go. Nowhere to run. Put the babe down and take a seat.”

  The lady squeezed the baby harder against her chest and glared at him. “Stop right there! Drop the pistol! Or I drop him! Your choice!”

  Roderick froze. A cold knot formed in his stomach as he laid his gun on the floor. “I am not moving,” he said, putting his hands in the air. “Just place the baby in the basket nice and easy.”

  The lady laughed. “Nice and easy? I do not think you are the one to give orders now, are you? The powerful duke listens to me now. How does it feel to have a lady dictate your every move, Your Grace?”

  Roderick simply stared at her. From the corner of his eye, he saw Captain Argyle working at the ropes. Devil take it. The man had been beaten to a bloody pulp, but he was still moving.

  “Why, Susan?” Roderick asked, his velvety tone making her frown. “Why did you do this?”

  Her arms were shaking, and Roderick felt his patience dwindling. Confound it! She could hardly hold her hands up any more. Her grip on the babe was weakening. But one wrong move, and Roderick would see his son die before he had ever held him.

  He eyed the small babe and felt his stomach clench. An overwhelming love swelled inside him. He sent up a quick prayer, never letting his keen gaze leave the babe. Oh, God, please help me! The babe is so small!

  “Why should I not have your son?” the lady snapped, her expression turning ugly. “Years ago, you threw me aside as if I were nothing. Then Lord Stonebridge did the same. Ha, but I married the earl, no thanks to you. I had power and money. I wanted revenge, but then I had my son Peter. He was everything to me.”

  Roderick’s heart thumped in his ears. Hell’s teeth! The lady was not in her right mind. “I’m sorry, Susan. I heard you lost your boy. That would make any mother crazy. A son’s death—”

  “I am not crazy!” Her arms jerked. Then as if answer to his prayers, she placed the baby in the basket. Before he could move, she pulled out a pistol from her pocket and raised the basket in her other hand.

  Roderick’s heart twisted in fear. He caught a glimpse of the captain squirming on the floor behind her. The man was almost free.

  “Forgive me,” Roderick said softly, ignoring the gun. “But losing a child is a dreadful thing.”

  She frowned, shook the pistol, and glanced at the basket. “In London, I saw how happy you were with your wife, and I hated you. This baby should be mine. Mine! Do you hear me?”

  Roderick tried to keep her talking. “That’s why you killed Lord Garette? Because you hated me?”

  The lady shot him a menacing smile. “My how perceptive you are. I was hoping that little wife of yours would be accused of the crime. But forces were against me, I suppose. However, this…” She shook the basket, and the baby started to wail.

  Roderick swallowed past the panic bursting inside him. “He’s an innocent child! Shoot me if you want. But please, put the baby down. Please, Susan.”

  Her laugh was hysterical now. “Please? Oh, how I waited for you to beg me. You made me believe you would marry me. But you left me for that insignificant female. How awfully droll. Now, she will be beside herself with no child of her own. What do you think of that, Your Grace?”

  Alarm raced through every nerve in his body. The lady wasn’t making any sense. She would not be able to take his son from the inn. There were too many men surrounding her now. The only alternative would be to kill the babe. The very thought made Roderick’s throat tighten in dread.

  Furious, he kept a keen gaze on the swinging basket in her left hand. “I’m begging you, Susan. Please, let the baby live.”

  She chuckled. “You had your chance with me. Now, I have you cornered. Do you know how fulfilling that is? I do so enjoy watching you beg.”

  Roderick saw the lady’s arm shaking. The basket was getting too heavy.

  “Perhaps, I did not treat you as I should have,” he said, trying to soothe her. It was a lie, but what could he say?

  He had taken her for a ride or two in Hyde Park. A few dances at Almack’s. And she thought she owned him? The lady was crazy!

  He gritted his teeth. He did not care what he had to do to get his child.

  “You could go with me,” she said, her voice softening. “We could sail to the Caribbean.”

  Roderick looked up. “Why do you not hand me the child, and we can talk about it?”

  Her eyes flashed. “Talk about it?” she screeched. “You think I am stupid?”

  Roderick could see where this was going. He tried to smile. “That is not what I meant.”

  “Shut up! I don’t want you anymore. I have your baby. That’s all I need.”

  Roderick watched in fear as the basket dangled in her fingers. “Susan, you cannot take someone else’s child.”

  She shrugged, waving the pistol his way. “Pity, Your Grace. For once you are wrong.” The wicked look in her expression took his breath away.

  He stepped toward her.

  “Do not think about charging me, Roderick!” She shot him a withering stare and held the baby high in the air. “I will drop him.”

  He froze. “I am not moving.”

  “That’s better,” she said with a twisted smile. “But I fear I am going to have to shoot you. This baby is mine now. My second chance at life. I will have to shoot your captain too. But I must say, he did put on quite a good show. Truly, I have to wonder if the baby is his after all.”

  Roderick glared at her. “There is no way out. The king’s guards have surrounded the place. You can shoot me and the captain, but you will never get away.”

  She laughed again. “Oh, Roderick, we could have done so well together. Think about it. You, me, and the baby.”

  Her hands started to tremble violently. Panic almost consumed Roderick. But when he saw the far away look in her eye, he knew he had only a few more minutes before she did something dreadful.

  A few tense seconds passed before he spoke. “Opium, madam,” he finally said, staring at her. “By Jove, you are using opium.”

  She sneered at him. “Does that surprise you?” She lowered the baby, letting the basket pull at her arm. “I had to take something after I lost my son. But this little boy is mine now.” She looked at the child. “Is that not right, Peter, my dear?”

  Roderick flinched when the baby squealed. The lady was insane.

  He could see the captain staring at him, ready to strike. But it was obvious the man was waiting for Roderick’s signal.

  Roderick tried to hold his emotions together as he weighed the situation. Lady Trayton seemed to be talking to the baby, almost oblivious to the fact t
hat he was still in the room. The basket was near her face now, with the pistol still shaking in her other hand. One wrong move and the child could die.

  He would have to do something, but what? Could the captain move? Would the lady drop the child? Would she shoot him?

  Just as he was about to signal the captain, the lady’s eyes widened as she peered over Roderick’s shoulder.

  “My goodness,” she announced with a cackling laugh. “Look at that. The little mother has come to rescue her baby. How quaint.”

  Roderick stiffened. Devil take it! Without a doubt, he knew Jane was behind him.

  “Look, Roderick,” Lady Trayton replied mockingly. “Your little duchess thinks she is going to rescue you too. With what, I ask you? Her fists?”

  Roderick slowly turned his head to see Jane stepping into the room. There was a hardness in her eyes that sent his nerves tingling with fear.

  His lungs felt as if they would burst when she pulled the pistol from her reticule.

  Jane did not even look his way as she pointed the gun at the lady’s heart. “I am going to ask you mother to mother to put my child on the floor and step aside.”

  Roderick’s breath caught. Devil take it! The ball could easily hit the baby.

  “Jane,” he said softly.

  Jane shot him a loving gaze. “I know what I am doing, Roderick.”

  “My, my, the two lovebirds,” the lady said coolly. “But if either of you want this baby alive, you had best make way for me to leave this place unharmed, or I will drop the baby on top of that hot stove.”

  Jane’s face drained of all color. But to Roderick’s surprise, the next moment, she gritted her teeth and raised the pistol. “I said stand aside, Lady Trayton. Put my baby on the floor. Gently now, or I will shoot.”

  Lady Trayton started to shake. “That thing isn’t loaded. It was you outside. I heard the shouting. You already used the one ball you had. Besides, if you shoot, I drop the baby.”

  Jane took another step toward the lady. “Ha. You think I would let you take my child then? You think I do not have a loaded pistol directed at your heart. Think again.”

  The lady paled, bringing the basket to her chest. “You would not dare shoot. You might hit him.”

  Jane’s arms faltered.

  Lady Trayton smiled and raised her pistol.

  Roderick felt his heart stop. Lady Trayton could barely hold the basket or the pistol.

  “We are even, are we not?” the lady said to Jane, pointing her pistol toward Roderick. “An eye for an eye, they say. Why do we not shoot at the same time?”

  It all happened in a matter of seconds. Captain Argyle jumped. Lady Trayton’s gun exploded. Roderick dropped and rolled. Jane screamed. The basket dropped.

  “I have him,” the captain shouted, holding the crying child to his chest. “Stop her!”

  Lady Trayton bolted out the kitchen door toward the tap.

  Roderick raced after the lady. Jane hurried toward the captain who was now face up on the floor with the baby cradled against his chest and the basket at his side.

  The captain held the crying baby out to her. “He’s all right, Jane. I caught him in time. He never hit the floor.”

  Jane pressed her face against her baby’s soft skin and let out a sob. “Thank you. Thank you.”

  She looked up when Roderick and one of his men burst into the room.

  “Roderick! He’s all right!” She clasped the baby to her breast. “The captain saved him.”

  Roderick seemed to pale as he stared at the baby in her arms.

  “Lady Trayton is in custody,” the man beside him announced. “Caught her in the taproom.”

  “Roderick?” Jane replied, realizing she had not thanked him too. “You were so brave. I—”

  But Roderick was not looking at her. He was gazing at the spot of blood on his shirt.

  “Roderick!” she screamed.

  He looked up and smiled. “It’s nothing, sweetheart. Just a scratch.” Chuckling, he walked forward and trailed a gentle finger over the baby’s brow. “So, this is our son.”

  The baby howled in protest.

  “Dash it all,” Roderick said, his eyes beaming with laughter. “The boy has lungs like his mama.” He cupped Jane’s cheek with his large hand. “And speaking of his mama, I never thought you would speak to me again, Duchess.”

  His eyes softened as he shifted his gaze back to their son. “God be praised. A healthy, beautiful son. What a miracle.”

  He regarded the captain who was frowning up at them from the floor. “And our handsome captain saves the day again. I suppose I will have to be his friend now. What say you to that, James? I am indebted to you, sir.”

  Blood dripped from the captain’s head as he let out a heavy grunt and tried to stand. “You’ve been shot, you fool!”

  “Ah.” Roderick’s hand touched the large red circle growing on his chest. “By Jove, I believe for once you are correct, James.” And without another word, Roderick crumpled to the floor.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Sunshine streamed through the window of Elbourne Hall as Jane sat on the bed beside her husband. It had been a week since Roderick had been wounded.

  She swallowed back tears of gratitude as she returned the family bible back to the nightstand and wiped the beads of sweat forming on her husband’s brow. To see this strong man so vulnerable, made her heart swell with pain. Yet, he was her hero and would always be the love of her life, along with her son.

  Roderick’s clear thinking had saved their child. He had no idea she would be rushing in with another pistol in hand. But when she had heard her baby’s cries, her heart had taken over, and she had almost killed Roderick with her impulsiveness.

  She had never loved him more or been more scared in her life than back at that inn.

  “Ah, sweetheart, your hand feels nice on my brow.”

  She dropped her gaze to her husband’s sweet face and let out a light laugh. Two smoky silver eyes stared back at her. His loving expression ignited her very soul.

  “Well, Your Grace,” she said smiling. “I believe you will live. You are quite lucky for being shot twice in one year.”

  “Lucky?” he muttered, grabbing her hand. “I would say I was quite stupid.”

  “You are not thinking correctly, my love.”

  His gaze captured hers in a look of remorse. “Oh, I am thinking correctly, my lovely duchess. I chose my path and have been a fool in many things. Forgive me, sweetheart. I hurt the person I loved most in the world. I will do anything to make it up to you.”

  Tears clogged her throat, and she put a finger to his lips. “Shhh, you must rest.”

  “No. Let me finish. I have been an arrogant fool thinking I could run your life. It will take time for me to adjust, but I will. I promise you, sweetheart.”

  She bent down and dropped a kiss to his cheek. Her heart overflowed with love for this man. Indeed, God had been watching over them. “And I am sorry I did not tell you about our son sooner, my dear, dear husband.”

  His twinkling gray eyes never left her. “You have transformed yourself into a new woman, wife. I daresay I do not think you need me. Now, now, I said need, not love. I know you love me, but you are more secure with yourself. More independent than when I first met you.”

  She smiled. “Do you truly think so?”

  “You do recall you almost shot my ear off!” he exclaimed playfully.

  “I am sorry for that too.”

  He laughed. “You are a gift. You have grown in many ways.” His amused gaze devoured her. “And I like it.”

  She giggled, feeling her heart soar. “And you, dear husband, are too ill to do anything about it. Besides, it has been barely a month since I had our son.”

  “Ah, I see,” he said smiling. “You have become a dictator as well.”

  Jane brought his powerful hand to her lips and kissed it. “Then, you must let me finish. No, husband, you had your say. Now, it is my turn.”

 
“Go on,” he said. “But know this. Nothing will change my love for you.”

  She nodded, feeling warm tears rushing to her lids. “I was afraid to tell you about our son because, well, I thought you might—”

  He growled, interrupting her. “Hell’s bells! Don’t think, sweetheart.”

  She blinked.

  The next moment, he let out a low moan and yanked her down beside him.

  “Roderick!”

  “Devil take it, Jane! I cannot take you sitting beside me anymore!”

  “But Roderick! Your wound!”

  “Forget the blasted wound! I’ve missed you! All of you!” He grabbed her hand and set his warm lips upon her palm.

  Shivers of delight slid down her spine. She smiled, snuggling close. “And dare I say, I missed you too?”

  He chuckled, taking her face in his hands. “Have I thanked you for our son?”

  “Oh, about a thousand times.”

  He drew his fingertip along her throat and over her shoulder beneath her sleeve. “I was a stupid, arrogant, bas—”.

  She placed a hand over his mouth, loving the feel of him. “You were trying to protect me the only way you knew how.”

  “And I almost lost you,” he said, frowning.

  “But I’m here now, darling.”

  He lifted one of her blond curls and caressed it between his fingers. “Do you know how wonderful you are?”

  She blushed.

  “Do you mind if we have more children?” he said, his gray eyes gleaming with mischief.

  She sat up. “You do not mind more children?”

  “I vow, I do not like to be beholden to that handsome captain,” he said, dropping his head against his pillow. “But if his Mrs. Hobbs can watch over you while you are with child, along with a doctor we both trust, then I do not mind at all.”

  She pressed her lips to his, her heart bursting with love. “Oh, Roderick, I have never been happier than I am right now.”

  He sighed softly, brushing a finger over her mouth. “The thing is, Jane. I’ve come to the conclusion, that we must not be afraid of the things we want most in life. Good things, I mean - even if there are trials to endure, my dear. Life is not easy, but if we use our heads, and ask for God’s help, I ask you, Jane, what more can we do, but try our best?”