by Ella Edon
“I was hoping you would come for me. I’m glad you didn’t let me down.”
For a moment, Nathan didn’t know what to say to that. Instead, he drew her close and kissed her. Eleanor sighed and sank into his arms, which had Nathan groaning. He eased back from the kiss, finishing with a kiss to her forehead.
“And I’m not going to let you down. Ever.” Clearing his throat, Nathan shifted Eleanor into his arms. “Can you walk?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to try.”
“Good girl.” Nathan rose to his feet, still holding onto Eleanor. He waited a moment as Eleanor got her footing, leaning into him with her head on his shoulder. His arms tightened around her. “Come on. Let’s go.”
He took his time getting to the door, allowing Eleanor to get used to walking. Her breathing was still shallow, but her colour was better. To think Leyton might have ended up suffocating the woman he loved before he could marry her. Or before anyone could have married her. If he had been a few more minutes, it would have been too late.
Don’t think about that. Eleanor’s safe. Just get her out of here.
They were at the door when Eleanor stopped. Nathan turned to her.
“Eleanor?”
“Can you smell that?”
“What?”
Nathan sniffed the air. There was a strange smell. It hadn’t been there a moment ago. It was a smell that Nathan was familiar with. He had come across it often on the battlefield.
Burning wood, and the sound of crackling.
Urging Eleanor to lean on the doorframe, Nathan hurried to the top of the stairs and saw the fire, right across the front door. One of his footmen was on the floor, unmoving with flames licking close by him.
Their way out was blocked.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The house was on fire? Eleanor’s head was still spinning. The relief that she could breathe properly again was now gone as she breathed in the acrid smoke from the fire.
What was Leyton doing? Surely, he wouldn’t set the house on fire? Eleanor didn’t know what to think anymore.
Nathan let out a low curse and hurried back to her.
“Our way out is blocked,” he said grimly. He took Eleanor’s arm. “Tell me you’ll be able to move quickly.”
“As well as I can.” Eleanor eased herself off the doorframe and took a moment to steady herself. “Just get me out of here.”
Nathan stared at her. Then he cupped her face and kissed her, pressing his forehead to hers for a moment before pulling away and taking her hand.
“Come on. There has to be some back stairs.”
Eleanor did her best to keep up, almost tripping over her own feet as Nathan hurried to the end of the hallway. Sure enough, there were more stairs for the servants, the stairwell refreshingly cooler than the main house, although when Eleanor pressed a hand to the stone wall, she could feel the heat coming through. How far had the fire gotten through the house?
Leyton had gone too far.
Still holding onto her hand, Nathan got them to the ground floor and out the side door. Eleanor gasped as the cool evening air hit her like a slap in the face. People were beginning to gather, and Eleanor recognized one of Nathan’s footmen sitting on the curb with an old man sporting a snowy white beard to match his hair. The old man was shaking.
Releasing her hand, Nathan hurried over. The footman jumped to his feet.
“Captain!”
“Where’s Lord Reading, Stewart?”
“He was chasing Mr. Leyton. I saw them leave as I was bringing the butler out.” Stewart indicated the man huddled on the curb. “Reeve and Knowles were following him. I don’t know where Bailey is.”
“I do.” Nathan said grimly. He began to shrug out of his coat, retrieving his handkerchief before handing his coat to Stewart. “Look after Lady Eleanor. I’m going back to get Bailey. He’s still inside.”
“What?” Stewart’s face went white. “I swear, I didn’t know…”
“Just make sure Lady Eleanor doesn’t come back in.” Nathan turned back to the house. “The fire could take hold any moment.”
Just as he spoke, there was a huge whoosh and people screamed as two of the lower windows shattered, raining glass onto everyone. Eleanor didn’t see how it could take any further hold, not with the flames coming out of the window and the smoke billowing upwards.
Wait, was Nathan thinking…?
“What are you doing?”
Nathan glanced at her. Then he flashed her a wink and a grim smile. “Be good.”
“What…”
But before Eleanor could protest, Nathan had put his handkerchief over his mouth and nose and was running back inside.
Eleanor screamed. “Nathan!”
She tried to run after him, only to be grabbed and hauled away by Stewart.
“My lady, you need to keep back!”
“Let me go!” Eleanor wriggled, but her head was spinning from the exertion. She sagged in the footman’s arms. “Nathan!”
He couldn’t do that. The fire had taken hold of the house already. He and Bailey were going to be burned alive. No, not now. Please, not now.
“Come on, my lady.” Stewart eased her away. “Captain Reynolds will be fine. He’s fireproofed. Right now, we need to back away in case something else explodes.”
Something else explodes. Oh, God. Eleanor tried to get away again, but she had lost all strength. She could only allow Stewart to sit her on the curb, wrapping Nathan’s coat around her shoulders as she stared up at the building. Nathan couldn’t think he could get out of there. Bailey was a big, burly man. Nathan surely couldn’t handle him on his own. Could he?
After what felt like forever, time ticking away far too slowly, Eleanor saw a huge shape in the doorway. Several people gasped, and someone screamed. Then Eleanor almost burst into tears when she saw Nathan stagger out of the burning house, the hulking form of Bailey carried across his shoulders. Three men broke from the crowd, including Stewart, and helped to ease Bailey off Nathan’s shoulders and onto the ground. Bailey wasn’t moving, his face black with soot and his clothes singed. Stewart pressed his ear to Bailey’s chest. Then he looked up at Nathan and nodded.
Thank God. Bailey was alive.
Nathan’s shoulders slumped. He squeezed Bailey’s shoulder and said something Eleanor couldn’t hear over the noise. Then he hurried across the street to her. Eleanor reached for him, and Nathan knelt before wrapping his arms around her. Eleanor felt his embrace tighten as she buried her face in his neck, not caring if people could see them. He smelled of smoke, and the stench made her cough.
“Forgive me, I must smell awful.” Nathan drew back. “Bailey’s going to be all right. He was lucky.”
“But what about Leyton?”
“We’ll get him. He’s going to have nowhere to go once Simon and I have got things in order.” Nathan kissed her forehead. “Right now, my priority is to get you home.”
Eleanor was too worn out to argue. Home sounded like a good idea right now. She took Nathan’s hand.
“Will you stay?”
Nathan’s eyes glittered, and his hand tightened around hers.
“Try getting rid of me.”
Nathan’s lungs were burning, and his throat was still sore even after chugging down a jug of water. The stench of the smoke, and the taste of it, never got any better. There had been times when he had been fighting close to the cannons and he had ended up fighting with his eyes watering. He had a newfound respect for those who fired the cannons themselves; that seemed far more dangerous than being a foot soldier.
It seemed to have affected Eleanor as well. She was still rather pale, and she was shaking. But she was alive. That much Nathan was grateful about.
Once he got hold of Leyton, Nathan would make the cad regret going after Eleanor. He would make the man regret setting the house on fire to get rid of her. Leyton had to be out of his mind if he would set his own establishment on fire with the woman he loved inside.
But he had vanished. Simon and Nathan’s footmen had caught up with Nathan as Nathan was putting Eleanor into his carriage. Leyton had disappeared into the maze of houses, smoke still billowing from his clothes. Simon was still bewildered that the man had managed to get away from him after striking Simon with a poker; his face was still sporting a bright red streak along his cheek, barely missing his eye. Nathan had winced when he saw it.
Leyton had got some of his fighting spirit back, and he had run. Not for long if Nathan had anything to do with it. But Eleanor was his priority right now. He had taken her back to her house, where Baron Heavenly was beside himself not knowing where his daughter was. The older man looked like he was about to faint when Nathan came in, practically carrying Eleanor as she staggered. Then the baron had snapped into action, ordering Eleanor to be taken upstairs and for their physician to be sent. He didn’t even object when Nathan said he would be staying to know Eleanor was all right.
The two of them ended up in the study, not speaking for some time. Then when Heavenly had asked, Nathan told him what had happened. He thought the older man was going to collapse, going from shock to anger and back to shock again. Several times, he looked towards an empty-looking drinks cabinet with a woeful expression. Nathan remembered what Eleanor had said about her father’s drinking and began to wish he had done this in another room. But Heavenly managed to turn his back on the drink cabinet each time with a deep breath. He was resisting for now.
Nathan could only hope he stayed like this for now. Eleanor needed her father, preferably when he wasn’t drunk.
It was two hours after Nathan had brought Eleanor home that the door opened, and a servant beckoned for the Baron. Heavenly hurried across the room and ducked outside. Nathan rose to his feet, aware of the hurried whispers outside. Was Eleanor all right? She hadn’t taken a turn for the worse, had she? Nathan had witnessed soldiers who had succumbed to the inhalation of smoke, and it wasn’t a pretty sight.
Please, let her be all right.
Moments later, Heavenly came back into the study. He looked relieved, giving Nathan a smile. “Mr. Georgebright has just left. Eleanor’s with her maid now.”
“How is she?”
“She’s going to be fine, although she’ll have a sore throat for a couple of days.” Heavenly sagged into a chair with a sigh. “She just needs to rest.”
She was fine. Nathan felt the tension leave his body in a rush and he collapsed back into his own chair.
“Does your daughter know what rest is?”
“I don’t think she does.” Heavenly gave a small chuckle. “She refuses to let even me look after her at times. It has to be her doing it all or it’s not happening.”
Nathan found himself smiling. That was Eleanor all over. Everyone else came first before her own needs. And she was steadfast about it.
“She’s an independent woman. Which is a novelty at this time.”
“I wouldn’t want anything less from her.” Heavenly regarded Nathan thoughtfully. “But I hope you can handle her, Captain. I love Eleanor with all my heart, but she’s strong-minded. It’s difficult to get her to change her decisions.”
“I know that.”
Their marriage was certainly not going to be boring. Nathan knew that already. He just hoped that he could bring Eleanor around to the idea that they could have a loving marriage as well. He was prepared to do it, but was Eleanor? Nathan could only hope so.
“Listen, Captain,” Heavenly sat up a little, shifting about in his chair, “I must apologize to you.”
“For what? You haven’t done anything.”
“I got you into this. I’m the one who was drinking and gambling away the money we didn’t have.” Heavenly looked downcast. “I got sucked in with a promise to have everything paid off as long as I allowed my daughter to be put into a marriage.”
Several weeks ago, Nathan would have been angry. But he couldn’t bring himself to be angry now. Not after several things had shifted in his mind.
“I did wonder how my mother, who’s a social butterfly, managed to acquaint herself with Lady Eleanor. They certainly wouldn’t cross paths under normal circumstances.” He covered his mouth to hide a yawn. God, he was worn out. “Look, Baron Heavenly, I’ve agreed to it now. I’ve accepted it, and so has Eleanor. We’ll not hold it against you.”
“Thank you.” Heavenly sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I just had no idea that Mr. Black had so many contacts. I just wish he had done something about Matthew Leyton, and then I might not have worried about my daughter.”
“I suppose…” Nathan froze. “Wait, what did you say? Who set this all up?”
“Mr. Black. Eric Black. He’s the proprietor of the gambling house I frequent.” Heavenly frowned. “Are you all right, Captain? You’ve gone pale.”
Eric Black. Nathan felt like Heavenly had stood up and punched him in the face. Eric Black, the man he was after, was the one who had set him up in a marriage? It couldn’t be a different Eric Black. The one Nathan was chasing was said to own some gambling establishments. It had to be the same man.
Why would he put Nathan into an arranged marriage? Was it to distract him from finding Black? Or was he up to something else? Nathan had no idea what Black would get out of this, but he was certainly trying to do something to Nathan. He had to have known that someone was on his tail.
But he had this in play before Nathan came back to London. Because of a pleading letter from his mother…
No. She can’t be involved. How had Black got to her?
“Captain Reynolds?”
Nathan blinked. Heavenly was looking at him strangely. Clearing his throat, Nathan took a few deep breaths, which just made his chest hurt even more.
“Do you have any way of getting in contact with Mr. Black?”
“I... not really.” Heavenly frowned. “But I could send a message to his business.”
“Do it. Say you want to meet. Don’t mention anything about me.”
“All right, but what’s going on, Captain?”
Nathan hesitated. Heavenly wasn’t a fool; he already knew something was up. But he couldn’t say too much, otherwise Heavenly might turn into an angry father and demand Black’s presence. Nathan didn’t want to keep the Baron in the dark, but if he showed any inclination that he knew something was off about this deal, Black could go underground, and Nathan might never find him. This had to be dealt with delicately.
“I’m not entirely sure yet.” That part was true enough. “But you need to trust me on this, Baron Heavenly. I won’t say any further than that.”
Heavenly’s eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t make me feel any better, Captain.”
“It’s the best I can do for now.” Nathan gave the older man a pleading look. “Please. You’ll be helping me out a lot.”
Heavenly still looked suspicious, but he nodded and sat back with a frown.
“All right. I’ll send a message. But I want to be told everything once that’s done. I don’t like being kept in the dark, especially if it involves my daughter.”
Nathan was saved from a response by a knock at the door. Then the door opened, and Simon stuck his head into the room. He was red-faced and sweating, his expression grim. Nathan rose, giving Heavenly a nod as he stepped over the glowering man.
“One moment, my Lord. I’ll be back shortly.” He stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him. “What happened? Did you manage to catch up to Leyton?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“What does that mean?”
Simon took out his handkerchief and wiped at his forehead. The delicate cloth came away thick with grime.
“We took to the streets and split up. Took a while, but we did find Leyton.”
“You did?” Nathan frowned. “But you said, ‘in a manner of speaking’. What happened?”
“Someone got to him before we could,” Simon said grimly. “We found him by the river, slumped over some crates. His throat had been cut. The body
was warm, so he had been killed only minutes before we found him. We were too late.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Eleanor’s head hurt, her throat hurt, and her chest hurt. Mr. Georgebright had checked her over and declared that she would be fine after some bedrest. Normally, Eleanor would complain about being stuck in bed for anything that wasn’t sleep, but she was welcoming it now. It felt good to lie on her own bed, snuggle under the covers while the fire burned in the hearth, and just sleep.
