Bow Street Runner - Worth Any Price Part 11

Delicately Radnoras fingers withdrew from hers, and he stood. The cold barrel of the gun never left Lottieas temple as he moved behind her once more. She felt the perspiring flat of his palm catch slightly on her hair as he caressed it. aYouave ruined everything,a he said in a curiously flat tone. The pistol c.o.c.ked, the heavy click reverberating against her skin. aThereas nothing left for me. Youall never be what I wanted.a aNo,a Lottie agreed softly. aIt was always futile.a Cold sweat trickled down her face as she waited for him to pull the trigger. In the face of such absolute defeat, Radnor would surely kill her. But she was not going to spend the last moments of her life cowering in fear. She closed her eyes and thought of Nickahis kisses, his smiles, the warmth of his arms around her. Tears of regret and gladness p.r.i.c.kled behind her lids. If only she could have had a little more time with himaif only she could have made him understand what he meant to her. A slow sigh escaped her, and she waited almost peacefully for Radnor to act.

At the sound of her exhalation, the barrel of the pistol lifted from her head. In the weighty silence that followed, Lottie opened her eyes, perplexed by the absolute stillness. Had she not heard the faint rasp of Radnoras breathing, she would have thought that he had left the room. As she began to turn, she was suddenly a.s.saulted with an explosive sound that made her ears ring. She fell backward, her backside hitting the floor, while a curious hot splatter landed on her skirts and arms.

Dazed, she tried to catch her breath, and wiped numbly at the red droplets on her arms until they made long, wine-colored smears. Blood, she thought in amazement, and looked at Radnoras crumpled form. He was lying on the floor a few feet away from her, his body spasming in the throes of death.

Agreeing reluctantly that they would have to report to Morgan, Nick and Sayer went to Bow Street. Nick was in considerable pain, the strained muscles on his side burning, his broken fingers swelling beneath the handkerchief he had bound them with. He was tired and aching, and he could hardly wait to go home to Lottie.

As soon as they entered the comfortably shabby building on Bow Street, they headed straight for Sir Grantas office in the hopes that he had returned from the afternoon court session. The court clerk, Vickery, jumped up from his desk as Nick and Sayer approached. His bespectacled face registered astonishment at their filthy appearance. aMr. Sayer, and Mra. er, Lord Sydneyaa aWe had a bit of an altercation near Fleet Ditch,a Sayer said. aIs Morgan available to see us, Vickery?a For some reason, the clerk gave Nick an odd stare. aHe is questioning someone at the moment,a he replied.

aHow long will that take?a Nick asked with annoyance.

aI have no idea, Lord Sydney. The matter appears to be one of some urgency. Actually the visitor is your footman, my lord.a Nick shook his head as if he hadnat heard correctly. aWhat?a aMr. Daniel Finchley,a Vickery clarified.

aWhat the h.e.l.l is he doing here?a Instantly concerned, Nick went to Morganas office and opened the door without knocking.

Morganas face was grim as he glanced at Nick. aCome in, Sydney. Your arrival is well timed. What happened to your hand?a aNever mind about that,a Nick said impatiently. He saw that the visitor was indeed Daniel, his face bruised and one eye blackened, his livery torn. aWho did that to you?a he asked with a frown of concern. aWhy are you here, Daniel?a aI couldnat find you at home, my lord,a the footman replied in agitation. aI didnat know what to do, so I came to tell Sir Grant. Something has happened to Lady Sydney.a A jolt of alarm went through Nick, and he felt his face turn white. aWhat?a aLady Sydney went to visit her family this morning, to fetch her sister. She bade me accompany her, and warned me that there might be some kind of struggle, as the Howards would not want to relinquish the girl.a He fumbled in his pocket and produced a crumpled note, handing it to Nick. aLady Sydney left this in the carriage.a Rapidly Nick scanned the note, his gaze lingering on the first line.

Please help me. Mama says that Lord Radnor is coming to take me awaya Cursing, Nick lifted his gaze to the footmanas pale face. aGo on,a he growled.

aJust a few moments after Lady Sydney and I arrived at the Howardsa home, Lord Radnor appeared. He entered the house, and when he came out, he seemed to have taken leave of his senses. He had his arm around Lady Sydneyas throat, and he forced her into his carriage. I tried to stop him, but his footmen overpowered me.a A wave of icy horror rolled over Nick. He knew the depth of the earlas dark obsession. His wife was at the mercy of the man she feared mostaand he was not there to help her. The realization made him insane.

aWhere did he take her?a Nick snarled, seizing the footmanas coat with his uninjured hand. aWhere are they, Daniel?a aI donat know,a the footman replied, trembling.

aIall kill him,a Nick raged, striding to the door. He was going to tear London apart, starting with Radnoras town estate. He was only sorry that a man couldnat be killed more than one time, as he wanted to visit a thousand deaths on the b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

aSydney,a Morgan interrupted harshly, moving so swiftly that he made it to the door at the same time that Nick did. aYouare not going to rush out of here like a raving lunatic. If your wife is in danger, she needs you to keep a cool head.a Nick let out an animal-like growl. aGet out of my way!a aIam going to organize a search. I can dispatch four runners and at least thirty constables in approximately five minutes. Tell me the most likely places Radnor could have taken your wife, as you have more knowledge of him than I do.a Morganas steady gaze met Nickas, and he seemed to understand his bottomless terror, for his voice softened as he added, aYouare not alone in this, Sydney. Weall find her, I swear it.a Just then, a brief tap sounded at the door. aSir Grant,a came Vickeryas m.u.f.fled voice, ayou have another visitor.a aNot now,a Morgan said curtly. aTell him to return tomorrow.a There was a brief pause. aEraSir Grant?a aWhat the h.e.l.l is it, Vickery?a Morgan sent an incredulous glance at the closed door.

aI donat think you want to send this one away.a aI donat give a d.a.m.n who he is, just tell himaa Morganas voice trailed away as the door swung gently open.

Nickas anguished gaze shot to the visitor, and he nearly fell to his knees at the sight.aLottie.a * * *

Bedraggled and bloodstained, Lottie managed a wan smile as she saw her husbandas stark white face. aIave been rather busy today,a she said.

The sound of her voice seemed to unleash a flood of savage emotion. Groaning her name, Nick reached her in two strides. He hauled her against him in a brutal embrace that threatened to smother her.

aBlooda"a he said incoherently, his large hand moving over her in a frantic search.

aItas not mine. Iam just fine, except for a fewa"a Lottie broke off, her eyes widening as she saw the bandaged hand he held at his side. aNick, youave been hurt!a aItas nothing.a Nick tugged her head back, his tormented gaze raking over her face. His trembling fingertips traced the line of her cheek and jaw. aMy G.o.d. Lottieaa As his panicked exploration continued, he discovered the bruises on her throat, and he uttered a cry of fury. aHoly h.e.l.l! Your neck. He dared toaIam going toslaughter that b.a.s.t.a.r.da"a Lottie placed her fingers over his mouth. aIam all right,a she said gently. Feeling the way his large body shook, she drew her hand over his chest in a calming stroke. After the traumatic events of the past hours, it was so wonderful to be with him that her lips curved in a wobbly smile. She gazed into his dusty, sweat-streaked face with concern. aIn fact, I believe I may be in better condition than you, my darling.a A primitive groan came from his throat, and he clutched her with his right arm, bending over her hungrily. aI love you,a he said in a low, shaken voice. aI love you so much, Lottie.a His lips covered hers in a fiercely ardent kiss.

Clearly he was too unsettled to recall that there were others in the room. Lottie turned her face away with a m.u.f.fled laugh. aI love you, too,a she whispered. aNot here, darling. Later, with more privacy, we cana"a She was silenced as Nick seized her mouth once more. Suddenly she found herself pushed up against the wall by six feet of aroused, overwrought male. Realizing that there was no hope of subduing him, Lottie stroked his broad back in an effort to soothe him. He possessed her with deep, fervent kisses, while his lungs worked so violently that she could feel his rib cage expanding with each breath. She tried to comfort him, gently rubbing the back of his neck as his mouth worked roughly over hers. His breath came in ragged s.h.i.+vers, and in between kisses he breathed her name as if it were a prayer. aLottieaLottieaa Each time she tried to answer, he dove for her mouth again.

aSydney,a Sir Grant said after some prolonged throat-clearing had failed to capture his attention. aAhem. Sydneyaa After a long time, Nick finally lifted his head.

Lottie pushed at his chest, making him loosen his grip on her. Red-faced and breathless, she saw that Sayer had developed a keenly absorbing interest in the weather outside the window, while Daniel had excused himself to wait outside.

aI am sorry to interrupt your reunion with Lady Sydney, my lord,a Sir Grant said ruefully. aHowever, I must insist on hearing what has occurred with Radnor, and where he is at the moment, especially in light of the condition of Lady Sydneyas garments.a Realizing that he was referring to the bloodstains on her dress, Lottie nodded. Nick continued to hold her while she explained. aLord Radnor died by his own hand,a she told the magistrate. aHe brought me to his home, and after we talked for a few minutes, he took his own life.a aIn what manner?a Sir Grant asked calmly.

aHe used a pistol.a Lottie felt the tremor that went through Nickas body at the words. aI am at a loss to explain his actions, except to say that he seemed altogether mad. I told his servants to leave his body exactly as it was and not to touch anything, as you might wish to send a runner to investigate the scene.a aWell done, my lady,a Sir Grant said. aMay I prevail on you to answer just a few more questions?a aTomorrow,a Nick said roughly. aSheas been through enough today. She needs to rest.a aI would be more than happy to tell you every detail,a Lottie replied to Sir Grant, aif you will send for a doctor to attend to Lord Sydneyas hand, and also have a look at our footman.a The magistrateas green eyes crinkled charmingly at the corners. aWeall send for Dr. Linley at once.a aIall fetch him,a Sayer volunteered and left the office quickly.

aExcellent,a Morgan commented, his gaze returning to Nick. aAnd while we wait for Linley, my lord, perhaps you can explain to me how you came by your injuriesa"and why you look and smell like youave been tromping through Fleet Ditch.a Much later, when they were at home in bed and had talked for what seemed to be hours, Nick told Lottie about the thoughts head had in the perilous moments when head thought he would fall to his death in the warehouse. As Lottie listened, she snuggled in the crook of his arm, gently circling her fingertips through the hair on his chest. His voice was deep and drowsy from the effects of the pain medication that Dr. Linley had insisted on giving him before setting and splinting his fingers. Nick had taken it only because the alternative was the undignified prospect of being held to the floor by Sayer and Morgan while the doctor poured the medicine down his throat.

aI never wanted to live so much as I did right then, hanging onto that rotting timber,a Nick said. aI couldnat bear the thought of never seeing you again. All I want is time with you. To spend the rest of my life with you. I donat care about anything else.a Murmuring her love to him, Lottie kissed the hard silken skin of his shoulder.

aRemember when I told you once that I needed to be a runner?a he asked.

Lottie nodded. aYou said that you were addicted to the challenge and the danger.a aIam not any longer,a he said vehemently.

aThank G.o.d for that,a Lottie said with a smile, lifting herself up on one elbow. aBecause I have become rather addicted toyou .a Nick traced the moonlit curve of her back with his fingers. aAnd I finally know what to wish for.a Puzzled, she gazed down at him while the long locks of her hair trailed over his chest and shoulders. aWhat?a aThe wis.h.i.+ng well,a he reminded her.

aOh, yesaa Lottie lowered her face to his chest and nuzzled the soft fur, recalling that morning in the forest. aYou wouldnat make a wish.a aBecause I didnat know what I wanted. And now I do.a aWhat do you want?a she asked tenderly.

His hand slipped behind her head, pulling her mouth down to his. aTo love you forever,a he whispered just before their lips met.

Epilogue.

An hour after Master John Robert Cannon was born, Sir Ross carried his infant son to the parlor, where friends and family waited. A chorus of soft, delighted exclamations greeted the sight of the sleeping baby wrapped in a lace-trimmed blanket. Surrendering the bundle to his beaming mother, Catherine, Sir Ross made his way to a chair and lowered himself into it with a long sigh.

Studying his brother-in-law, Nick reflected that he had never seen him look so exhausted and unnerved. Sir Ross had defied convention by staying with his wife while she was in labor, as he was unable to wait outside while she was undergoing the trauma of delivery. With his black hair rumpled and his supreme self-a.s.surance temporarily gone, Sir Ross appeared far younger than usualaan ordinary man who was badly in need of a drink.

Nick poured a brandy at the sideboard and brought it to him. aHow is Sophia?a he asked.

aA d.a.m.ned sight better than I am,a Sir Ross admitted and received the snifter gratefully. aThank you.a Closing his eyes, he took a deep swallow of the brandy, letting it soothe his overwrought nerves. aGood G.o.d, I donat know how women do it,a he muttered.

Being completely unacquainted with the feminine realm of childbirth, Nick sat in a nearby chair and regarded him with a puzzled frown. aDid Sophia have a difficult time of it?a aNo. But even the easiest of childbirths seems a Herculean effort to me.a Seeming to relax slightly, Sir Ross drank more of the brandy. He surprised Nick with his unusual candor. aIt makes a husband fearful of ever going back to his wifeas bed, knowing what it will all eventually lead to. While she was in labor, I could hardly believe that I was responsible for putting her through that.a He smiled wryly. aBut then, of course, a manas baser nature eventually wins out.a Nick glanced at Lottie in sudden consternation. Like the other women, she was cooing over the baby, her face soft and radiant. One of her hands rested gently on the curve of her own stomach, where their child was growing. Sensing his stare, Lottie looked up with a smile and wrinkled her nose impishly.

ad.a.m.n,a Nick muttered, realizing that he was going to be in no better condition than Sir Ross, when his own child was born.

aYouall survive,a Sir Ross a.s.sured him with a sudden grin, reading his thoughts. aAnd Iall be there to pour the brandy for you afterward.a They exchanged a friendly stare, and Nick felt an unexpected flicker of liking for the man who had been his adversary for so many years. Shaking his head with a rueful smile, he extended his hand to Sir Ross. aThank you.a Sir Ross shook his hand in a brief, hard clasp, seeming to understand what Nick was thanking him for. aIt was all worth it, then?a he asked quietly.

Settling back in his chair, Nick looked once more at his wife, loving her with an intensity that he never would have believed himself capable of. For the first time in his life he was at peace with himself and the world, no longer haunted by shades of the past. aYes,a he said simply, his soul alight with gladness as Lottie looked back at him once more.

Authoras Note

Dear Reader, I hope you have enjoyed my novels featuring the famed Bow Street runners. They have been a great pleasure for me to write, and I was able to learn some very interesting facts during my research. The Bow Street runners were essentially a private police force, never officially authorized by Parliament. They were not bound by statutory or territorial restrictionsa"which meant they were virtually a law unto themselves. This das.h.i.+ng group of thief-takers was formed by Henry Fielding in 1753, and when he died one year later, his half brother John Fielding succeeded him as chief magistrate.

After the Bow Street runners faithfully served the public for decades, the first Metropolitan Police Act was pa.s.sed in 1829, resulting in the creation of the New Police. The Bow Street office continued to operate independently of the New Police for ten years, until the second Metropolitan Police Act expanded the New Police and finally eliminated the Bow Street runners. I humbly ask for your indulgence, as I have taken authoras license to extend the runnersa existence for another two years, in order to serve the needs of my plot.

I also want to address the fact that Iave included a ashower scenea in a historical novel, which I know is unusual. As I researched nineteenth-century plumbing, I learned that the duke of Wellington installed several hundred feet of hot water piping in his home as early as 1833, and by the late 1830s, the duke of Buckingham had equipped his mansion with shower-baths, water closets, and bathrooms. Therefore, Nick Gentryas shower-bath was entirely possible for a well-to-do London gentleman of his time.

Regarding the process of disclaiming oneas t.i.tleait was actually impossible for a peer to do so until the pa.s.sage of the 1963 peerage act. Only about fifteen or so have actually disclaimed since then.

Wis.h.i.+ng you happiness always, Lisa

About the Author.

Lisa Kleypas is the author of seventeen historical romance novels that have been published in twelve languages. In 1985, she was named Miss Ma.s.sachusetts and competed in the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. After graduating from Wellesley College with a political science degree, she published her first novel at age twenty-one. Her books have appeared on bestseller lists, including those ofThe New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly . Lisa is married and has two children.

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