Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (288 page)

268

The Viscount
Claims
His Bride
Valerian felt a stinging sensation travel down his arm, cloth ripped. red stain spread on the material.

The bastard had another knife! He could see blood on the other man now, at his thigh where his blade had made contact. The man slashed at his face, Valerian reached out and grabbed the knife hand with his left. In the moment he held the assassin's blade at bay, he drove his own blade home. The man gasped and collapsed, hatred and disbelief frozen on his fading features. The fight was over.

'I guess I was man enough,' Valerian snarled, the rage of the fight starting to ebb from him. He straddled the man's form and rooted in his pocket for the release. He found it sealed and tied with a red ribbon.

He tore it open, hardly daring to believe it was over.

'Val!' Beldon rushed into the room, dropping the dinner basket he

'What's happened?'

'I'm free.' Valerian felt himself shudder from the shock. 'Now we can deal with Canton. He sent his man with the message. I wasn't supposed to leave here.' He drew a deep breath. 'Philippa won't have to do anything foolish.'

'I am afraid it's too late for that,' Beldon said, realisation starting to dawn. 'She doesn't know you're free. She's gone to see Canton, to bargain with him.'

faced Lucien Canton over the walnut desk in his town-house study. 'Lucien, I have come to bargain with you for Valerian's freedom.'

Lucien's mouth twisted into a sneer. 'Bargain or beg, my dear? I can't imagine what you have to bargain with. Your body, perhaps?' His gaze raked

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her form in a slow, deliberate perusal. 'If so, I am not interested in used goods.'

refused to be cowed by coarse innuendo.

'I have something better, I think. An even exchange.

Your freedom for his.'

Lucien's eyes narrowed. 'Whatever are you talking about?' His voice protested innocence, but his narrow gaze suggested he was concerned.

took her courage in both hands. 'I am talking about how you plotted to kill Cambourne.

There was no real accident in the mine. It was deliberately sabotaged and you planned it, right down to outlining it in your personal diary.'

you have the books, then? It's quite intrepid of you to break into my home and steal from me, but anything for love, eh, Philippa?' Lucien said coldly.

'Still, your threat is empty and your bravado is desperate. St Just got in my way. I will not tolerate his interference. He is going to pay. It's too late to change that. I expect any minute my hired assassin will be paying him a visit, if he hasn't already. The man's formidable. St Just doesn't stand a chance.

The irony is that the committee dropped the charges.

St Just's release is in my man's pocket. He may be dead already.' Lucien sighed with mock pity. 'But you, Philippa, I could still save and we can forget about your little foray into thievery.'

Lucien reached into the top drawer of his desk and drew out a sheaf of papers. 'This is from when I had a more optimistic outlook on our relationship.

Perhaps I became cynical too soon? Now, I have a deal for you. This is a marriage contract. Marry me,

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The Viscount Claims His Bride

sign over the mines and save your social respectability and your social standing. You will not be dragged down by Valerian's scandal. I doubt anyone will much care to have the political backing of a suspected traitor's wife. It would be a shame to see all your hard work with mining schools and mining fall into ignominy simply because you made a poor decision in marriage. We were friends onceI am confident we can be again.'

picked up the contract. 'You were never my friend.' She tore the contract in half and threw it on the desk. 'I would rather be dead than see myself married to the likes of you, since that's what you had planned all along.'

The rashness of her words was punctuated by the ominous click of a pistol's cocking motion. 'That can be arranged. Since you know about that little addendum to my plan, I am left with no choices, Philippa.' Lucien raised a small silver pistol from behind the desk. It was pointed at her. 'I had rather hoped this would come later instead of sooner.'

forced herself to breathe deeply and to stay calm. She couldn't think about the baby, about or about Valerian's warning that she not confront Lucien alone. She could only allow herself to think about Lucien and what she could do to stay alive.

She managed a believable laugh. 'Are you going to shoot a woman in your town house and expect to get away with it? It's still daylight. You're usually cleverer than that. Besides, if I die, you can' t find the diaries. Only I and one other know where they are.'

'I don't have to shoot you. I'd rather not. Murder

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is rather drastic.' Lucien waved the pistol towards a chair. 'Have a seat. I have another contract here. This one is a bill of sale between you and me. It's for the mines. The price is fair, at least for the record. You and I know what the real price is. That money will never show up in your bank account, but I will let you walk out of here.'

stared at the documents. She'd not thought to bring a weapon. She'd thought her threat would be enough.

'Here's a pen.' Lucien handed her the instrument, towering over her. 'I've been generous with you out of a sense of misplaced affection.'