No Decent Gentleman (35 page)

Whirling around, Sabrina called, "Forbes, I need someone to run to Park Lane and tell my husband that I need him here immediately. Tell him it's urgent."

"I'll do it myself," Forbes told her, and left the town house on the run.

Sabrina started up the stairs again. The last place she wanted to go was into that drawing room. Only the disturbing thought of her sister's being alone with a murderer gave her the courage to put one foot in front of the other... .

While his wife was walking up the front stairs to his uncle's town house, Adam sat in his study with Viscount Dorchester. Winston lay curled up in front of the hearth.

"So the farmer persuaded the duke that even his cock laid eggs," Adam finished telling his guest the joke.

Dudley Egremont burst out laughing, and Adam joined in his merriment. The two men waited patiently for the solicitor to prepare a tentative betrothal agreement.

Things were progressing nicely, Adam thought. Nothing unplanned had happened, probably because Sabrina hadn't popped into the study. He hoped she wasn't baking. On the other hand, baking was better than shopping. What if she shopped every time something upset her?

Though he knew Egremont was smitten with Courtney, Adam wasn't going to let the younger man leave until an agreement had been signed. Those were his orders from Prince Adolphus and Uncle Charles. Too many unforeseen events could happen unless an agreement was signed, especially since the bride-to-be was adopted.

"My lord, whatever was that gossip in
The Times
about?" Dudley asked him. "I never thought that paper would print such outrageous lies."

"The article was fact, not rumor," Adam said, relaxing back in his chair. "My wife is giving her inheritance to her sister. Courtney and you are welcome to it. Your estate is only two miles from Abingdon. Too bad Lord Briggs's land separates your estate from the Savage's."

"Marrying Courtney is reward enough for me," Dudley said.

"Spoken like a man in love," Adam replied.

The solicitor returned with the tentative agreement. First, Dudley Egremont signed and then Adam in his uncle's absence.

"Thank you, Mr. Wembly," Adam said in dismissal.

"You are welcome, my lord." Before leaving, me solicitor turned to Egremont and said, "May I offer you my sincere congratulations?"

Dudley Egremont grinned. "Thank you, sir," he said, shaking the man's hand.

Adam poured two drams of whiskey and passed one to his guest. Raising his glass in salute, he toasted, "May your marriage be blessed with harmonious days, satisfying nights, and several strong sons."

Before the younger man could reply, the door flew open. Higgins and Razi raced each other into the study.

"My lord—" Razi began.

"Mister Forbes is here with an urgent message from your wife," Higgins finished.

"Send him in," Adam said, puzzled.

"Come on inside," Razi shouted.

"Good day, my lord," Forbes said, walking into the study. "Lady Sabrina needs you at His Grace's town house. She said the matter is urgent."

Adam glanced at Dudley Egremont and smiled, saying, "You'll learn soon enough that when it comes to the ladies getting what they want, everything is urgent."

"I believe it has something to do with Lord Briggs visiting Courtney," Forbes added.

"What?" Adam shouted.

Before Forbes could repeat himself, Higgins said, "Her Ladyship told us she was going to catch a weasel."

"You should have told me this earlier," Adam snapped at his retainers as he bolted out of his chair. "Come with me, Egremont. I'm certain our ladies are in trouble. Razi, tell Abdul and Sagi that I'll need them immediately." Then he turned to the viscount and explained, "My foolish wife set out to prove that Lord Briggs murdered her father. The gossip in
The Times
was intentionally dropped in order to entice Briggs to seek out Courtney."

"
My
Courtney?" Dudley cried, bolting out of his chair.

At that, Adam opened a drawer in his desk and withdrew a pistol. After verifying that it was loaded, he headed for the door. Viscount Dorchester walked behind him, and Winston followed them out. Forbes hurried after them.

Sabrina walked down the second-floor corridor like a woman on her way to the gallows. Her feet moved slowly as if she wore leaden shoes, but her heartbeat quickened with each step forward.

Her father's murderer was sitting in the drawing room, pretending that he was civilized, Sabrina thought. How could she trick him into confessing? Her husband would know what to do. She was certain of that.

And then Sabrina reached the drawing room. Oh, Lord, the door was closed. She pressed her ear to the door and listened to the voices inside.

"You cannot love me," Courtney cried. "Why are you doing this?"

"For the land, of course," Briggs answered. "Now, remove your underdrawers, hike your gown up, and lie down on the sofa. Once the deed is done, no man but me will want you in marriage."

"And if I refuse?" Courtney challenged him.

"Refusing me would be very unhealthy," Briggs threatened. "If you try to alert the servants, I'll shoot them."

Sabrina knew what she had to do. She lifted the bottom edge of her skirt up and removed the tiny dagger from its sheath. With a badly shaking hand, she held the dagger tightly, as if her life depended on not dropping it.

That last moment in the corridor nearly felled Sabrina. She felt her heart pounding frantically, and the blood rushing through her made her feel faint.

Taking a deep breath, Sabrina squared her shoulders in dogged determination and reached for the doorknob. Her only chance was the element of surprise. Almost noiselessly, she turned the knob and slowly opened the door. Stepping inside, she saw that Edgar stood with his back facing the door. She started forward silently.

"I said to lie on the sofa," Edgar growled at her sister. "Remove those underdrawers first."

"I will never let you violate me," Courtney insisted. "I don't believe you even carry a pistol."

Sabrina stood just behind Edgar. Lifting her hand, she touched the back of his neck with the dagger's sharp point.

"Every pot has a lid, but you won't be covering my sister," Sabrina said. "I do believe I've flushed a weasel out of his hole." Then she ordered, "Courtney, step away from him."

When her sister was out of harm's way, Sabrina said, "Turn around, Edgar, and—"

Edgar whirled around quickly and grabbed her wrist. Caught by surprise, Sabrina dropped the dagger, and he kicked it across the chamber.

Releasing her wrist, Edgar pulled a pistol from inside his waistcoat and pointed it at Sabrina and Courtney. "You realize that both of you must die now."

"The game is up," Sabrina told him. "Surrender yourself to the authorities before my husband gets his hands on you."

Edgar laughed without humor. "Dearest Sabrina, we could have been so happy together. I would have—"

"Spare me your distorted vision of what might have been," Sabrina sneered with contempt. "You never measured up, Edgar. I wouldn't have married you even if you were the last—"

Silencing her, Edgar struck out, and the force of his blow sent her crashing to the floor. Courtney screamed and screamed and screamed.

"Shut up,'' Edgar snapped at her, pointing the pistol at Sabrina."I'll shoot her if you don't stop screaming."

In an instant, Courtney stifled her screams, but her body shook visibly with the effort to keep her horror contained.

"As long as you are going to murder me," Sabrina said, "I want to know how you managed to murder my father in spite of the fact that the study door was locked."

Edgar remained silent for one long moment, and Sabrina stared unwaveringly into his eyes, eyes that held no more emotion than a fish's. Strangely, she had never noticed that until this moment.

"I sneaked into the study through the unlocked floor-to-ceiling window," Edgar said finally. "I knocked him out and then locked the study door from the inside. After hanging him, I slipped out the window again and hid in the woodland. An hour later I returned to ask for your hand in marriage."

"But the window was locked," Sabrina said in confusion. "Forbes saw you break the pane of glass."

"I only pretended the window was locked," Edgar admitted.

"And what about the attempt on my husband's life?" Sabrina asked. "Were you behind that too?"

Edgar smiled and shrugged. "Unfortunately, luck was running against me when it came to your husband, but my plan to murder your father worked rather nicely."

"How very clever of you to overpower a man who was nearly twice your age," said a voice from the doorway.

Sabrina shifted her gaze and smiled at her husband. With pistols in their hands, Adam and Dudley Egremont stood there. And then from somewhere behind her rescuers, she heard her dog's distinctive growl.

"Give it up, Briggs," Adam said, his voice deceptively quiet. "There are three of us, not counting Winston, and you can only get one shot off. My retainers will be here any moment, and Forbes has gone to get the authorities."

In one swift movement, Edgar reached down with one hand and yanked Sabrina to her feet. Then he pointed the barrel of the pistol at her head.

"I'll shoot her if you don't drop your weapons," he threatened.

Unexpectedly, Winston dashed forward into the drawing room. Edgar shifted the pistol away from Sabrina and aimed for the wolfhound.

"Don't shoot my dog," Sabrina shrieked, whirling around to stay the baron's hand.

At the same moment, Winston leaped into the air and tackled Edgar to the floor. The pistol flew out of his hand and landed across the room; the force of its hitting the floor discharged a bullet, startling everyone.

"Get him off me," Edgar shouted.

When Adam stood over Edgar and leveled his gun on him, Sabrina pulled Winston away. Across the chamber, Dudley Egremont retrieved the baron's pistol.

Abdul and Sagi raced into the drawing room. At a gesture from Adam, the two men dragged Edgar to his feet.

Sabrina flew into her husband's waiting arms. She hid her face against his chest and began weeping uncontrollably.

"Don't ever pull a stunt like this again," Adam said, tightening his hold on her. "I died a thousand times when he pointed that pistol at you."

"I-I w-won't," Sabrina sobbed. "I never thought you would g-get here."

Uncle Charles and Prince Adolphus chose that moment to return from their ride. Both looked shocked, even more so when a troop of Bow Street Runners brushed past them into the drawing room.

"What is happening in my home?" Uncle Charles demanded, staring at their weapons.

"My wife has managed to squeeze a confession out of the baron," Adam told him. "Edgar Briggs murdered Henry Savage, and he nearly killed my wife and her sister today."

"I'll see him hanged for Henry's murder," Prince Adolphus promised as the authorities led Edgar out of the room.

Adam kissed the top of his wife's head and then called to the wolfhound, "How many times do I need to explain the difference between a weasel and a wolf?"

Everyone in the drawing room laughed. Sabrina stopped her weeping and smiled up at him.

"From now on, Winston is allowed to eat as many cucumber sandwiches as he wants," Adam told her. "Even better, we'll set a place for him at the table."

"I'll never keep anything from you again," Sabrina promised.

"Nothing?"

Sabrina shook her head.

"I love you, Princess," Adam whispered just before his lips claimed hers. "I'll always be truthful with you."

Sabrina giggled against his lips, and when he drew back to look at her, she said, "Oh, so now that all your secrets are revealed, you'll promise to be truthful?"

Adam gave her his devastating smile.

Turning in the circle of his arms, Sabrina saw Dudley kissing her sister and asked, "Is that permissible before the wedding?"

"Quite permissible," Adam answered, his love for her shining in his intense blue gaze. He lowered his head and claimed her lips, pouring all of his love into that single, stirring kiss.

"I love you, Princess," Adam whispered. "I plan to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

"And I love you, my prince," Sabrina vowed, gazing up at him through gleaming green eyes. "I'm so happy. I may never bake again."

Epiloque

London, 1817

"Happy fifteenth wedding anniversary," Adam said in a loud whisper, walking into his chamber at the Park Lane town house. He crossed the distance to the bed.

"That was yesterday," Sabrina told him.

"You were busy yesterday," Adam said, dropping his gaze to his one-day-old daughter. Gingerly, he sat on the edge of the bed and, with one finger, caressed his daughter's cheek. "Baby St. Aubyn feels softer than silk ... like her mother."

Sabrina smiled. "Baby St. Aubyn?"

"Well, what should I call her?" Adam asked. "We haven't named her yet."

"What do you think of Farrah?" Sabrina asked. "Farrah means beautiful one, and Farrah St. Aubyn sounds pleasant."

"I don't think so," Adam answered, giving her a boyishly charming grin. "In my land, Farrah means wild donkey."

Sabrina laughed, but then grew serious. "What is your mother's name?'

An expression of sadness crossed her husband's face, but he quickly banished it. "Her name is Regina."

"Regina St. Aubyn," Sabrina repeated. "I like the sound of it. We'll call her Regina."

Adam lifted her free hand to his lips and said in an aching voice, "Thank you, my love."

"I only wish my father were here to see his first grandchild," Sabrina said, a wistful note to her voice. "At least he now lies in hallowed ground."

"And the villain who did him in will never have the chance to hurt anyone else," Adam said.

"Let's never mention Edgar or his execution in front of Regina," Sabrina said. "I don't want her marred or sullied by even hearing the villain's name. I want Regina to hear nothing but laughter and words of love."

Both Adam and Sabrina shifted their gazes to the door when they heard someone knock. "Enter," Adam called.