The Copper and the Madam (15 page)

“How long have I been out?”

Rory held her hand in a tight grip, as if
he’d never let her go. His other hand brushed aside a lock of hair
from her forehead.

“A few hours.”

She sighed. “Everything is fuzzy.”

“It’s the laudanum. You needed stitches,
quite a few.”

Rea coughed and blinked several times.
“Southen?”

“At Newgate Prison. When we dragged him out
of here, he was babbling incoherently. He did confess to killing
Gordon before he grew silent. It is enough for a murder conviction
along with attempted murder on you. Thing is, I doubt he will hang.
The aristos rarely do. He will never leave prison though, that I
can promise you.” Rory exhaled. “I need you to forgive me.”

“Good God, for what?”

He gripped her hand tighter. “I should have
been here, protecting you. I failed you.”

Rory’s voice shook with emotion.

“That disgusting man hid in the passageways
like an alley rat. How were we to know? He must have been there all
night. The thought chills my soul. Rory, he could have murdered us
all in our beds.”

A soft knock interrupted their conversation.
Jacob stuck his head in the door.

“Is there anything you need? A nice cup of
tea, Rhiannon?”

Jacob had never called her Rhiannon before.
He knew her name; he’d heard Rory say it some days past. At that
exact moment, she ceased being Rea. She would think of herself only
as Rhiannon from now on. No more hiding, no more disguises.

“A cup of tea would be lovely.”

Jacob smiled and closed the door.

“He feels as guilty as I do, that he wasn’t
here to protect you.” Rory stated.

“You both shouldn’t feel that way. Actually,
I am glad you both weren’t.”

Rory’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

“I had to face him myself, face my past.
Banish the horrible memories. Remember I told you about the earl
who bought me? I learned today he was Southen’s father. Southen
himself was one of my first customers. I needed to purge all that
and I did.” She kissed his hand. “Besides, you were with me the
whole time. Your steady voice told me to keep him talking, to stay
calm and focused. And I did. When I saw my chance, I hit him with
the statue and kicked him a couple of times for good measure.”

Rory laughed. “Aye, I saw your heel prints on
his face. Seriously, love. I am horrified Southen’s father and
Southen himself were such a part of your past.”

“Not anymore. All I want to do is leave it
behind me. Living and loving. Rory, I cannot wait to begin.”

Rory found himself surprised that he could
contain so much love and desire in his heart. He sat on the edge of
the bed, cupped her face tenderly, and kissed her. Her lips were
soft and luscious like the rest of her. Already a jolt of lust shot
down his torso, and he hardened in response. It would always be
like this; he knew it with his copper instinct. The heat and sizzle
would never flame out. Nor would his admiration and respect for one
of the strongest women he had ever had the privilege to know. Who
knew what the future would bring? Whether they had children or not,
they were a solid couple. The certain knowledge they loved each
other passionately could overcome any obstacle ahead. Life had its
bumps in the road, those never-ending vile tasks that had the
capacity to suck the joy out of the journey. With Rhiannon, all was
possible.

Living and loving began now.

Karyn lives in a small town in the western
corner of Ontario, Canada. She wiles away her spare time writing
and reading romance while drinking copious amounts of Earl Grey
tea. Tortured heroes are a favorite. A multi-published author with
a few best-sellers under her belt, Karyn loves to write in
different genres and time periods. As long as she can avoid being
hit by a runaway moose in her wilderness paradise, she assumes
everything is golden.

Karyn’s been happily married for a long time
to her own hero. His encouragement keeps her moving forward.

You can visit with Karyn at:

www.karyngerrard.com

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