Emma nodded and went to the door without looking back. She pulled in a long breath and closed the door behind her, continuing on silent feet over the concrete and through the connecting door to the kitchen.
Weapons, she thought frantically, lifting the heavy iron skillet and thinking it was extremely trite, but she really didn’t care at the moment. She left it sitting beside the door and crept very quietly through the halls. She could hear them coming in the main entrance and clung to the shadows until she heard them in the library.
“I’ve asked the local magistrate to attend this,” Lucas was saying. “I feel a witness to the surrender of the money to the Yard would be most advantageous.”
“You can quit the game, St. Christopher.”
“We’re here to retrieve the money, St. Christopher. Nothing more,” one of the men informed him bluntly. “Where is your very pretty little wife?”
“Emma wasn’t feeling well and went to one of the cottages of a woman who prepares remedies,” Lucas lied.
“Search the house,” came the gruff order, the ruse obviously over.
Emma waited, holding her breath until she saw the shadow come around the edge. Then she gave a cheerful smile and ran, hiking up her dress and trying to remember all the youthful traits that were now hers.
She rounded the corner in the kitchen and jumped onto the chair she’d placed there, skillet raised and ready. As she hoped, he never thought to look to the side as he came barreling through the door.
After all, she was nothing more than a harmless, weak female.
She was pretty sure she looked as she swung. At least she heard the really heavy sounding thud when the skillet connected with his head and he went soaring across the room. Emma grabbed up the twine she’d found that Mrs. Neilson used to bind chickens together before roasting.
He wasn’t moving, but he was breathing and there wasn’t any blood, which she was really grateful for. Using every muscle she had, she shoved him to his stomach and pulled his arms behind him. Winding and making tight figure eights, she tied off his wrists before moving to his feet. Huffing and puffing, she pulled him to the side and leaned both hands on her knees, trying to get her breath back and make her heart stop hammering so hard.
Inhaling deeply, Emma straightened up, pushed her shoulders back and put her skillet back next to the door. She’d only seen three of them. Two in the coach and one in the driver’s seat. Which meant there were two more.
She did not like the sounds she heard when she crept down the hall the second time and knew Lucas was being hurt. Okay, attention getting time. She let out with a yell and waited.
“Go find her! And bring her back here with Jake!” Was the gruff order. “She’ll make his lordship see reason.”
Emma saw the man that had been driving the coach come out of the library and stepped into his line of sight for all of one second before taking off again. Her feet slid slightly on the concrete as she entered the kitchen and hopped onto the chair, the skillet raised and ready.
A wince hit her features after she swung. This time there was blood because the man had turned slightly at the same time the flat bottom of the skillet struck. Emma climbed down slowly, listening to his groaning. She grabbed the twine quickly and had him bound securely with his wrists behind his back and ankles tightly tied together before she stood up, hands on her face for a quiet minute.
Suddenly, a number of things unfolded at once.
Brock burst into the back of the kitchen with bludgeon raised. Emma screamed, loudly.
Lucas heard the shattering, piercing scream and sent his fist into the face of the man he’d been wrestling with in the library.
Harris and two very disheveled inspectors for Scotland Yard came rushing into the library from the balcony, breathing heavily and ready to fight.
Emma’s hands went to her chest after the scream had rattled the walls in the estate. Then she exhaled and was relieved, one finger going to her lips as she crept back through the door to the main hall.
She heard the scuffling and shouting, but lost track completely when she saw Lucas come bursting out of the library.
“Emma!” Lucas shouted with every bit of air in his lungs, his body coming to a sharp halt when she rounded the corner from the kitchen. But she scarcely paused a moment before she launched herself at full speed down the hall and into arms he barely managed to lift from his sides.
This time he had no intention of releasing her for a long time.
“Oh, Lucas! You’re hurt!” Emma clung to him. His glasses were gone. His lip was bleeding and his shirt torn but she wasn’t about to let him go.
“I heard your scream, Emma, are you alright? Did they hurt you?” Lucas forced himself to lean her away so he could take in her face, but he lost and kissed her, hard and hungrily. “You’re alright,” he whispered against her mouth.
“I’m alright,” she returned.
“Ah-hem,” came the deep voice from behind him, standing in the door to the library. “Your lordship?”
“In the kitchen,” Brock said with a low chuckle.
“Mr. Harris…we need some cloth and water, please,” Emma said firmly, pushing against the strong shoulders that held her feet off the floor, again. “Put me down, Lucas, I’m alright. You’re the one hurt,” she told him, taking his hand and leading him back into the library.
Lucas somehow managed silence as he was led past the three men staring.
“Emma, these are the inspectors sent by Scotland Yard,” he said with only a hint of humor as the genuine James Hawthorne extended his palm.
“Lady St. Christopher,” he greeted her with slightly tipped head.
Emma stared until she realized he was speaking to her. Her hand was up immediately before turning and pushing Lucas into the desk chair.
“And the gentleman…” a smile creased his lips below the small moustache as he watched the men coming along the hall. He looked over at Emma. “You are responsible for this, Lady St. Christopher?”
“Me and a skillet…and some kitchen twine,” Emma admitted reluctantly.
“Marcus Plurent, my associate,” James introduced, his head shaking at the men being escorted toward the exit. “Make certain they are very secure, Marcus.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady St. Christopher. Very nice work,” he nodded in approval as he walked past the open library door.
“Emma…” Lucas looked from the two passing men who had gone after her to the sweetly distracted wife now dipping a cloth into a pan of water and gently cleaning the blood from his face. He decided surrendering to the moment might be best and relaxed, his eyes closing for a quiet breath of relief. His hand settled on her hip, gently massaging as he tried not to wince too noticeably.
“I couldn’t just sit and do nothing, Lucas,” Emma sighed, hoping she could sit in the morning. “Is it over?”
“We will return the funds to the bank today and escort these gentlemen to prison, Lady St. Christopher,” James Hawthorne told her with a firm nod. “I must thank you for sending your man to our aid, milord. They were prepared for us and we know now it was the one called Daniel Sims providing information to them.”
“Did you get him?” Emma asked anxiously, unconsciously moving closer to Lucas. She finished dabbing and dropped the cloth into the basin. Her finger brushed the disheveled dark blond hair from his forehead and around his ear. “We’re a pair, sir. Quite a bit bruised.”
“We apprehended him last night, milady,” James assured her. “As well as the mastermind working in the Inn where you stayed with your father.”
“How did their money get into the trunk?” Emma didn’t protest when Lucas eased her onto the wide arm of his chair, his hand securely around her waist and head resting against her side. She sighed and draped her arm around his shoulders.
“From what they’ve shared with our people, their man at the Inn was watching for a likely person they could use to relocate the money once it was in their custody. Evidently the maids working there had reported that the young lady in a given room never appeared to move.” James watched the young couple closely.
“My father had me drugged for his own plans to confiscate an inheritance,” Emma explained with a sigh.
“The man working the Inn bribed a maid to help him. He knew when you were in the suite alone and switched your trunk with the special one with the false bottom,” James explained, grateful for the offered tea. “Thank you. Before they made the switch, they’d already overheard the plans your father had made with the elder Lord St. Christopher. They felt it was perfect for them. Their plan was to fake the hijacking of your carriage, remove what they were after and crash the carriage over one of the higher curves along the coast line.”
Emma bit her lip. She knew she was breathing too fast and felt the hot stinging in her eyes.
“Emma,” Lucas urged her against him, his mouth next to her ear. “It’s alright.”
“I am most sorry, milady, I did not mean to…my apologies…” James Hawthorne’s face flushed bright red.
“No. I’m okay…” Emma laid her head against Lucas’ chest and just breathed for a moment. “Please, continue. I need to know.”
“They had their plan but it was shattered when his lordship appeared on the scene and took off after your carriage,” James said, the story and his report laid out in his mind. “From that point on, they were in disarray on how to retrieve their stolen goods.”
“Someone broke into my bedroom where the trunk was, but I never saw who it was,” Emma said quietly. “And Daniel tried…but obviously failed.”
“Excuse me,” Lucas looked over pointedly at Harris. “Send Brock to the stables and let them know it’s safe to return to their duties.”
Harris nodded and left the room.
“Then it is finished, Inspector?” Lucas asked, wrapping his arms around Emma. “I believe we’d like nothing more than peace the rest of the year.”
“I’ll get my lock box from the coach and be right back,” James told them, nodding once before striding from the house, leaving through the balcony doors.
Lucas reluctantly set Emma on the floor and went to the safe. He rolled his head on his shoulders and lifted them several times, wincing at the pain. It had been a very long time since he’d been in any kind fist fight. He reached between two books and worked the mechanism, the panel sliding to the side to reveal the large metal door.
He worked the combination, turning the heavy bar handle and pulled the door wide just as Marcus and James returned with a large lock box between them.
“We have papers for you to sign, milord.” James told him, gesturing to Marcus to begin loading. He bought out several papers and went to the desk. “I believe there is a substantial reward.”
“No,” Emma said loudly, keeping her head high when all the men turned and looked at her. “Donate it to the local hospital, please. We acquired it completely by accident.”
James looked for confirmation from Lucas.
“I agree with my wife, Inspector,” Lucas smiled at the woman sitting at his desk. He turned back to the vault, helping hand out the money that had been stored there. “I’m sure the bank will be very happy to see their funds returned. I only hope they manage to mend whatever hole enabled this robbery to take effect.”
“They are feeling quite foolish, your lordship,” James said with a small chuckle. “We’ve helped them ferret out the inside man and they intend to take a very close look at the private lives of their employees and just how they can prevent this in the future.”
“I wish them luck,” Emma murmured, dipping her hands into the basin and rinsing them. “I’m glad it’s over. I’m going to check on Nancy and the others,” she said with a smile at the men. “It was nice meeting you, Inspectors. Please be careful on your return.”
“We shall, milady. And I promise you, the man you know as Daniel as well as these others shall not trouble you or yours again. Good day to you.”
Emma didn’t realize her hands were shaking until she made it to the kitchen, her hands out to grip the table before she collapsed into a chair.
“Miss Emma?” Nancy came from the side, glancing quickly at Mrs. Neilson.
“I’m okay…I think it just hit me…just need to breathe,” Emma told them, her voice more than a little shaky. “Some water? Please?”
“Yes…” Nancy hurried off, filling a tall glass and fitting Emma’s hand around it.
“Fetch his lordship,” Mrs. Neilson ordered.
“No!” Emma sent up a palm and drained the water before setting the glass down. “I’m fine. He’s been hurt and he’s busy with the Inspector,” she told them firmly, straightening in the chair and inhaling deeply. “Are the others alright?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Mrs. Neilson said instantly. “Brock and the others made certain everything was safe.”
“Good…good…”
“Mrs. Neilson,” Harris entered the kitchen, stopping suddenly. “Is there a problem?”
“I am fine, thank you,” Emma said quietly.
“His lordship has ordered the house locked up and everyone to have time away until noon on the second day,” Harris said firmly.
“Very good idea,” Emma said with a sigh. “This was a crazy day. A couple days off is a fine way to relax. I can easily make up food and maybe I’ll just sleep for two days.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Harris?” Mrs. Neilson looked at Emma with concern.
“I am fine,” Emma repeated and pushed herself to her feet. “Just a little…really glad this is over and things can be normal.” She hugged Mrs. Neilson and smiled. “Go home and relax for a few days. We will manage. Thank you…all of you.”
She left the kitchen before she started crying and she didn’t know why. Stress, she thought. It had definitely been days like she’d never known before. She entered the library in time to see Lucas close and turn the latch on the balcony doors. There was no hesitation in her when he faced her, his palm up and open.
Lucas didn’t breathe until he had her firmly in his arms.
“We’re a fine pair, my sweet,” Lucas said quietly after a few silent minutes.
“I suppose we do need a bath…although, I’d really rather just climb into bed and not move for hours and hours,” Emma admitted with a sigh.
Lucas brushed her temple with his lips and turned them both toward the stairs.
“I believe the trials of the day have finally caught up with you.” Lucas let her twine their fingers and lead him into the bedroom. They didn’t bother with the door. He knew Harris and the others would follow his instructions without question and they would have the house to themselves.
“Things certainly did not go as I had planned,” Emma admitted. She turned to face him, walking backwards as she opened the only two remaining buttons on his shirt.
“I’m sure I can locate the buttons in the library,” Lucas said when a little wince crossed her features.
“I suppose having boxing as a hobby paid off,” Emma said, sliding the shirt down his arms and dropping it to the basket she’d placed near the bathroom.
“Emma?” Lucas didn’t move from the spot when she wandered to the balcony doors, opening them wide and welcoming the soft, rain tinted air to fill the room.
She stared out into the light mist falling over the dusty ground. She admitted to becoming accustomed to the name, especially when he said it. She hadn’t allowed herself to think much about yesterdays, another time, another place and maybe even another person, she admitted to herself. She couldn’t be there any longer.
But here, with Lucas, she felt whole and alive. If it was a dream, it showed no signs of ending and if given the option, conveniences or not, she would remain with him, if he’d allow her.
“What’s wrong?” His words whispered against her temple, his hands light on her shoulders.
“We’re married,” she said quietly.
“We are.”
“You won’t send me away?”
“That plan didn’t work quite as well as I’d hoped,” he admitted with a hint of humor in his voice.
“I’m not very good at…at hiding, Lucas. And I know I’m not very good at conforming,” Emma sighed. “I don’t want you to be angry with me but I don’t think I can change to be the perfect British wife for you, either. And disappointing…” she stopped when he turned her to face him. “Disappointing you hurts more than I thought possible,” she whispered raggedly.
His hands moved to her face, thumbs beneath her chin and tipping her head back.
“I don’t want anyone but you, Emma. We can hope this effort to keep you safe and out of harm’s way is something that won’t have to be repeated.” Lucas kissed her softly, his mouth tasting from one corner to the other before settling firmly. Her lips parted for him, inviting him inside with a soft whisper.
“I love you, Lucas.” She let her hands press over the smoothness of his shoulders and chest. “I am very grateful for whatever…whoever…brought us together.”
“I prefer to place my belief in science,” he teased, kissing her and slowly backing toward the bed.
Emma fell lightly over him when he sprawled back on the surface of the bed, her hands framing his face. But this time when she kissed him, she saw the bright red glow of a stone with mysterious rune markings across the surface on one side. She broke their kiss, breathless and blinking but the vision was gone.
Science or magic, she only knew she’d be thankful for the second chance.