One half of me is yours, the other half yours
Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours,
And so all yours.
The Merchant of Venice
Act 3 Scene 2
After Leighton took his leave, Avalon and Devan went in search of the girls. With her husband behind her, she knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she knocked again, only this time louder. “Do you suppose we have the wrong door?”
Before Devan could respond, the door swung open. Instantly, a pistol was shoved in her face.
“Both of you, over there.” An attractive man with light brown hair and shimmering gray eyes that flashed with a wild fury pointed to Sophia and Penelope. They stood in the middle of the room, holding each other.
Panic flared in the pit of Avalon’s stomach at the stark terror on their faces. She stood motionless, struggling to make sense of the sight before her. Her heartbeat pounded while the blood in her veins thickened from the cold that seeped into every inch of her.
“What is the meaning—”
Before Avalon could finish, the man aimed the pistol toward the middle of her forehead. “Quiet,” he hissed.
Devan darted in front of Avalon, using his body to shield her. “Who are you?”
“I’m Renford, Penelope’s bridegroom,” he snarled.
“After the maid left us, he found me,” Penelope murmured in a small voice.
“As if you could ever hide from me.” He waved the pistol in the direction of the young women. “Must I repeat myself? I said over there.”
Still shielding her body, Devan walked Avalon to her sister’s side. He turned to Renford. “How did you get in here?”
“Easy. I paid for a whore, then I walked straight into this room and I found one.” Renford glanced sideways at Penelope. “My bride-to-be.”
“What do you want?” Avalon tried to swallow the fear that swelled in her throat making it difficult to breathe.
“What’s mine.” The man narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”
“Avalon Farris.”
“And you?” He pointed the gun at Devan.
“I’m her husband, Devan Farris, the parish vicar of Thistledown.”
Avalon locked her knees in place, determined not to show any weakness. She turned to Sophia and Penelope. “Are you hurt?”
Her sister shook her head, but Penelope didn’t answer, keeping her gaze fixed on Renford.
“Let the women go.” Devan’s gaze didn’t stray from the madman, but his voice had taken a gentle tone, one designed to comfort someone hurt and wounded. “You don’t want to do any harm here.”
“Harm?” Renford scoffed. “I’m the one who’s been harmed here. I was promised a virtuous bride, but the whore spread her legs and now is carrying a bastard.”
Penelope flinched at the hateful words. “How do you know that?”
“Edward Grant waited for me at the gate of your aunt and uncle’s house. I didn’t even have time to freshen up. He told me all about it. How he loved you, then asked you to jilt me. The fool told me how you came to see him earlier to say goodbye. Lucky for me, he told me you were headed here.” Renford waved the gun around the room as his voice grew louder. “You thought to hide in a whore’s house?”
Penelope flinched.
He shook his head, waving the gun at her stomach. “A farmer? You gave your virtue to a farmer? Such plebeian tastes,” he snarled.
Penelope’s hand flew to her mouth. “Did you hurt him?”
With his eyes glowing, he resembled a monster as his hoarse laughter echoed in the room. He slashed his free hand across his neck. “Cut ’em like a pig.”
“No,” she cried. “Edward’s dead?”
“No one takes what’s mine.” Renford swung his attention to Avalon and Devan. “What am I going to do with you? I was only going to have to get rid of my fiancée’s friend. Now, I’ve two more to dispose of.” His upper lip crept up in a sneer. “Penelope, you’re not worth the effort, but here I am. Cleaning up your mess.”
Avalon took Sophia’s hand and squeezed. She tried to make sense of the sight before her. Her heartbeat pounded, sounding the alarm to run, but she stayed still.
Devan held up his hand as if trying to calm the man. “Don’t make the situation worse. Let them go, then you and I can discuss this in a civilized manner.”
Renford stalked closer to Devan, then aimed the gun directly at him. “I don’t consider you and your wife hiding Penelope from me in this brothel anything close to resembling civilized, Vicar.” He turned his attention to Penelope. “How dare you do this to me,” he sneered. “I loved you, and in return, you humiliated me.”
Her eyes widened in fear. “I’m sorry. Just let them go.”
“I’m sorry too.” A hint of pure malevolence tinted Renford’s voice as he shook his head. “You’re such a disappointment.”
With Renford focused on Penelope, Devan shot forward. When he went to grasp the gun, the madman backed up quickly. “No, no, no,” he chided. “Don’t try to be a hero.” He pointed the gun at the middle of Devan’s chest, then held his coat open. “I have two knives and another pistol ready. “If you even make a move to touch me again, I’ll gut your wife like I did Grant.”
At the sound of Edward’s name, Penelope whimpered.
Within seconds, he cocked the hammer, and Avalon’s heart stilled, suspended in her chest. Fear, a kind she’d never experienced before, withered everything within her to ashes. “Dear God in heaven,” she whispered.
“You’ll meet him soon, I promise.” With his eyes glazed with fury, Renford aimed the weapon at the middle of her chest with the powder burning.
Devan pushed Avalon at the same time a deafening shot rent the air. She fell against the wall hard enough that for a moment she saw stars. Another shot rang out, and various yelps and cries erupted around the room. The stench of sulfur and fire smothered the air. Along with the smoke, tears blurred her vision, keeping her from seeing what had happened.
“Devan?” she cried.
A deep groan sounded. Suddenly, Devan pulled her tightly to him. “Are you hurt?” His eyes were frantic as he catalogued her every feature while his hands reverently skated down her body, looking for wounds.
She shook her head, then found the ability to speak. “You?”
He stood slowly and pulled her to her feet. By then, the smoke had lessened. She turned to find Sophia beside her and Penelope enveloped in Edward Grant’s arms, who seemed to have come from nowhere. Thankfully, he was still alive.
“Your gown,” Sophia murmured, her eyes wide in fright. “Have you been shot?”
Avalon’s gaze skated down her skirt. Blood covered her dress, deep red blotches staining the green silk she wore. “Dev—” she whispered as she whirled around.
He leaned against the wall. His heavy breathing reminded Avalon of a chimney bellow. It was much too quick, as if he were nervous. He clenched his arm tightly around his waist. She fell to her knees as he cautiously lowered himself to the ground. Her hands trembled, but she examined him by running her hands carefully over his body just like he had done earlier to her until she found the blood oozing from his side. She hadn’t seen the wound immediately as he wore a black satin waistcoat. She pulled one side of her dress up and pressed a handful of her petticoats against his wound. The muslin slowly turned crimson from her husband’s blood.
Edward knelt beside Avalon, his cravat bloodstained from his injury. “I’ll fetch Miss Bolen.”
Devan grimaced and placed one of his bloody hands over hers. The warmth of his fingers helped assure her that he wasn’t losing that much blood.
“How badly are you wounded?” She swallowed her fear and focused on his face. His eyes narrowed in pain, but his cheeks were normal in color. Another sign that should have given her reassurance, but didn’t.
“He caught my side. I thought the bullet might have hit you also.” He flinched in pain, then smiled slightly. “It just grazed me.”
Two footmen burst through the door with Mary and her maid following right behind them.
“Help Mr. Farris to my bedroom,” Mary instructed the men, then turned to her maid. “Call the doctor.”
“What about the authorities, ma’am?” one of the footmen inquired.
“Let’s start with the coroner,” Mary said decisively. “He’ll bring the magistrate.”
Still pressing her garment against Devan’s side, Avalon glanced at Penelope and Sophia, who stood huddled together trying to make sense of what had happened. Avalon’s breath caught in panic. The danger wasn’t over. “Where’s Renford?”
Her gaze swept the floor until she found him. With his eyes glazed in death, Harrison Renford lay in a puddle of blood.
“Don’t, sweetheart,” Devan commanded softly. “Look at me.”
She turned to face him as the smell of blood and death surrounded them. “What happened? All I could concentrate on was Renford.”
“Edward entered the room and was almost upon Renford when Renford aimed the gun at you. I thought we had a chance to stop him.”
“Oh my God,” she gasped. “You foolish man.” Suddenly, she sobbed at the horror of what she’d almost lost, the love she’d finally found in her life. “You pushed me so he’d shoot you instead of … me. I could have lost you.”
After the footmen got Devan to his feet, he pulled Avalon to his good side. “No, you couldn’t have lost me, especially since I just married you, the woman who possesses my heart. Trust me when I say, I’m not going anywhere without you.”
Two days later, Avalon and Devan arrived home after the doctor gave his consent that Devan could travel. While Devan had rested at Mary’s establishment, he’d found his wife had another hidden talent, nursing. She hadn’t left his side the entire time.
Since the journey to Warwyk Hall had tired him, she’d demanded—yes demanded—that he immediately retire to their room. Avalon had hovered around him though he’d declared that he could see to his own needs. She’d answered in her commanding way—the one he adored—that he must be progressing very nicely since all he seemed to want to do was protest. Thane had kept him entertained with several games of chess while he was sequestered in bed, but when the day surrendered to night, he’d found he couldn’t stay awake.
When the next dawn broke, Devan didn’t bother to waste time seeing the sun rise. Not while he held his wife in his arms. He could lay there all morning and just watch her sleep and never be bored. Yet, a rare rising sun called for him to prepare for his day.
He carefully untangled his arms from around Avalon, then pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. For a moment longer, he watched as her deep rhythmic breathing continued. He leaned to open the drawer on his side table. He flinched as the movement pulled the stitches on his side. His wound was healing nicely, but it still gave him fits and starts if he didn’t move carefully. He retrieved the small velvet box that Thane had retrieved from the vicarage yesterday afternoon. The young lord had been instrumental in hiding it from Avalon’s watchful gaze. For the fifteenth time since its arrival, Devan opened it to admire the contents, his wedding present to his wife.
Carefully, he put it back in the drawer, then turned to her. Unable to resist, he kissed her lips. “I love you, Avalon.” His throat tightened. “With my body, my heart, and my soul. You’re a part of me forever.”
She moaned in response and threw an arm over her eyes. Quickly, she settled back into a deep sleep.
His chest shook with a silent rumble of laughter. Leave it to Avalon that her hatred of mornings made an appearance when he expressed his love. Tonight, he’d do it properly. He had so much to share with this special woman, and thankfully, he was the lucky recipient of all that made her unique.
Later that afternoon, Avalon had been surprised to discover that Devan had left on his own to visit a parishioner. Mr. Neville had informed her that the vicar’s presence at the Garrisons’ house had been requested by Mrs. Jennings. Mrs. Garrison, the mother-to-be, didn’t need Devan’s guidance, but the father-to-be did. According to the note Mrs. Jennings and her daughter, Patricia, sent, Mr. Garrison was becoming somewhat of a problem. Seemed that every five minutes, the poor man would pop his head in the room where his wife would start railing at him to leave her be.
Avalon had half a mind to follow Devan to ensure he wasn’t doing too much, but Mr. Neville had shared that her husband would be home shortly as word had spread that the Garrisons’ baby had come. Unfortunately, Mr. Garrison had fainted dead away and bumped his head at the news that he had a new son. The midwife now had an extra patient who needed her care.
While Avalon waited for her husband to return, she decided she’d visit her sister’s chambers. They hadn’t spoken about that night at Mary’s yet as all of Avalon’s time had been spent tending to Devan.
Sophia sat at the small desk in her sitting room with a journal in front of her. It was a cozy room, and the familiar smell of rose water and clean linen instantly calmed Avalon. Her sister looked her way and smiled grimly. With her wet hair braided in a long queue, Sophia should have resembled a young girl. Instead, she appeared like a woman who’d seen parts of the world that no one should ever have to experience.
Henri directed several maids who were removing the slipper tub from in front of the fire.
“How is she?” Avalon whispered to Henri.
Henri smiled affectionately. “She’s stronger than you or I give her credit. She doesn’t seem the worse for wear now.” A grimace skated across her lady maid’s face. “Undoubtedly, she wants to talk to you. I think there’s more to the story than what you know.” With that, Henri escorted the maids from the room, leaving Avalon alone with Sophia.
“Avalon, come in,” Sophia greeted her. “Thane’s already been in to see how I was doing.” Her voice caught in her throat. “I told him I was feeling a little under the weather.”
“Thane’s always been observant when it comes to us.” Avalon pulled up a side chair and settled in front of the desk. “I hoped we could talk now that it’s just you and me.”
Sophia nodded as she laid her quill aside. “Of course.” She traced a delicate finger around the outer edges of her journal a few times as if collecting her thoughts before leaning across the desk and placing her hand over Avalon’s. “You probably want to know why I took Penelope to Mary’s place in London.” Sophia released a deep breath. “I overheard you and Devan talking in the breakfast room that morning about Penelope’s situation.” Her sister dipped her head sheepishly. “I’ll be the first to admit, I panicked. When Penelope told me Lord Renford planned to visit the Rowleys and have the banns read, I knew I had to get her out of Thistledown.”
Avalon scooted closer. “But I don’t understand. Why Mary Bolen?”
Sophia shrugged. “I thought hiding her at Mary’s would be the perfect solution. Lord Renford would never think to look for her in a bawdy house. You always spoke so highly of Mary, even with your past entanglements.” She looked Avalon in the eye. “She was very kind. You’ll be pleased that she scolded me once she found out that you didn’t know about my plan.”
She sat absolutely still, determined not to allow the horrid memories of Devan bleeding in her arms to scald her with fear or anger. Avalon counted the seconds while she commanded her heartbeat to slow its rhythm in time with the ticking ormolu clock that sat on Sophia’s desk. She focused on the twin dolphins that supported the face of the clock with their backs, their faces a study of concentration as the creatures carried the weight of the clock as if it were serious business.
Silly animals who had no idea what it meant to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders yet still not able to control anything. She forced her gaze to her sister’s face. “Why didn’t you tell me your plans? Were you just going to disappear?”
“Once I got Penelope settled, then I planned to come home that evening. But you know the story. When those men accosted us, Marcus helped us.”
Avalon closed her eyes, trying to make sense of it all. “I’m so sorry.”
“You think this is your fault?” Sophia queried.
“I’m responsible for you,” Avalon countered.
“You’re not my mother, Avalon,” Sophia said softly. “But you are the best sister a woman could have. Please don’t try to accept the responsibility for my mistake as your own. Both you and Devan had just married, and I was trying to help a friend out of a frightening situation.” She bent her head and shook it slowly, clearly feeling remorse. “I’m sorry. I thought it’d be a short trip, and I’d planned to tell you what I’d done when I returned home. Penelope went to see Edward and told him we were going to Mary’s. He told Renford in the heat of the argument. That’s how Renford found us.” Her voice grew softer. “Avalon?”
“Yes, Sophia,” she answered like she’d done a thousand times before when her sister needed solace. She should be scolding her for lying to her, but the truth was Avalon was just happy to have her home safe.
Her sister smiled. “Good hearts and deeds prevailed that day. Mary Bolen protected us and so did Marcus.” She fiddled with the edge of her journal again. “But your Devan was a true hero.” She looked to the ceiling as her voice wobbled slightly. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you…”
The sound tore a rip in Avalon’s heart. Tears welled in her eyes. “I was so scared when I saw him bleeding on the floor. I thought I’d lost him.”
Sophia rushed to hug her. “I know how much you love him. I’m so thankful you both found each other. I want that.”
Avalon clung to her sister. The warmth of Sophia’s body anchored her from losing herself in the nightmares that would seize her at moments of her day. “Thank you. You want someone like Devan, darling?”
She lifted her eyes and nodded at Avalon. “Marcus … I mean Mr. Leighton … he asked if he could call on me. I think he’s interested in marriage.”
Avalon wiped the tears from her eyes. “Would you like that?”
“Yes.” Sophia straightened her shoulders and smiled. “I want to marry him.”
“Why?” she asked softly, hoping to convince her sister to take her time. “You won’t have a Season. I don’t want you to rush into marriage like I did. I want you to experience the world and find love. I want you to find a man who will love and care for you. I want a man who will put you before all others in his life.”
“Maybe I found him.” Sophia smiled at her impassioned speech.
“No,” Avalon said adamantly.
“Avalon, please hear me out.”
The resolute tone in her voice made Avalon lean back in her chair. She’d never heard her sister take such a decisive tone with her before.
“I think we’ll have a good life together. He’s kind and considerate.” Her face softened as she spoke of Marcus. “Trust me to make the right decision. I don’t want to go through what you did.”
“That’s exactly what you’ll be doing.”
“It’s my choice,” Sophia argued without raising her voice. “You chose to marry Devan.” Before Avalon could say another word, Sophia continued, “And I’m glad you did. It’s like the leaden cloak of worry and responsibility you’ve worn for years has finally been untied from around your shoulders. You’ve shed your loneliness. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. I think Marcus can do that for me.”
Avalon pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. Sophia had matured during her hours in London and had become infinitely wiser. “Devan is a wonderful man and husband. I want you to have the same.”
“He’s lucky to have you. You’re a remarkable woman who is kind and giving. Look at how you care for others in the village, including Thane and me. You’ve sacrificed so much for us, and we’re better for it. If anyone deserves happiness, it’s you. I believe I can have that with Marcus.”
Tears ran down Avalon’s face and a soft sob escaped. She nodded.
They both stood, and Avalon embraced her. “How’s Penelope?”
“She’s well and happy. She came to see me today. Edward asked her to marry him again, and this time she accepted.”
“Why didn’t she say yes the first time?”
Sophia took a step back and regarded Avalon. “Because she thought Renford would kill him if she married him. She thought if she could convince Devan to marry her, he and his brothers could have convinced Renford to leave her alone peacefully.” Sophia smiled slightly. “She panicked, and just like me, she didn’t think through her actions. But now, she can finally live her life as she pleases. I’m happy for her.”
“I’m happy for her too.” Avalon kissed her sister’s cheek again.
Sophia lifted an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you go find your husband?”
“When did you become so presumptuous?” Avalon asked.
“When I decided that I wanted to be just like my older sister.” Sophia guided her to the door. “If you want to sleep at the vicarage, Henri and I can watch Thane.”
Avalon whipped her gaze to her sister.
“Precious gifts are to be enjoyed.” With that, Sophia returned to her desk.