Chapter Nineteen

Exhausted, Emily and Annie stood outside the front door of Emily’s house.

“Now remember, Annie,” she said. “I want none of your hysterics. Papa’s condition has worsened considerably over the last two weeks, and I fear the next few days will be his last.”

Annie’s eyes were sad and afraid. “You must tell him what happened with Mr. Milne. He cannot get away with treating you that way.”

“I will find the words once I am in front of him.”

Annie’s gaze lingered at Emily’s cheek. “What of your face? Mr. Darson will—”

Emily closed her eyes. “I know. I know. It will be all right. I will tell him marrying Nicholas is no longer an option.”

Annie’s eyes glazed with unshed tears. “What will you do? What if Mr. Samson does not return?”

Emily smiled, the prospect of adventure sweeping through her stomach in a loop the loop. “Then I will seek him out. If I do not find him, at least I will have tried. I will do just as well alone.”

“You can’t mean that. There is no one else on this earth as perfect for you as Mr. Samson.”

Emily unlocked the front door. “Come. Enough of this romantic fantasy. Let’s face what has to be done and tell my father I am to break the contract, regardless of certain struggle.”

Emily stepped into the hallway and stopped. Something was significantly different. Malcolm did not greet her, and there were far too many voices coming from the drawing room that was normally so quiet. Frowning, she hastened forward and strode into the drawing room.

“Papa? Is everything…” Her question died on her lips.

Will stood on the edge of a circle of women, his handsome face split into a smile the breadth of the River Avon. He met her eyes over their heads. He stood in her home as though he’d never been away. Emily’s heart turned over in her chest, and her skin tingled. She longed to run into his arms, but her feet would not move. Her brain whirled with a million apprehensions of why he was there and who the women were with him.

Emily took a step toward the circle. “What’s happening?”

Katherine immediately emerged from behind Will and came toward her, a huge smile brightening her pretty face. “Emily, you’re home.” She held out her hands as if to clasp Emily’s when Katherine’s gaze fell on her cheek and her smile dissolved. “Your face. What happened? My goodness, is that blood?”

Emily lifted her fingers to her wound as both cheeks turned hot beneath the sudden silence. “It’s nothing. I—”

Will came forward and stood in front of her. His gaze targeted her cheek, and his blue eyes darkened to almost black. “Who did this?”

Fear shot through her. If he knew Nicholas struck her…She ignored his question and looked over his shoulder. “Who are all these people?”

“Friends of mine.” He lifted his hand to her wounded cheek and then curled it into a fist. “Was it Milne?”

Emily snatched her gaze to his. “Will, please. It does not matter.”

“Emily? Emily? Is that you, child?” The sound of her father’s rasping, struggling voice broke through the tension between them.

She brushed past Will and hurried to her father’s side. Three gaudily dressed women stepped back to let her pass and Emily dropped to her knees beside her father. He lay awkwardly on the heavily cushioned settee, his condition clearly deteriorating with each passing hour. His breaths wheezed from his chest, his skin white as he battled his pain.

“Papa.” She dropped her forehead to his and closed her eyes. “I’m here. It’s all right.”

“Look at me, child.”

Emily squeezed her eyes tighter. He had no doubt heard what Will and Katherine said. She opened her eyes.

His gaze wandered over her cut cheek. “I want you to answer Will’s question.”

Heat seared Emily’s face, and she met his shrewd gaze. How could she tell him in front of a roomful of people that Nicholas had hit her? Some of whom were complete strangers. Humiliation washed through her, heating her face.

“Papa, this is not the time.” She smiled. “Later. When we are alone I will tell you everything.”

His jaw clenched. “I am dying. My days are numbered, and I have heard more about Nicholas in the last two hours than I care to think about. If he has struck you, I want to know this instant.”

Emily stared at his ashen face, tears burning the backs of her eyes. How could she defy him? Although weak and riddled with disease, her father was her father. As long as he had breath, he would want to protect her.

She nodded. “Yes, he hit me, but—”

“I damn well knew it.” He raised his arm. “That’s it. Then it is done.”

Emily flinched. “What is done?”

“You will never marry that man. Do you understand? Never. I will find a way to finish this contract. Make it null and void with every penny going to you. Every damn penny, or so help me God, I will come back and haunt Milne into an early grave.”

His body trembled under Emily’s hand, and she quickly got to her feet to support him as a barrage of coughing rendered him speechless. “I cannot bear seeing you this way. Will, help me lift him from the settee.”

Silence.

Dread tripped up her spine with silent fingers. She turned. “Will?” The place where he had stood was now empty.

She closed her eyes. Like a panther hunting its prey, he would scour the streets for Nicholas. If he found him and killed him, Will would hang. Torn between her father and the man she loved, Emily’s heart ached with helplessness. She had to do something.

She looked to Annie. “Has he gone after Nicholas?”

She came forward as Emily continued to rub her father’s back and offer sips of water from a glass beside him.

Annie nodded. “He took off the moment you said Nicholas hurt you. He was like a rock from a catapult, I couldn’t have stopped him…even if I wanted to.”

Emily looked at her father. “Papa? I have already told Nicholas I will not marry him. I am happy for him to have the money. Look at you. Look at me. What good does money do anyone toward finding happiness? You were happy with Mother when you struggled from week to week. I am happy when I am with…”

Her father managed a smile. “I think it’s about time someone introduced you to these ladies. They are here about Milne.”

Emily looked at the women, and realization dawned. Their painted faces and brightly colored clothes told their story. Emily smiled as camaraderie settled like a blanket around her shoulders. What did it matter if a woman was a streetwalker or lady of the manor? If a man hit you, class did not alter the humiliation.

“How do you do? I am Emily Darson.”

The three women executed brief curtseys, their eyes showing their embarrassment. Standing in her drawing room was as uncomfortable for them as sitting astride a stool in a tavern would be for Emily. Her father gently cupped his hand to her elbow.

“These ladies have been on the receiving end of Nicholas’s fists as you have, Will’s mother has, Miss Carter has, and goodness knows how many others.” He shook his head. “If Will does not kill Nicholas with his bare hands when he catches up with him, you have my promise I will do everything to make sure my money is yours. Nicholas will spend time in prison for what he has done.”

Rendered speechless, Emily met Katherine’s gaze as she stepped forward and took Emily’s hands. They embraced.

“I am so sorry.” Katherine sniffed. “So very, very sorry.”

Emily squeezed her eyes shut. “You have nothing to be sorry for. If Nicholas wanted you as his mistress, you would have had little choice in the matter. You were barely more than a child.”

Katherine pulled back and tears streaked her face. “He threatened to hurt me so many times. He made me feel I was nothing without him. I didn’t know what to do.”

Brushing the tears from her friend’s face, Emily smiled. “You’ve found the strength now. That’s all that matters. Nicholas gave you Aimee. She’s precious, Katherine. Precious and deserves a better father. Find her one.”

Emily turned and faced the three women. “Thank you so much.” She touched each of their arms in turn. “I am not sure a thank-you is enough, considering everything you are prepared to do. Please, tell me your names. Did Will bring you here?”

Smiling, their eyes glassy with tears, the women nodded. A beautiful woman of no more than two and twenty stepped forward.

“I’m Laura. Your Mr. Samson tracked me down like a bloodhound, determined that I’d testify against Nicholas and find others willing to do the same. This is Thelma and Meg.”

She smiled a hello to each of them, before laughing and brushing at her tears. “He’s not my Mr. Samson. In fact, the more I know Will, the more I realize he’s a free spirit and tied to no one.”

Laura shook her head. “Maybe once upon a time. But not so much anymore, not now he’s found you.”

Emily looked around the room at the smiling faces, hope and trepidation written there in equal measure. Who knew what the future held? Neither she nor Will could predict what would happen in the days to come. Could they have a future together? He had come back after all.

She spun around to face her father. “We must alert the authorities. We must tell them Will has gone after Nicholas and what Nicholas has done.”

His face was stern. “You must not go after him alone.” He turned to the woman named Laura. “Did you say you have spoken to a policeman? A policeman who believes everything you have told him?”

“Yes, sir. A constable named Middleton.”

“Right. Then you must find him. He will track down Will.”

Emily’s heart picked up speed. “What if we’re too late? What if Will finds Nicholas and kills him? What then? He’ll be hanged.”

“Then there is no time to waste. God only knows I wish I could do something to help but I cannot. You must go. All of you. You split up, and you each go a different way until you find this Middleton. Then and only then do you find Will. Do you understand me?”

Emily stared. She could not trawl the city looking for one policeman when there was one man who meant so much more to her than any justice system. She nodded. “I understand.”

“Good. Then go.”

Emily hurried from the room with Annie, Katherine, Laura, and the others close behind. Once they were out on the street, she whirled around to face them. “We will split up, but half of us look for Will, the other half the policeman.”

They all nodded their agreement, their faces flushed with enthusiasm, their eyes wide with determination.

Their unity flowed through Emily’s blood, making her feel anything was possible. “Good. Laura, you take the girls and find Middleton. Annie, Katherine, and I will track down Will. It’s the only way.”

Laura clutched her arm. “Godspeed, Miss Emily. Godspeed.” Her eyes widened. “Wait. Did you say Nicholas hit you after you told him you knew about him visiting me?”

Emily frowned. “Yes, why?”

“Oh, my God.” Laura’s hand slipped from hers, and she teetered back on her heels. “He’s gone to the house. He’ll hurt Bette.” Her face turned pale. “I have to go. I have to protect her.”

Fear and loathing rose up in Emily’s chest. “Then we’ll all go.”

“I admire you, Miss Emily, I really do, but where I live is no place for a lady.”

Emily pulled back her shoulders. “We all go. Come on, we are wasting time.”

****

Will’s heart beat faster and faster, burning like a ball of fire behind his ribcage. Milne ducked into the alley like the caped criminal he was. His coat was inappropriate and heavy for the summer’s day, and instinct rocketed through Will’s blood, knowing he concealed a weapon. A weapon meant for Laura.

Over Will’s dead body would Milne use it on anyone unfortunate enough to be in her house.

He drew in a long breath. “Milne. Stop.”

Milne halted and spun around. For a long moment, he said nothing and then his face broke with a manic smile. “Well, well, well. Mr. Samson is here to save the day.”

“You’re a dead man, Milne.” Will stepped closer, his hands curled into fists at his sides, his mind clear.

Will drew in a long breath, accepting Milne’s death meant his own, too, but it did not matter. Emily would be free. The money would be hers, and Milne would be six feet under.

“I don’t think so, Samson.” Milne opened his coat to reveal a claw hammer.

Will’s vision tinged red. He meant to kill Laura with a hammer.

The man was an animal.

With a roar, Will ran at Milne and ducked his head, wrapping his arms firmly around Milne’s waist. Keeping his head down, Will pushed him to the ground as the whoosh from the hammer’s swing brushed his ear. With Milne on the ground, Will pulled back his arm and punched Milne full force in the face, the sound of cracking bone filling the squalid alley.

The hammer left Milne’s fingers, and Will pulled back and punched him again. His mother’s voice filled his ears and tried to break through his mania but nothing would stop him. Not now. Not ever.

“You’re scum, Milne.” He gripped his slack chin in his fingers and savored the bloody mess of his face. “Scum.”

Just as he closed his hands around Milne’s neck, he heard a scream. A feminine scream followed by another and another. Straddled over Milne’s unconscious body, he turned.

His eyes met Emily’s. He was vaguely aware of others, but it was only her he saw.

“Emily.” Her name whispered from his lips.

She rushed forward, tears running in silver streaks down her face, her eyes wide as she shook her head over and over, her gaze not leaving his.

Slowly, Will pushed to his feet and stumbled toward her, his arms outstretched. She slumped into his embrace, her body shaking with her sobs.

“Is he dead? Am I too late?”

Will held her tighter. “No, no. He’s alive.”

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “If he is found guilty, the inheritance will be mine. Let him live, Will. Let him know what he has lost. Please.”

Knowing there was nothing he would deny her, he dropped his mouth to hers and they kissed as Laura and her girls stood guard over Milne’s unconscious body and waited for the police.