The Bachelor Bargain (Secrets, Scandals, and Spies) by Michaels, Maddison (short books to read TXT) 📕

Mary nodded. “I think she demanded the scoundrel give her some funds to start her new life or else she threatened to go to the papers and reveal her condition, regardless of the cost to her own reputation, which was pretty much already ruined by then, so she cared none if it was ruined some more with news of a babe.”

“But he would have cared,” Livie surmised. “Such a scandal could ruin the political ambitions of any man. Who was the man that ruined her? Surely you know.”

Mary crossed her hands over her chest. “Not for certain. I think it might have been someone with a title, though, cause I ’eard her arguing with Lady Chilton that morning ’bout the matter. Lady Chilton was blaming Miss Alice for being seduced in the first place, and Miss Alice yelled that she thought he loved her and would marry her. Then Lady Chilton laughed and said something about him would never have married below his station, and Alice had been a fool to think otherwise.”

“And why do you think she was murdered then?” Livie asked, determined more than ever to expose the man. “If he killed her, then he must be made to pay.”

“The morning that she died, she said she’d received a note from the man, agreeing to meet with her that night and give her some money,” Mary replied. “She never came back, did she. Too convenient for the man, if you ask me. And she was terrified of heights; she never would have gone up to that roof.”

“Why did you run then?” Livie asked. “And take some jewels and her journal?”

“I never took no jewels!” Alice’s fists clenched by her side. “Lady Chilton said I had, only to make the cutthroats eager to find me. And I took Miss Alice’s journal only ’cause I figured it might bring her justice.”

“Well, what does it say?”

Mary shook her head. “Don’t know. Can’t read, you see.”

“Then how did you send Lady Chilton a note trying to blackmail her?”

“I didn’t send her no note.” There was genuine bafflement in the girl’s voice. “I got a note saying to meet here, and that Lady Chilton would pay me if I returned the journal to her. Couldn’t read it myself, but got one of the boys at the inn I’m staying at to read it to me. Here.” She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Livie.

Taking it from her, Livie quickly glanced at it. What Alice said was true, and the writing was the same on all of the notes.

But before she could question the girl further, the head of the angel exploded around them, shards of stone splintering everywhere and raining down upon them with force.

Chapter Twenty-One

Livie lost her balance and fell to the ground as chaos erupted. The sound of gunfire echoed in the night, and belatedly she realized someone was shooting at them. A spray of bullets hailed down upon them, the air becoming thick with the smell of ammunition and a fine mist of white stone as the angel headstone disintegrated around them.

She couldn’t see Mary in the haze as she struggled to crawl around behind what was now left of the battered angel. Damn my lame leg! Her heart was thudding in her chest and a surge of heightened awareness gripped her as she managed to pull herself behind the stone. Her breathing was thick and fast, and she had to concentrate on calming herself down. Panicking would only get her killed, a lesson Kat had often reminded them of.

The gunfire stopped, and she heard footsteps running off into the distance. She didn’t know if they belonged to the attacker or to Mary because, try as she might, she couldn’t see the girl anywhere. A good thing at least, as clearly she’d gotten away.

Pulling out her pistol, Livie cocked the hammer and held it in front of her. What was she to do? Kat’s training hadn’t dealt with what to do after an attack. The gunfire had sounded as if it were coming from the entrance to the cemetery, so perhaps she should try to find the back gate and circle her way around to Gregson and the carriage.

Her heart dropped. Oh goodness, Gregson could be hurt. She had to get back to him.

The nape of her neck began to tingle, and suddenly she knew she wasn’t alone.

Silently, almost like a ghost himself, Sebastian weaved through some headstones and ran over to her, a pistol in his hand. She’d never been happier to see anyone in her life.

“Are you hurt?” His voice was a low growl as he crouched beside her, pure worry in his gaze.

“I’m fine.”

He nodded, though his eyes clinically scanned her body, almost as if he had to reassure himself she wasn’t bleeding. “Come on, they’ve fled, but I want to get you out of here before they return or the police arrive.”

“They? As in more than one person was shooting at me?” she whispered as he helped her to her feet before quickly retrieving her cane and handing it to her.

“Yes. They fled when I arrived and returned fire. I think I might have gotten one in the shoulder, but I was in too much a rush to find you, to follow them and be sure.”

“You were in a rush to find me?” The very thought sent a delicious warmth through her, and she couldn’t help the smile spreading across her face. “To make sure I was safe?”

For a split second, she was certain he looked uncomfortable, but then it was as if a mask came down over his eyes, shutting any and all emotion out. “Well, if you’d listened to me in the first place, you wouldn’t be in this situation. And do remember I’ve just given you two thousand pounds, Lady Olivia. Of course, I have a vested interest in your welfare. If something