The Unlucky Viscount

by Emma Brady

  "This is a very lucky man." the doctor told them. "If it had been an inch or two in either direction he would be dead by now. As it is, he has lost a lot of blood but I think he has a good chance at recovery. He's going to need to be brought home to rest."

  Rachel felt an immense relief strong enough to make her legs week and she fell into her father's arms. The tears were coming in sobs as she closed her eyes and cried for a few minutes, releasing all the emotion she had held in. Now all she had to do was get him home safely.

  "I will send you two home in the carriage, but send it back when you get there. I'm going to stay here and see if Thomas and his man were successful catching Deckland." Gerald said, brushing the hair from her eyes.

  "What will you do if you find him?"

  For a second her father looked like he might planning to kill the man and that was what Rachel was afraid of. She didn't want him getting into trouble with the law.

  "Thomas will make him pay for what he did." Rachel urged him. "I trust the man and so does Alex. Help them catch Deckland and he will make sure he pays."

  She placed a hand on his arm and felt him calm down. "Very well, I will only assist the duke in catching him."

  She stood on her tip toes and placed a kiss on his stubbled cheek. There were moments when her father could be very endearing.

  At the house, Rachel allowed the footmen to carry Alex upstairs to the bedroom while she gave the driver instructions to return for the other men. She felt as if she hadn't slept in days and she knew that tonight would be no better. As long as Alex was still unconscious she wasn't going to get a wink. Upstairs she was surprised to find Daphne standing outside the door, crying in small quiet sobs.

  "You can go in and see him if you like." Rachel said, keeping her voice soft so as not to wake him or startle the young girl.

  "I'm afraid to. If I see how badly he's hurt I'm going to become a complete mess."

  It looked like she already was.

  "He's asleep now, so if you do become emotional he won't see it. It might ease your mind to see that he is home safe."

  Rachel knew it would certainly make her feel better. Taking Daphne by the hand, Rachel led her into the bedroom. There was a lamp lit beside the bed so that they could see him sleeping. Dirt and soot still covered his face, but he appeared peaceful now. The servants had removed his soiled clothes so he was bare beneath the blankets and his chest showed enough to see where the bandages were wrapped around him.

  "My poor brother." Daphne said with a wobbly voice. "I wish he had never gone through with that rash plan of his."

  Rachel didn't pint out that the plan was actually hers and he had gone along with it. This wasn't the time to split hairs.

  "He wanted justice, which is what most people want from the person who wronged them."

  "There was no need for it any longer. We have enough money to provide for the family, so he should have just left that in the past."

  "It wasn't about the money, it was about making Deckland pay for what he did." Rachel wrapped an arm around Daphne. "Alex was trying to make things right."

  "I would rather have him unharmed."

  "Somethings are worth the pain."

  Daphne stopped sniffling finally and wiped her face with her hands.

  "I'm going to give him a piece of my mind when he wakes up. I'm not going to just stay behind while he risks his life again. Next time I want to have a say in what the family does."

  Rachel could imagine how well her brother would take that kind of an announcement. She gave Daphne a hug of encouragement.

  "I'm, sure he will be ready for visitors tomorrow. You should get some rest now."

  "Rachel?" Daphne had paused at the doorway. "Now that my brother has his own fortune, does that mean you will be leaving?"

  The desperate sound in Daphne's voice made Rachel feel a pain in her chest.

  "No matter how things work out with Alex, I will never leave you alone. I will always be you friend and sister."

  Without warning Daphne ran into Rachel's arms and she let her hold on for as long as she needed. Then she left and Rachel was finally alone with Alex. There was a chair for her to sit in beside the bed, but she couldn't stand to be that far from him now. She crawled into the bed next to him, being careful not to cause him enough pain to wake up. She fell asleep with her head against his shoulder.

  "Which one of us was the one that got stabbed?"

  Rachel had been having a nightmare about the night before and awoke with a start when she heard a voice speaking to her. Alex had shifted to be laying back against the pillows, but not enough to be sitting upright. He had one arm wrapped around her while the other stroked her hair. There were dark circles under his green eyes and his face was pale, but he was smiling at her.

  "A servant came and said that Thomas and Mitchum are downstairs and need to speak with us. I invited them up, since I don't think I can walk down the stairs."

  "Do you think you should be seeing visitors already?" He still looked very weak and in pain.

  "They said it was about Deckland."

  That meant he would see them no matter what. Rachel quickly got out of bed and managed to straighten her gown, though it was still the one she wore the night before. That meant that the red satin was torn and singed in many places, as well as bring wrinkled beyond repair. He hair was wild and full of knots but she managed to at least pull it back with the few remaining pins it held. She finished just in time, because there was a knock at the door.

  "You look like you are feeling better. Your wife must be a wonderful nursemaid." Said Mitchum as the two men entered. They looked just as bad, if not worse than Rachel.

  "Couldn't ask for better." Alex gave her a wink but then winced from the bruise on his cheek

  "We have news about Deckland."

  All humor drained from Alex's expression and was replaced with an intense fury. She could see his fists clenched at his side and the twitch in his jaw that was always a tell when he was angry.

  "Did you find him?"

  The two men were both frowning.

  "No. I'm afraid he made it to the boat and got away." Thomas spoke. "But he did leave behind the man he paid to help him with things in London. His valet and henchman."

  Alex screamed, punching the bed beside him.

  "I wanted the man himself, not his attack dog."

  "I wanted him too, but we might have a lead on him. His man was more than willing to tell us everything he knew when he realized his boss had abandoned him."

  "What good will that do us?"

  "He told us about an old manor house Deckland had used as a hideout a few times. I think we will be able to find him hiding up there now." Thomas took a step closer to the bed. "I have more of a reason to catch him then even you do."

  Thomas reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out the same gold watch that Deckland had been carrying. A piece like that was hard to find. He must have left it behind on the gaming table when he decided to flee.

  "I found this before we came after you."

  "Technically I found it." Mitchum piped up. Thomas glared at him over his shoulder. "Not that details like that are important."

  "This was found among Deckland's possessions and I recognized it as belonging to my brother Benjamin. My brother Harold has one that is identical only with a sapphire instead of an emerald. My father gave them to the boys when they were fifteen."

  "Do you think Deckland has something to do with their disappearance?"

  "I don't know, but it means that Deckland knows something. Neither of my brother's would have given this away without being in dire circumstances."

  Thomas looked like he was on the verge of tears and that is very uncommon for a duke. He quickly put the watch back in its place.

  "Mitchum and I plan to leave tomorrow to search the house his man told us about. I don't plan on resting until I find him and get that information from him."

  "Let me know if there is anything I can do to
help."

  Thomas nodded, before both of them left and then Rachel heard Alex let out a long sigh. Looking at him, she saw he was slumped over, clutching around his middle where than bandages were wrapped.

  "Alex!" She rushed to the side of the bed and put her hands on each side of his face. His eyes were closed, bracing against the pain. "The doctor gave me some laudanum, let me get the bottle."

  He stopped her by placing his hand over hers on his cheek.

  "No, I need to talk to you first."

  His face showed signs of the pain he was in, but the intensity in his eyes convinced her not to give him the laudanum the doctor had left. What he wanted to discuss must be very important and for a moment her stomach sank. Perhaps Daphne was right and now that Alex had his own wealth again he would no longer want a wife. Rachel had been nothing but trouble since their wedding day and now he didn't need to continue the charade. Only she no longer felt like theirs was only a marriage for the sake of money.

  "Go on." Said Rachel, swallow the fear of what he might say.

  "Last night has changed things between us drastically. I no longer need to live off the income of my wife."

  "No, you don't."

  "I can be free to support my sister and any future family on my own."

  "It would appear so. I imagine that makes you very happy."

  "I must admit, it feels like a relief."

  Rachel tried to brace herself for what he was about to say. If he asked her to leave she would and she wouldn't make a scene. She would go quietly, without begging him to stay. She would save her tears for after she was gone and not let him see how much it hurt. She promised herself she would appear strong and deny that she was wrong.

  "Rachel I love you."

  At first she was certain she must have heard him wrong, but then he said it again.

  "I love you and I want to give you the chance to control your own life. I have lost our wager, so my share in the club is yours."

  There was a long moment of silence between them. Rachel thought about what he had said, not just what he meant. The man who was just as competitive as she was, conceding defeat and with that, giving her the choice to stay or go.

  "I'm afraid I lost the wager before you did." She moved from the chair and slid into the bed beside him. "I told you I loved you a long time ago."

  "I'm pretty sure I would have noticed you saying those words." Alex let her lay down against him.

  "I said I loved you when I cared for you during your injury."

  "The injury you caused."

  "I said I loved you when we danced at the garden."

  "Before giving away a heartfelt gift."

  "I said I loved you when we first made love."

  "Many sounds were mad, but I never heard those words."

  "Alex, I said I loved you the first time we kissed. I just didn't know the right words."

  He tightened his grip on her, and she felt her heart beating faster.

  "Then who won the wager?" His voice was soft and husky as he pulled her closer and she felt the warm air of his breath against her lips.

  "We can call it a tie."

  They sealed it with a kiss, just as hungry and passionate as the first.

  COMING SOON

  The Rough Lord

  CLAYTON POWELL, ONE of the younger brothers to the Duke of Ashford has returned to England a very different man. He survived being kidnapped, traveling to South Africa and losing his twin brother. Yet, he’s not sure he can face his family knowing he’s no longer the boy they remember. Lord Powell became Mr. Murdoch, a well-respected home builder in Capetown and now he is slow to return to his title.

  Lady Aurora Chadwick has suffered through too many boring London seasons and now finds herself in a difficult situation. Too much time at the card table and she has collected a substantial debt. A plan develops, involving a house she needs to sell and a charming stranger she meets on a carriage ride. She knows it should be just business between her and Mr. Murdoch, but something about him draws her in.

  A case of mistaken identity could lead to love, if the two people involved are willing to admit who they really are to each other and themselves