out of the way. It was killing her not to know what was happening above.
The retort of a pistol upstairs had her sprinting toward the stairs, Will's directive irrelevant in the face of her fear. Heart slamming in her chest, she took the steps as quickly as she could hampered by her skirts, a refrain chanting within her over and over.
Please. Please not him.
Glancing around wildly as she reached the top of the stairs, Audrey caught sight of a man edging out of one of the rooms, dragging a struggling blond woman with him. The woman screamed and thrashed, as she clawed at the man's arms and neck. He swore and shoved her away violently. The woman tripped, tangled in her dress, and fell into a heap at the viscount's feet.
Audrey crept forward, praying she didn't attract the man's notice as he stood facing away from her. Where was Will? Dear God, where was he?
"You stupid woman. You have no idea what you've meddled in. This is bigger than a few gold coins; it is empires and wars and death. Always death. And you and your foolish brother will not ruin it for me." The viscount was white with fury, spittle flying as he shouted. With a snarl, he raised the pistol, aiming into the room beyond Will's sister.
"Coward." Lisle spat at him, her thin hands gripping her skirts. "Leave him alone! He is already hurt, he cannot stop you. Just go."
At her words, time stopped for Audrey. Claremont shot Will. He could be lying in the room, bleeding, dying , at that very moment. She must reach him. She stared at the viscount's back as she silently moved closer, willing him to keep his back to her.
The man's laugh was ugly as he stared down at Will's sister and he pulled the hammer back on the pistol, the ominous clicking sound reverberating in Audrey's heart. He lowered the gun, until the barrel pointed directly at her face.
"Give me what I want, and I'll leave. You'll never see me again."
"You cannot have it, Rupert."
"You will take me to where you are keeping it."
" You cannot have it ." Will's sister glared up at him defiantly. "I have sent it to my brother's solicitors, for I knew you would not be reasoned with."
The viscount's face was mottled with rage and the hand holding the gun shook. "No! You bi — "
Audrey rushed forward, determined to save Will's sister from being shot. She barreled into Claremont, causing his shot to go wide and plow into the wall instead. Unable to check her momentum, they went down in a flurry of arms and legs. His fist lashed out, catching Audrey in the ribs, knocking her breath out. She curled up, struggling to draw in air, as Claremont staggered to his knees. His leering face loomed over her as he raised his empty pistol to deal her a blow, then disappeared from her sight in a whirlwind of skirts and spitting mad woman as Lisle launched herself at him.
***
Will blinked, his head muzzy as he came to, lying on the floor next to the bed. He levered himself into a sitting position, the slow burn in his shoulder flashing white-hot as he put weight on his right hand.
"Shit." Reaching up gingerly, his fingers came away sticky with blood. Apparently he hadn't ducked fast enough. The bastard had shot him. And taken Lisle.
Will scrambled to his feet, the pain his shoulder forgotten at the thought, just in time to see the viscount backhand his sister across the hall. She skidded away from him, slamming into the wall with a cry. Will launched himself forward with a roar, colliding with the viscount as he gained his feet. The men struggled, for but a moment before Claremont punched him in the shoulder. Seeing starbursts as the pain sent him to his knees, Will grabbed the man's coat as he attempted to flee, refusing to let go. But the blood loss had weakened him enough for the viscount to pry his fingers loose and shove him away. Claremont laughed, an ugly sound, and began to turn to the stairs.
"I would not, were I you."
At the sound of Audrey's voice, Will closed his eyes in despair. He hadn't even realized
The retort of a pistol upstairs had her sprinting toward the stairs, Will's directive irrelevant in the face of her fear. Heart slamming in her chest, she took the steps as quickly as she could hampered by her skirts, a refrain chanting within her over and over.
Please. Please not him.
Glancing around wildly as she reached the top of the stairs, Audrey caught sight of a man edging out of one of the rooms, dragging a struggling blond woman with him. The woman screamed and thrashed, as she clawed at the man's arms and neck. He swore and shoved her away violently. The woman tripped, tangled in her dress, and fell into a heap at the viscount's feet.
Audrey crept forward, praying she didn't attract the man's notice as he stood facing away from her. Where was Will? Dear God, where was he?
"You stupid woman. You have no idea what you've meddled in. This is bigger than a few gold coins; it is empires and wars and death. Always death. And you and your foolish brother will not ruin it for me." The viscount was white with fury, spittle flying as he shouted. With a snarl, he raised the pistol, aiming into the room beyond Will's sister.
"Coward." Lisle spat at him, her thin hands gripping her skirts. "Leave him alone! He is already hurt, he cannot stop you. Just go."
At her words, time stopped for Audrey. Claremont shot Will. He could be lying in the room, bleeding, dying , at that very moment. She must reach him. She stared at the viscount's back as she silently moved closer, willing him to keep his back to her.
The man's laugh was ugly as he stared down at Will's sister and he pulled the hammer back on the pistol, the ominous clicking sound reverberating in Audrey's heart. He lowered the gun, until the barrel pointed directly at her face.
"Give me what I want, and I'll leave. You'll never see me again."
"You cannot have it, Rupert."
"You will take me to where you are keeping it."
" You cannot have it ." Will's sister glared up at him defiantly. "I have sent it to my brother's solicitors, for I knew you would not be reasoned with."
The viscount's face was mottled with rage and the hand holding the gun shook. "No! You bi — "
Audrey rushed forward, determined to save Will's sister from being shot. She barreled into Claremont, causing his shot to go wide and plow into the wall instead. Unable to check her momentum, they went down in a flurry of arms and legs. His fist lashed out, catching Audrey in the ribs, knocking her breath out. She curled up, struggling to draw in air, as Claremont staggered to his knees. His leering face loomed over her as he raised his empty pistol to deal her a blow, then disappeared from her sight in a whirlwind of skirts and spitting mad woman as Lisle launched herself at him.
***
Will blinked, his head muzzy as he came to, lying on the floor next to the bed. He levered himself into a sitting position, the slow burn in his shoulder flashing white-hot as he put weight on his right hand.
"Shit." Reaching up gingerly, his fingers came away sticky with blood. Apparently he hadn't ducked fast enough. The bastard had shot him. And taken Lisle.
Will scrambled to his feet, the pain his shoulder forgotten at the thought, just in time to see the viscount backhand his sister across the hall. She skidded away from him, slamming into the wall with a cry. Will launched himself forward with a roar, colliding with the viscount as he gained his feet. The men struggled, for but a moment before Claremont punched him in the shoulder. Seeing starbursts as the pain sent him to his knees, Will grabbed the man's coat as he attempted to flee, refusing to let go. But the blood loss had weakened him enough for the viscount to pry his fingers loose and shove him away. Claremont laughed, an ugly sound, and began to turn to the stairs.
"I would not, were I you."
At the sound of Audrey's voice, Will closed his eyes in despair. He hadn't even realized
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