forward. “I will…”
“Put the gun down, Lady Caroline or I swear I will shoot you,” a voice suddenly interrupted them.
As Axelle turned her head, she saw Reeve dismounting his horse and she was suddenly filled with relief.
“I will shoot your wife first.” Lady Caroline stepped even closer to Axelle, pointing the pistol straight at her temple. “I am warning you, my lord, I am accounted a fair shot and at this distance, I can most certainly have your wife dead in an instant.”
Reeve frowned at that but did not lower his gun.
“Very well.” Lady Caroline grinned. “You can watch your wife die.”
She fired the gun but just as she did, Axelle bent down, missing it. Afterwards, she hurled herself at Lady Caroline, trying to wrestle the gun away from her. She had a hard time, however, since Lady Caroline was stronger than she appeared and the struggle went on for a few minutes before another gunshot went off.
At the sound, Axelle froze, wondering if she had been shot. She did not feel any pain, however, and a few moments later, Lady Caroline collapsed beside her, dropping the gun and clutching at her bleeding abdomen.
“Lady Caroline!” Axelle placed her hand on the wound in an effort to stop the bleeding. She knew she wasn’t supposed to try and save her since Lady Caroline had almost killed her, but at that moment, she could not help but feel some measure of pity for the other woman as she lay dying.
Lady Caroline looked up at her. For a moment, she tried to say something, but failing, she closed her eyes and after a few more seconds, her body lay limp.
Axelle knelt beside her, unable to move. Then, she started sobbing and when she had sobbed all she could, she went to the boat and rowed across the river to throw herself into the arms of Reeve, who held her tightly and pressed tender kisses into her hair.
“Ssh,” he said. “It’s all over now.”
Epilogue
One month later…
Her life was just beginning.
Axelle felt that way as she looked across the grand salon of Ravenhall Manor, which was currently filled with several nobles from London, among them Lord and Lady Ashton. For the first time in years, a ball was being thrown at Ravenhall Manor, Axelle having suggested it to lift everyone’s spirits after the ordeal that she and Reeve had gone through.
At first, Reeve had been against it, not convinced it was what they needed but then, he had been unable to refuse, especially after Axelle had persuaded him in bed.
She smiled at the memory now, even as she admired how beautiful the salon looked with all the lights of the glowing candles and the tapestries she had asked the servants to set up. It was filled with beautiful music, as well, the sound of the violins and the piano drifting out into the garden where some of the other guests, including many of the people who lived within the Ravenhall estate, were.
“You seem to be enjoying yourself,” Reeve said as he approached her and handed her a glass of wine.
“Why not, my lord? There is cause to celebrate, is there not?” She took the glass from him. “Now that Anne’s death has been made clear, she can be laid to rest.”
“It is only a pity that her killer has not been brought to justice,” Reeve lamented.
“She died knowing that her children would grow up all alone without her to guide them,” Axelle said. “I think that is punishment enough.”
Reeve nodded.
“Really, my lord, did you have to ruin my mood by reminding me of her?” Axelle asked.
Reeve grinned. “Forgive me, and don’t worry, I have just the thing to remedy it.”
He led her out of the salon and into his second study, where he took out a package from behind his desk and handed it to her.
Like before, Axelle gasped as she recognized the package. “My lord, is this what I suppose it is?”
“Open it,” Reeve urged.
Smiling, Axelle did as she was told and when she saw the book inside, she gasped again. “My lord, how did you
“Put the gun down, Lady Caroline or I swear I will shoot you,” a voice suddenly interrupted them.
As Axelle turned her head, she saw Reeve dismounting his horse and she was suddenly filled with relief.
“I will shoot your wife first.” Lady Caroline stepped even closer to Axelle, pointing the pistol straight at her temple. “I am warning you, my lord, I am accounted a fair shot and at this distance, I can most certainly have your wife dead in an instant.”
Reeve frowned at that but did not lower his gun.
“Very well.” Lady Caroline grinned. “You can watch your wife die.”
She fired the gun but just as she did, Axelle bent down, missing it. Afterwards, she hurled herself at Lady Caroline, trying to wrestle the gun away from her. She had a hard time, however, since Lady Caroline was stronger than she appeared and the struggle went on for a few minutes before another gunshot went off.
At the sound, Axelle froze, wondering if she had been shot. She did not feel any pain, however, and a few moments later, Lady Caroline collapsed beside her, dropping the gun and clutching at her bleeding abdomen.
“Lady Caroline!” Axelle placed her hand on the wound in an effort to stop the bleeding. She knew she wasn’t supposed to try and save her since Lady Caroline had almost killed her, but at that moment, she could not help but feel some measure of pity for the other woman as she lay dying.
Lady Caroline looked up at her. For a moment, she tried to say something, but failing, she closed her eyes and after a few more seconds, her body lay limp.
Axelle knelt beside her, unable to move. Then, she started sobbing and when she had sobbed all she could, she went to the boat and rowed across the river to throw herself into the arms of Reeve, who held her tightly and pressed tender kisses into her hair.
“Ssh,” he said. “It’s all over now.”
Epilogue
One month later…
Her life was just beginning.
Axelle felt that way as she looked across the grand salon of Ravenhall Manor, which was currently filled with several nobles from London, among them Lord and Lady Ashton. For the first time in years, a ball was being thrown at Ravenhall Manor, Axelle having suggested it to lift everyone’s spirits after the ordeal that she and Reeve had gone through.
At first, Reeve had been against it, not convinced it was what they needed but then, he had been unable to refuse, especially after Axelle had persuaded him in bed.
She smiled at the memory now, even as she admired how beautiful the salon looked with all the lights of the glowing candles and the tapestries she had asked the servants to set up. It was filled with beautiful music, as well, the sound of the violins and the piano drifting out into the garden where some of the other guests, including many of the people who lived within the Ravenhall estate, were.
“You seem to be enjoying yourself,” Reeve said as he approached her and handed her a glass of wine.
“Why not, my lord? There is cause to celebrate, is there not?” She took the glass from him. “Now that Anne’s death has been made clear, she can be laid to rest.”
“It is only a pity that her killer has not been brought to justice,” Reeve lamented.
“She died knowing that her children would grow up all alone without her to guide them,” Axelle said. “I think that is punishment enough.”
Reeve nodded.
“Really, my lord, did you have to ruin my mood by reminding me of her?” Axelle asked.
Reeve grinned. “Forgive me, and don’t worry, I have just the thing to remedy it.”
He led her out of the salon and into his second study, where he took out a package from behind his desk and handed it to her.
Like before, Axelle gasped as she recognized the package. “My lord, is this what I suppose it is?”
“Open it,” Reeve urged.
Smiling, Axelle did as she was told and when she saw the book inside, she gasped again. “My lord, how did you
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