Page 99 of The Wise Daughter

“Think about what you’re doing.” Aaron’s voice grew taut. “You’ll have to answer for what you’ve stolen, but you’re not a killer.” Aaron took another cautious step. “No amount of money is worth this kind of trouble.”

“Money is always worth the trouble! Carver understood that. He was willing to pay me the rest of his life for my help, but when your father died, I realized I didn’t have to rely on Carver for money anymore. I had all your money at my fingertips, but you were too stupid to notice.”

“Maybe I didn’t notice you needed help, but you still could have confided in me. I could have been a friend who understood your grieving.”

“Money helped me grieve! There are more ways to spend it than ways to die, which one of you is going to do if you don’t let me leave right now.”

He aimed his pistol at Nora’s head and cocked it.

Several things happened at once. Scamp leapt onto Mr. Cornell’s shoulders and swiped his claws across his face. Mr. Cornell cried out and sneezed while Scamp held on and raked again. Mr. Cornell stumbled into the shelf behind him, sending books falling and his pistol firing at the ceiling before he dropped it. Aaron rushed upon him, prompting Scamp to leap off, and secured Mr. Cornell’s arms behind his back. As Aaron pressed him against the wall, Nora retrieved the pistol.

She only had a vague idea of how to wield such a weapon, but Mr. Cornell didn’t know that. Feigning confidence, she held it steady and pointed it at his face.

“I’ll go fetch help,” Mr. Lacy called, racing out of the room.

Cornell shook and fought, but Aaron’s hold was firm.

“There’s no point in struggling, Cornell,” Aaron snarled in his ear. “My betrothed is pointing your pistol at your head. Whether or not she has been taught to shoot, she is the most determined woman I have ever met, and she is standing too close to miss her target if shooting becomes necessary. Do I make myself clear?”

Mr. Cornell’s attempts to flail died. “You don’t need all that money. I could have taken an extra hundred pounds from you every month, and you never would have felt the difference!”

“No, but you’ll feel it in the gaols.”

“I could have–”

“I mean it, Cornell. Stop jabbering. Nora may not shoot you, but I’ll let her put her cat back on your head if you keep it up.”

It was this threat that finally silenced him.

The door burst open with Mr. Lacy, Ruthers, two burly stablehands, and Mr. Rowe who was there cleaning another chimney.

“Leave him to us, Derricott.” Ruthers cracked his knuckles. “I fancy making another visit to the constable. Don’t you boys?” The other men whooped their agreement. “We’re becoming such good friends. I just might become one myself.”

Mr. Rowe wore an especially large grin. “Just as I promised, Your Grace, you have a friend in me for life!”

The merry manner in which the men left, hauling off a struggling Mr. Cornell in their many capable grasps, one would have thought they were on holiday. Mr. Lacy followed, promising to testify to the constable and magistrate what he had witnessed.

With everyone else gone, the room fell uncommonly still. Aaron looked at Nora, and she looked at him, and they rushed into each other’s arms.

“You’re all right, my dearest Honora?”

“I’m all right. You?”

“Yes,” he whispered, his lips pressed against her hair.

She released a shaky breath. “I had no idea what to do with that pistol, but it’s over now, right? It must be over.”

“I think it truly must be.”

“I knew there was something we were missing.”

“You were right, as always.” Aaron looked at Scamp who had crawled between them and was now pawing at Nora’s hem. “I suppose that little fellow finally has my respect.”

Nora laughed and slipped her arms around Aaron’s neck. She kissed each of his temples where his bruises were completely healed, then pressed a kiss to his lips.

“And now, my lovely Honora, I do not think there is anything or anyone standing in the way of our happiness.”