For a moment Shay thought he might go, indeed he made to, his body turning even as the knife was flung. Towards Celeste.
‘If I cannot have you, Brigitte, then this Englishman most certainly will not. I swear it.’
The blade hit her in the arm, spinning her off her chair and sending her tumbling to the floor, a bright splash of red on the rug. Then there was another blade in Bernard’s hands as he stepped towards her, his focus only on Celeste.
The scarf came around the Frenchman’s throat as Shay bore down upon him, the light thin silk unbreakable and solid. He ignored the heavy thumps against his back and twisted the fabric twice before jerking the neck up, a slight small pop telling him it was finished.
Bernard’s inert body fell to the floor, the reddened face frozen in a mask of death as Shay’s fingers checked the pulse just to make certain that he indeed did not live.
Celeste simply kneeled there in shock after pulling the knife from her injured arm, her face pale and breath shaky as he moved across to her.
‘It’s not a fatal wound. You’re not bleeding heavily.’
She shook her head hard. ‘It is my fault, all this, and you are the one to pay for it...again.’
She was breathing so fast now he could barely make sense of the words. It wasn’t the wounded arm that was upsetting her at all, but his part in the demise of Guy Bernard. He held her carefully up against him, his hand pressed down on the injury so that the slow seepage of red would cease altogether.
‘Life is never one thing, Celeste, and you of all people must know that. Bernard died for your safety and for your deliverance, and I would kill him again in a second. This had to happen in order for you to live and for me this is honourable.’
Such words seemed to reach her through the mist that was fogging her brain and her fingers came up to his face, tracing the line of his cheek, stopping just short of his lips. ‘You are beautiful, Summer, both inside and out.’
He began to smile, then kissed her forehead carefully. ‘You choose damn strange times to tell me things, Celeste. Or rather, not to tell me?’
‘Nantes?’ She picked up his meaning.
‘Is it true what Bernard said? Did you sell yourself there to allow me to go free?’
‘Yes.’
Already there were footsteps coming up the stairs and along the passageway, the noise of the contretemps attracting the attention of his staff. Within a second the door was opened, by Aurelian de la Tomber of all people, three of Shay’s servants standing behind him.
His friend’s eyes flickered over the carnage in the room. ‘I had come to tell you Bernard has been spotted in London, but I see you already knew that. Are you going to live, Miss Fournier?’
‘I am.’
‘Good. Shay has been like a wounded bear since you parted in Nantes. It is time to resolve the troubles between you.’
Calling his man forward, he instructed him to fetch a physician promptly and then he turned towards Celeste.
‘You were right in exposing Mattieu Benet, Mademoiselle Fournier, but I would like to give you my side of the story if I may...’
He waited until she nodded.
‘The Ministry of War already had him in their sights. He’d been known to be unscrupulous and we needed to find solid proof. It was why I was there at the scene of the murder. We had word he was after Felix Dubois and I knew he was planning to leave Paris. I tried to protect the children, but I couldn’t.’
Celeste was glad of his honesty, but she had some of her own also. ‘It was my fault, too. The documents that were found on them came from me. The courier I sometimes used also worked for Mattieu Benet and he made sure that they were implicated.’
A new voice was heard outside and a physician stepped into the room.
‘This man said I was to come immediately...’ He gestured to the servant at his side, but his words dwindled to nothing as he saw Guy Bernard’s body on the floor lying before them.
‘It seems there is nothing at all I can do for the gentleman, but perhaps the lady might need my ministrations?’
‘Thank you.’ Shay stood and lifted Celeste up in his arms, ignoring completely her protests to be put down.
Aurelian turned to go. ‘Then I shall retrieve my great-aunt, Shay. She has been in London visiting with her sister and you would be hard pressed to find two more proper Dowagers. Their presence in the house is important to protect the reputation of your young guest.’
Both he and Celeste looked over at him.
