“Done.” Gavin gestured toward the papers.
“I meant fifteen,” Neal said quickly.
Gavin inclined his head. “Get your ink and I’ll sign.”
Neal returned with a traveling desk in seconds, dipped his pen, scratched a few lines on both sheets. “There. It says you owe me twenty thousand pounds, payable at the time of betrothal. Nonrefundable.”
Evangeline’s stomach dropped and the pistol wavered in her sweat-damp palms. Twenty thousand pounds? Didanyonehave that kind of money?
“So be it.” Gavin’s tone was bored. “Did you sign?”
Neal did so with a flourish, re-inked his pen, held it out for Gavin.
When both documents had been signed, Gavin left one on the desktop and returned the other to his pocket. He turned toward Evangeline and held out his hand.
“Come, my love. Let’s go home.”
“Wrong.” Neal shook his head. “She’s not going anywhere.”
Gavin’s hands fisted. “You just signed—”
“A marriage contract. She’s still mine until the wedding.”
“Over my dead body.” Gavin scooped Evangeline into his arms and headed for the door. She laced her arms around his neck, careful not to let the pistol fall from her trembling fingers. She stared over Gavin’s shoulder at her stepfather’s twisted expression. Terror strangled her heart.
Neal slid a poker from the stand next to the fireplace. “As you said. ‘So be it.’ I’ll get my money either way.”
“No!” Evangeline cried. Gavin ignored both of them and hurried through the doorway. She beat against his shoulders. “Gavin! He has a poker!”
Gavin strode faster.
Evangeline held tight with one hand and used the other to aim the pistol at her stepfather’s arm. Neal leaped toward them, slashing down toward Gavin’s head. Evangeline squeezed the trigger.
The bullet burst into her stepfather’s chest, sending a tide of crimson pulsing across his waistcoat.
He dropped to his knees. The poker slipped from his fingers. He fell forward and didn’t move.
Gavin spun around, his heart thudding against Evangeline’s. She tightened her hold around him, buried her face in his neck.
The pistol fell from her fingers and clattered to the floor.
“Is he dead?” she mumbled into Gavin’s collar. He held her tighter, kissed the top of her head. She was safe.
“I’ll make sure.” He set her down, squeezed her hand. She hugged her arms around her chest and forced herself to breathe. He knelt next to the body for a long moment before glancing up. “Yes.”
“I didn’t mean to kill him,” she whispered. “But I’m not sorry he’s dead.”
“I know.” Gavin gathered her in his arms, hugged her, stroked her hair. “It was an accident. You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”
“Forever?”
“Forever.”
As she traded her village for Blackberry Manor once again, instead of running away, this time Evangeline was finally going home.
Epilogue
Abreeze rifled Gavin’s hair as he peeked around the canvas.
