She shook her head, again trying to avoid words. “When I got to the house, two of the arsonists were there... My father agreed to pay them half the money when they took the job... and half upon completion. But he refused to give them the second part of their payment. He said... he said the job wasn’t complete because they didn’t burn the entire shipyard to the ground.”
“And you asked him about it? On your own? Ros...” Yuri’s throat worked.
She pressed her eyes shut. “That’s why I said it was my fault... I should have known better than?—
“No. None of this is your fault. Do you understand me? The blame for this lies entirely on your father.”
“But—”
“But nothing. He’s the one who hit you. He’s the one who couldn’t control his temper. He’s the one who...” Yuri just shook his head, but she could see him fighting off more tears.
Deputy Marshal Redding looked up from his notebook. “I’ll have the prosecutor add arson to the attempted-murder charge.”
“Attempted murder?” She blinked. “Is that what you charged him with?”
“You were minutes away from dying last night, Miss Caldwell. I would never consider charging him with anything less.” The Deputy Marshal flipped to another page in his notebook. “Now can you describe the two arsonists for?—”
Knocking sounded from somewhere else in the house. “Rosalind? Are you in there?”
Rosalind recognized the voice all too well.
The knocking turned to pounding. “Let me in, Amos. My niece is missing, and I need to know if she’s here.”
“I’ll take care of him,” Alexei muttered. “The rest of you stay here.”
The oldest Amos brother strode out of the room and pulled the door shut behind him.
Alexei couldn’t quite stophis hands from clenching into fists as he headed across the small parlor toward the front door. He wasn’t the type to throw punches or shout across a room, but Simon Caldwell was the last man he wanted to see this morning.
Or rather, the second to last man. He wanted to see Preston Caldwell even less.
But the man was still the governor, and it was reasonable for him to want to know where Rosalind was.
“Amos? Are you there?” More banging sounded, the newest round louder than the rest.
Alexei reached the door, then paused and drew in a breath before opening it. “Governor, good morn?—”
“Is she here?” The governor jabbed a finger into his chest. “This is an outrage, Amos. You can’t have my brother locked up on exaggerated charges and force?—”
“Yes, she’s here. Follow me.” Alexei stepped back and let the man in, then shut the door with a click that sounded far too soft. He turned and headed toward the formal parlor on his left.
The governor didn’t follow. He took one look at the doorway and headed the other direction. “I want to see my niece, not have a fireside chat with you. Where is she?”
“Wait.” Alexei rushed after him, but the governor was too many steps ahead, swiftly moving across the entryway toward the hallway on the opposite side of the stairs. “She’s injured, and I refuse to let you storm through my house, shouting the first thing in...”
It was too late. The man reached for the first door he came to, which just so happened to be the sickroom, and opened it. “Rosalind?”
Alexei rushed into the room in time to see Rosalind jerk upward in her bed, then cry out in pain.
She tried to rise, but Yuri pushed her shoulders down and placed himself between her and her uncle. “She’s barely breathing. Get out.”
Jonas placed a hand on the butt of his gun and moved to stand behind Yuri. “Governor, I’m going to need you to step back. Your niece is being treated for injuries.”
“What do you mean ‘she’s barely breathing’?” The governor ran his eyes over his niece, concern creasing his brow.
“Father lost his temper last night.” Rosalind spoke from the bed, where she now lay with an arm curled protectively over her ribs.
“I know. I’ve been to see him. He feels badly about what happened and fully intends to apologize once he’s been released from jail.”
