Alice nodded. All she could see was Silas’s harsh features, his mouth drawn into a grimace, his sightless eyes glassy, thesmell of his blood thickening the air around her. She shivered again. “He’s dead.”
Silence enveloped them once more, so quiet Alice could hear the clock on the mantelpiece in the parlour ticking. A sudden crack from the fire made her jump, her heart racing all over again. She took a deep breath.
“But who really killed him?” Lill’s voice was little more than a whisper, as if she hardly dared voice the question.
Alice closed her eyes, relishing the soft warmth of her nightgown, the lingering taste of brandy and chocolate on her tongue. Safe. She was safe. Though she never wanted to think of the events of tonight ever again, she recalled the shadowy figure holding the smoking pistol, his pale hair gleaming in the lamplight. “If I had to guess, I’d say it was Boreas. He fitted the description I’ve heard, anyhow.”
Lill’s expression of wonder would have been funny if Alice wasn’t still vibrating with terror.
She leaned closer. “Did you see his face, then? They say he’s fair as an angel and wicked to his core.”
Despite everything, Alice laughed. “Trust you to think that the most important detail, Lill.”
Lill shrugged, unrepentant. “I always had a soft spot for highwaymen. The handsome rascal what steals your purse and your kisses at the same time.”
“He’s a smuggler, not on the high toby,” Alice objected, pulling the blanket tighter around her. “But yes, I suppose he was handsome, in an unearthly sort of way. Dangerous, too. He didn’t hesitate to shoot Silas.”
“Why did he do it?”
Alice had pondered this at length since it had happened and there was only one reasonable explanation. “From what I hear, the dowager has always dealt fairly with the smugglers. Live and let live, and she’s ensured Hawkney doesn’t interfere either, which is quite a feat. Silas meant to kill us both, Lill, and I think Boreas knew who Aubrey was. Besides which, Silas isn’t hard to peg as a villain. Any fool could figure that much, and Boreas is no fool.”
“So, he’s not such a villain, then? If he was willing to risk himself to save Aubrey.”
There was a hopeful note to Lill’s voice. Alice narrowed her eyes. She knew too well what terrible taste the woman had in men. “Don’t even think about it. Pretty he might be, but I won’t have you getting tangled up with such a dangerous man. We’re free of that life, both of us. We’re going to be dull and respectable from now on.”
Lill snorted.“You?Dull and respectable?”
Alice glowered at her. “Well, as close as I can reasonably get,” she said crossly.
“A Bambury tale if ever I heard one,” Lill muttered under her breath as she tugged Alice’s slippers back on, setting her feet on the stool as she stood up. She looked down at Alice, smiling fondly as she reached out and tucked a short curl behind Alice’s ear. It was a familiar gesture, reminding Alice of so much shared history that she wanted to cry. “That’s close enough, pet. You’ll marry your handsome knight, and we’ll all live happily ever after. Or else,” Lill added, wagging a stern finger.
Alice nodded. “Or else.”
A knock on the back door had them both almost leaping out of their skins, staring at each other in shock.
“Who’s there?” Lill called out, her voice shaking.
“It’s me, Aubrey.”
Both women let out a sigh of relief as Lill bustled to the door and snatched it open. “Bleedin’ hell, are you trying to scare us both to death?”
“I apologise. It’s only, I must see Alfie. I want to be certain he’s unharmed.”
Alice smiled, pleased by his words, and hearing the concern in his voice, though Lill was keeping him out on the doorstep and she could not see him.
“Let him in, Lill,” she said, setting her cup of chocolate down.
Obligingly, Lill stood aside and Aubrey came in, closing the door behind him.
There he stood. Large and solid and so very alive.
The tears that Alice had managed to stem for Lill burst from her, and she flung the blanket aside, running into his arms and burying her face in his chest.
“I’ve got you,” he said, his voice choked as his arms tightened around her. “I’ve got you, and I shall never let you go. Lord, above, I daren’t let you out of my sight. I… I thought I would lose you.”
“Sorry.” The word was muffled against his expensive waistcoat, silky and luxurious from the feel of it against her cheek. “Sorry. I’m s-so s-sorry.”
He held her tighter, almost crushing the breath from her. “I know. I know it, you reckless, foolish creature. But mark me well, Alice. If you—or Alfie—ever put me through a scene like that one ever again,I’llmurder you!”
