“The Crown doesn’t make deals with terrorists,” he growled. “Lady Weston, you are under arrest, charged with high treason, as well as the murder of Roger, Lord Weston, and your husband, Richard, Lord Weston.” He gestured to the men, who wrenched her arms behind her. “Remove this traitor from my sight.”
“This isn’t over!” she shrieked.
“That may be true,” Alister remarked calmly. “But rest assured you won’t be part of any future rebellions.” With a nod to the Runners, he ordered, “Take her to the Tower.”
With that, they dragged her away.
As dawn was starting to break the horizon, Alister and Drayven left Lord Liverpool’s office at Whitehall, who, after finishing his meeting with Parliament, had joined them with a congratulatory handshake. “Well done, gentlemen. I knew the safety of our Monarch could not be trusted to anyone more worthy.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Alister bowed briefly before he said the one thing he’d never expected to say. “But I fear this was my last adventure.”
The older man sighed but nodded nevertheless. “I suspected as much, especially now that you have that lovely new bride to return home to.” He turned to Drayven. “What about you, Lord Sussex? Are you planning on retirement?”
Drayven lifted a dark, indolent brow. “And what, pray tell, gave you that impression?”
“Only that it’s a new age and the doors are opening to change, as well as fresh young blood.”
Drayven grinned wickedly. “Then it’s a good thing I’m in my prime.”
After departing from his compatriots, Alister saddled his horse and headed for Eversleigh House. He was ready for a warm bath, preferably with his wife, and about a week’s worth of rest, but more than that, he was just ready to be a particularly boring duke. He wanted to look at estate ledgers and ride about his grounds and visit with his tenants. It was time to go home.
But the moment Alister was let inside Eversleigh house and he spied Winston’s grim expression, he felt his heart crack in his chest. Something was dreadfully wrong.
“Thank goodness you have returned, Your Grace. I fear the duchess has taken ill.”
He had to swallow before he could speak. “Where is she?”
“Upstairs,” the man said stoically. “But—”
Before the butler had finished speaking, Alister was tearing up the grand staircase.
Roarke was waiting outside the door to Lyra’s room, but when Alister would have gone inside, his brother-in-law stayed him with a firm hand. “Not so fast.”
“I want to see my wife and you’re damned well not going to stop me,” Alister growled threateningly as he attempted to step around him, but it didn’t seem to faze the viscount in the slightest as he stepped in his path once more.
“Dr. Harris is examining her right now, so you’re just going to have to wait.”
It was the only thing that gave Alister pause. “She was fine last night…” He swallowed. “What happened?”
“From what I gathered from Mother,” Roarke began, “they were downstairs in the kitchens last night when—” He paused. “—the bleeding started.”
Alister clenched his jaw. Guilt instantly washed over him. When Lyra had needed him the most he hadn’t been there. And now their child was in jeopardy as well.
“After the alarm was sounded,” Roarke continued softly, “I immediately sent for Dr. Harris.”
“Has he said anything about…?” Alister asked gruffly, unable to finish the sentence.
“I believe everything is stable. For the moment, at least.”
Then that meant there was still hope. Closing his eyes, Alister sent up a prayer.
“Come on. You look like you could use a drink. And I know I certainly can.”
I’m losing the baby…I’m losing the baby…
It had become a continual chant in Lyra’s head, so strong that it drowned out everything else—her mother’s gentle words, Mara’s soothing touches, and even the doctor’s kind assurances that everything was going to be fine. It all paled next to the fear that it was happening all over again.
As a tear seeped from her eyelid and fell across her cheek to her hairline, Lyra realized that she had to face the possibility that she was never going to be a mother. She knew she should just accept it and move on with her life with Alister, but the pain of another devastating loss was so acute that she didn’t know if she could bear it.
