Page 38 of Reckless Desire

“I am heartier than that, Miss Ramsay.” He glared. “Though I must ask whose side you’re on.”

She looked at Lord Hensley. “Is he dead?”

He shook his head. “Nae. Just knocked unconscious when we hit the ground. Bloody coward.”

She shook her head in an effort to clear the fog. “I saw you two fall to the ground. The gun—”

“Was pointed at the ground,” he said.

“Will he wake up?”

“If there is a God, he will,” he muttered.

He yanked his cravat free of its tie, then pulled the fabric from around his neck. He dropped to one knee, rolled the viscount onto his stomach and tied the man’s hands behind his back.

She stared at Lord Hensley, and murmured, “He isn’t dead,” then swung her gaze onto Lord Newhall, and said, “You aren’t dead.” Then she sat on the ground and began to cry.

“Miss Ramsay?”

She covered her face with her hands and cried harder.

He squatted down next to her. “You did not really hurt me.”

She snapped her head up. “You deserved that and more.”

His eyes darkened. “Is that so?”

“I have had a dreadful day and it is all your fault.”

“Is that so?” he repeated in far too reasonable a voice.

Kenna narrowed her eyes. “Do not act like you have no idea what I am talking about. Aye, Lord Hensley kidnapped me. But ‘tis unlikely a parson would marry us, and even if he did, the marriage would no’ hold up in court.”

“And if, by that time, you were pregnant with his child, what then?” he asked.

She stared for two more heartbeats, then burst into tears again.

He pulled her to her feet, then drew her into his arms. “There, there, Miss Ramsay. Tomorrow will be better, I promise.”

How she wished she could believe him. Kenna leaned into him and cried into his shirt. His arms tightened around her. An unexpected sense of security settled deep in her soul.

“Do not worry,” he murmured into her hair.

The strong, rhythmic thump of his heartbeat against her cheek soothed her. The tears slowed. She could sleep for a week standing there in his arms. Kenna drew in a slow breath.

“I promise, this incident will not tarnish your reputation,” he said. “Tomorrow, I will apply for a special license and place an ad in the paper announcing our engagement. We can marry at your convenience, any time, three days hence.”

Marry?

Kenna snapped open her eyes. Had he said marry?

“I wouldn’t have chosen a moment like this to propose,” he continued, “but I want to put your mind at ease.”

Slowly, she leaned back and met his gaze. “What are you talking about?”

“As I said earlier, you needn’t worry that this incident will tarnish your reputation. Our marriage will squelch all gossip.”

Gossip. That’s right. After everything that had happened, there was sure to be plenty of gossip. Maybe this was the very opportunity she needed to convince Sir Stirling to send her home.