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He took a steadying breath. “You see, I’d always thought of life as a series of target practices. A man had to approach them with a clear head and a fine pistol. He saw the target and he shot, and if he had a steady hand and a gun that shot true, he hit what he aimed for.”

She stared at him, nodding as if she understood.

“And love was the sun that blinded him when he prepared to shoot, a dangerous distraction.” He shook his head at his own foolishness. “But I forgot one very important thing—without the sun, he can’t see to aim. By blocking it whenever it dared to shine, I missed what I was aiming for—security, duty, family. And for the past two years, I’ve missed the mark over and over. So what did I get? The very thing I wanted to avoid—setting disasters in motion.”

He reached out and took her hand, then squeezed it.

“But yesterday when you said you loved me, the sun cut through the clouds. Now I see things clearly. Without love, I have no security, duty is a pointless exercise, and family an empty comfort. Without your love, I might as well put this pistol to my own temple and fire, because I’m not going to hit anything else I aim for in life.”

“Oh, Sebastian,” she said, her heart in her eyes. She looked as if she might throw her arms about him, but he stayed her with a shake of his head.

“After this is over, sweeting, I intend to hold you for a very long time. But now, I have to make amends.”

She swallowed. “If you say so. Just remember, I trust you to do the right thing. Show me that you trust me, too.”

There were those words again. What did she mean?

Then as she returned to her sister’s side and took back the pistol, it hit him. Once before, she’d asked him to trust her. To trust her to know that her family wouldn’t hurt him. He looked over at Knighton. Him? Trust her to know that Knighton wouldn’t shoot to kill? If that’s what she was asking, it was a lot to ask. And she’d already proven herself wrong about Knighton’s willingness to fight a duel.

But she’d been no more wrong than Sebastian at guessing how matters would evolve.

Knighton’s second once again called for them to take their positions, and both men readied themselves.

The way Sebastian saw it, he had two choices. Shoot for Knighton’s hand, and trust to his own control and ability to hit the man exactly right. Or deliberately shoot wide and trust that Knighton wouldn’t kill him. Give up control of the situation in favor of Juliet’s dubious faith in her family.

Knighton’s second moved to where he was out of the line of fire, but could be seen by both men. Taking out his handkerchief, he slowly lifted it into the air.

Sebastian glanced over to the women. They stood at the ready, too, with pistols at their hips, though both were pale. Yes, they were bluffing, but there was something so endearing, so noble in their determination to save their men from themselves that he realized he had no choice at all.

I trust you to do the right thing. Show me that you trust me, too.

The handkerchief dropped. Sebastian raised his gun and fired.

At a bush beyond Knighton, some two hundred yards off.

As the smoke cleared, he realized that Knighton hadn’t yet fired. The man’s arm was raised, he stood there frozen, but his finger was still on the trigger and his pistol was aimed straight at Sebastian’s heart.

Sebastian caught his breath, but said nothing, did nothing, his own hand still poised in the air. His blood thundered in his ears, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered if he’d just made an enormous error in judgment.

Then he saw something shift in Knighton’s eyes, and he knew he was safe. She’d been right about Knighton, after all.

“You don’t deserve this, you know,” Knighton growled.

“I know.”

“I ought to make you suffer the way Juliet has suffered for the past two years.”

“Or you could give me the chance to make it up to her. Because I want nothing more in this life than to do that.”

Knighton hesitated another long moment before uttering a frustrated curse. “I know I’m going to regret this. But I suppose we can’t have our women doing anything foolish out of pique. Especially when they’re brandishing pistols.”

With a self-deprecating smile, he raised his arm and fired into the air.

Sebastian let out his breath in a long whoosh. The women cheered. The doctor and the seconds, though more subdued in their response, made it clear that they, too, approved of the outcome.

A moment later, Sebastian was assaulted by a fast-moving bundle of lilac-scented woman. Laughing, he caught Juliet around the waist and swung her into his arms.

“You love me!” she cried, her face aglow. “You really do!”