Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36

I t was taking far too long to reach Raven's Court, every beat of horse's hooves like a death knell. The fury and fear in Lucien's gut magnified from the moment he heard Simon's shout in the crowded London street, glimpsed his glistening Turkoman horse approaching. He'd entrusted his brother with one task, to guard Grace tonight. And Simon had left her—and everyone they loved most—in the townhouse with a man bent on murder.

He'd never forget the horror on Simon's face when he had roared out the truth. The pair pushing their mounts to the limit, eyes fixed in the direction of Raven's Court, dreading the sound of an explosion, the orange red stain of fire against the night dark sky.

At the gate, Lucien dismounted, the guards rushing toward their lathered horses.

"Nolan is here with a bomb," he warned. "After my announcement, move people outside as quickly and calmly as you are able. We don't dare alarm Nolan. It might spur him to ignite whatever hellish device he's smuggled in."

" If he managed to get past all of the safeguards we put in place," MacLeod averred. Lucien felt a slight bit of hope, but his gut told him differently. They had been guarding against rabble from the streets. If what O'Malley had said was true, whoever had planned this, had access to ton society. Could be anyone he'd seen across a ballroom or in the halls of parliament.

Simon raced inside, bound for the nursery to fetch Kit. Now, the other men fanned out to sweep the premises, searching for Nolan and evacuating the household staff and guests.

Lucien fought to keep the fear from his voice as he drew the crowd's attention. "…withdraw to the back garden at once…an exhibition you will never forget."

He heard a murmur of confusion, some faint protest that it was December…yet no one dared question him in his own home, thank God. Grateful for the power the Harcourt name could wield, he made his way through the crowd flowing out the door to the entertainment that didn't exist.

Lucien felt a jolt of relief to see MacLeod was with Cassandra, Jane and Penelope, something fierce and unreadable in the Scotsman's face as he grasped Cassandra's arm.

But where was Grace?

Lucien scanned the room, his gaze suddenly arrested by two figures beneath one of the street lamps. Lucien's blood froze. Grace was caught in the man's arm, a branch of candles wavering in his other hand. Something dark had spilled from an overturned barrel and spread in a pool beneath her skirts. Gunpowder.

He heard a soft oath from nearby guards looking in the same direction and saw them grope for their pistols.

If they fired, they could hit Grace or the candlestick would fall, setting gunpowder ablaze.

If Lucien moved closer, Nolan could well ignite the bomb. But he had to try to dissuade him. "Leave us," Lucien ordered, pulling out the crumpled sketch.

"But, my lord?—"

"I said, leave us ."

Grace's gaze clung to his, her whole body trembling. Lucien held out the crumpled sketch, his hands, palms up, as he walked toward where Grace stood.

"Darragh Nolan. I've just come from Moira on Little White Lion Street. This is you, isn't it?" He held out the sketch, saw Nolan's eyes dart to the familiar drawing, a muscle jumped at the side of the Irishman's eye.

"N—No. I don't know who you are talking about."

"The children were frightened after the row between you and O'Malley. Sibby Rose and Robert and little Darragh. Scrap, the children call him. Scrap has grown a fair bit since you left to look for work. And Sibby Rose…she is going to be a beauty like your wife."

Nolan paled even further, the branch of candles in his hand shaking. Jesus, God don't let one of those candles fall.

"That red ribbon Sibby Rose loves? Did you see it in her hair?"

Had the man been sane enough to see anything?

"My wife gave that to your little girl. We came across Sibby and Scrap on Bond Street when we were shopping one day. He'd climbed too high and couldn't get down. Sibby told us that when you came home you had promised to bring her a ribbon."

Nolan's face contorted with pain.

"I hope one day I can bring my daughter a ribbon, too," Lucien said, suddenly knowing how desperately that was true. "You see, I just found out that I am going to be a father. Scares the hell out of me, to be honest. But I know I would do anything to protect my wife and babe. Even if it meant burning the world down…But then my child would have to live in the wreckage."

"They've been living in hell already! Now Moira and the babes will never have to worry again with the coin the swells gave us." The resolve in the man's face made sweat dampen Lucien's palms. He held Nolan's gaze, not daring to shift to Grace or the candles, as if by will alone he could stay that shaking hand.

"Do you really trust these men to keep their word?" Lucien asked. "Don't be a weapon in the hands of rich men who want to crush families like yours."

"I failed Moira and the babes. They made sure Moira has enough to make a fresh start. They swore?—"

"Those men are liars. They'll do whatever they must to get what they want. I know, because my father is one of them. And once, so was I." The admission cracked something deep inside him.

"There is no way out," Nolan said. "Not for me."

Lucien looked at him, knowing he had to tell the truth.

"Maybe not for you. But there is a way forward for Sibby Rose. For Scrap and Robert and Moira."

"That is what you are willing to sacrifice yourself for, is it not?" Grace said. She tried to turn to look at Nolan. The candles wavered.

Lucien fought to keep his voice steady. "I have seen what your family goes through. I know how wrong it is. My wife showed me…" His gaze flashed to Grace, his heart hammering in his chest. "Knowing Grace and Sibby Rose and Scrap…changed me. I understand that you don't want to hurt people, Nolan. You just wantyour familycared for."

"After today, I won't be there to look out for them anymore. No matter what I do, the magistrates will take me or I'll die."

"Surrender, and you will be sent away, true. But the person or people who put you up to this—they are the guilty ones. I swear on my wife's love that I will hunt them down and I won't let your children pay for mistakes you made."

"Why should I believe you?"

"I've made mistakes myself. I'd give anything to change them. I don't know what will happen to you. But I will hire the finest barrister I know to be besideyou every step of way. I will move your family to my estate Everdene. If you are released, I'll have a job waiting for you."

"Sure, an' a pot o' gold as well."

"Not a pot of gold. An honest living."

"Why would you do this for me?"

"Because I've been where you are, used by someone else as a tool for his evil. I know you are trying protect the people you love the onlyway you know how. At the time, I believed that, too. But people I love paid a terrible price I couldn't fathom until it was too late."

Nolan was listening.

"Do you really think whoever is behind this will let your family live once you've done their bidding? They want you dead, Nolan, then they'll murder Moira and the children to wipe out any proof that powerful men were involved in this plot. Those men will silence Moira and the children forever to keep such treachery from coming to light."

He could see the truth bury itself in Nolan like a sword thrust.

"Help me help you," Lucien pleaded. "Tell me who these men were who hired you. Who is threatening my family and intends to destroy yours. I will stop them."

Nolan's hand was shaking even worse now, threatening to topple the candelabra over into the black powder at Grace's feet. Lucien gauged the time it would take to launch himself at Nolan, knock him backward, but the barrels blocked his path. The chance that the candelabra would fall and the candles roll was too great.

"If nothing else, let my wife go," Lucien's voice broke. "My death alone would be enough to ignite whatever outrage those men are seeking. Grace has done nothing but try to help your children."

Grace's green eyes held his. "I won't leave you. No more than Moira would leave Darragh."

"Grace, for the love of God?—"

"You and my husband are more alike than you know, Darragh," Grace said. "Forced by a ruthless man to make an impossible choice. Lucien was only a boy when it happened, but he believed his choice damned him for all time. I saw who he was inside, a good man. A man worthy of loving, of the kind of loyalty that kept Moira waiting for you for two years. In the end, here and now, it is up to you to decide. Who are you? A man someone else can use as a weapon? Or are you the man your family has been waiting for?"

Nolan's grip on Grace loosened, and he turned to the side, his whole body seeming to sag. Lucien watched the hand that had gripped the base of the candelabra sink a few inches, feared it would tip. Slowly, carefully, Grace turned to face Nolan. She reached out her hand, and Lucien saw all of the goodness, honesty, and compassion shining in her face as she waited. That expression that made even the wildest, most feral people dare to trust…

People like himself, Lucien thought.

Gently, Nolan placed the candlestick in her hands. The man's face convulsed, and he crumpled to the floor, a sob tearing from his chest.

Grace held so still, Lucien's woman of light. The gilt-painted stars glowed around her as Lucien went to her, curving his fingers around the candlestick's silver base over hers to steady it. The moment seemed to stretch into eternity. Gazing into her eyes he crushed each flame with his other hand.