Page 88 of An Inconvenient Duke

“He deserves to hang even more.” She brought his attention back to her by touching her lips to his. “Don’t cheat Elise out of the justice she deserves by killing him here in the darkness. Let all his crimes be brought to light and dealt with in the open…no more shadows, no more secrets.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek against his to whisper in his ear, “You’re a soldier, Marcus, not a murderer.” A tear slipped down her face as she admitted, “And I love you for it.”

His arms lifted loosely to her back. Then his embrace slowly tightened until he held her pressed against him, dragging in a deep and ragged breath as he nuzzled his mouth into her hair. Their hearts pounded in unison as they held each other, even as the other men came forward to grab Hartsham by the arms, yank him to his feet, and drag him to the side of the room.

“It’s over,” she murmured, clinging fiercely to him. All the grief and fear inside her lifted, and now there was only the sensation of Marcus’s arms around her, his strength and love seeping into her and filling her up to her soul. “It’s finally all over.”

* * *

“And now?” Marcus asked sotto voce as he stood shoulder to shoulder with Clayton, who had arrived at the warehouse only a few moments ago and been quickly informed of what had occurred.

The two men surveyed the current state of the warehouse and the people within it. His men were awaiting orders, the same men who had followed Dani from her town house. Thanks to warnings by Marcus when they’d first been assigned to guard her, they knew to anticipate her carriage changes and doubling back of streets and hadn’t lost sight of her when she and Mrs. Slater had made their way to the warehouse. Yet all that subterfuge had delayed her just enough that he, Pearce, and Merritt had arrived at the warehouse only moments behind.

Merritt still guarded Mrs. Slater, although he was only waiting for a signal from Clayton to put her into a carriage and take her to Newgate for safe keeping. There was much less certainty regarding what would happen to Hartsham, who currently sat on the floor, closely watched over by two of the men and waiting for Clayton to decide what to do about him next. Newgate wasn’t an option. The man was still a peer, even if he couldn’t plead privilege to avoid being tried for murder. But Marcus wanted to make certain the bastard wouldn’t have another chance to harm Danielle or the rest of his family.

Now wrapped in his coat to keep her warm and cover the blood that had splattered on her dress, she stood on the far side of the warehouse, closely guarded by Pearce. A bandage marred her slender neck. Her uneasy gaze kept drifting back to Marcus, but he could offer her no more consolation until he finished confirming with Clayton what would happen next. Then he planned to scoop her into his arms, carry her home, and make love to her until the color returned to her face, the shaking stopped, and she once again felt safe.

“He’ll be taken back to his town house and guarded while the property is searched. Then he’ll be placed under house arrest, his every move watched,” Clayton answered.

“When will he be officially charged?”

“That’s a more difficult matter.”

Dread swept through Marcus like an icy wind. “You think he won’t be arrested?”

“He’s a peer with accomplices. That makes all of this much more complicated.” Clayton tugged at his gloves, his only outward sign of frustration. “It was Mrs. Slater who hired the men to break into your home and shoot at you at Vauxhall. She’ll be the one arrested and tried for that, not him. As for the blackmail itself, if he’s found guilty in the Lords, he can plead privilege to escape punishment.” He paused as if afraid what he was about to say would cause Marcus to pummel the man a second time. “Even for his attack here on Miss Williams, since all would be considered first offenses.”

“I’m beginning to like the aristocracy less and less,” Marcus muttered.

Clayton slid him a sideways glance. “Yes, Your Grace.”

Marcus’s mouth twisted in vexation, but he ignored that bit of bait. “Regardless, he can’t claim privilege in cases of murder, and he murdered Elise. He admitted it to Danielle.”

“And that’s the problem.”

“How so?”

Clayton lowered his eyes to the scorched floor. “Whose murder do we arrest him for?”

“My sister’s.”

“Only if you’re willing to destroy Miss Williams.”

Marcus wheeled on him. “What do you mean?”

“Thanks to the woman at Pearce’s town house, we have enough information to link Hartsham to John Porter’s murder. He’ll surely be found guilty for that. I suspect that half the men in Westminster are clients of Venus’s Folly and willing to do whatever it takes to keep their proclivities hidden. Including sending him to the gallows to keep him silent.” He lifted his eyes to stare somberly across the room at Danielle. “But your sister’s murder is a different matter.”

Marcus locked gazes with her as she stared back at the two men, careful not to let any stray emotions show on his face.

“We can only prove that he murdered Elise if you’re willing to share with the world what happened here tonight, why Miss Williams left her home late at night to come to an abandoned warehouse in the Strand in pursuit of a young prostitute.” He looked away from Danielle and added, “What she’s been doing for the past four years and why nearly one hundred women have gone missing because of her.”

His heart skipped. “You know about Nightingale?”

“There are few things that happen on English soil that the Home Office is unaware of.” Clayton turned his back to the room as he explained, “There are wealthy and powerful men who would gladly see her life be destroyed in retribution for what she’s done. I know you want justice, General, but you cannot link Hartsham to what Elise was doing with those prostitutes without also connecting your sister to Miss Williams. Everything she’s done will come out, every last secret. Her life will be destroyed, along with her father’s diplomatic career and whatever standing her aunt possesses at court and in society.” He paused. “And the Braddocks by association, especially if you marry her. Claudia’s marriage, Pippa’s future…destroyed right along with her, just as soon as it all becomes public. Not even your reputation as one of England’s greatest heroes will be able to mitigate that.”

Across the room, Danielle frowned at the intensity with which Marcus continued to stare at her. His gut twisted, each breath now coming pained and labored. Despite the lamps that continued to light up the warehouse, he felt the darkness start to creep inside.

“We also don’t know Hartsham’s exact connection to Scepter or their endgame. Exposing his connection to your sister would destroy any chance we have of finding out.” Clayton’s gaze flicked darkly to Hartsham. “I don’t think the earl is going to share information about them, even under interrogation.”

Across the room, Merritt signaled to Clayton that he was ready to escort Mrs. Slater to prison. He nodded and watched only long enough to see Merritt take the woman’s arm to lead her from the building before folding his hands behind his back, his stance wide. The same posture Clayton had always assumed in the army when he was awaiting orders.