Page 148 of A Scandal for the Beastly Earl

"I'm not yelling!"

"You're definitely yelling."

"Because you nearly died!"

"I nearly hit him with a poker. There's a difference."

"Not to me!"

They were interrupted by the magistrate arriving with several constables. Apparently, Julian had sent word earlier.

"Planning ahead?" Arabella asked him.

"I had suspicions about tonight."

"And didn't share them?"

"Would you have stayed hidden if you'd known?"

"No."

"Exactly."

"You used me as bait!"

"I used you as a deterrent. Slight difference."

"Julian!"

"It worked, didn't it?"

"That's not the point!"

"Why does everyone keep saying that tonight?" Julian wondered.

Harrington was arrested, still cursing and threatening. The fires were fully extinguished, the household was safe, and dawn was breaking.

"It's over," Lucien said, pulling Arabella close.

"Is it?"

"Cassandra's banished, Harrington's arrested, the truth is known. Yes, it's over."

"Then why don't I feel relieved?"

"Adrenaline. It'll pass."

"Or maternal instinct saying something's still wrong."

"Nothing's wrong."

"Lucien..."

"Arabella, please. Can we just have five minutes of peace?"

"Fine. Five minutes."

They sat together on their bed, still fully dressed, still smelling of smoke, while the household slowly returned to normal around them.