Alec Mackenzie's Art of Seduction (Mackenzies & McBrides #9)(80)

“Stay quiet,” Alec ordered, and then led the way through the wood in the direction of the old house.



“Flora!” Mrs. Reynolds’s anguished cry broke the silence.

Lady Flora did not flinch. Her pistols remained trained on Edward and the colonel. Colonel Kell had a hatchet-like face and at this moment he glared at Lady Flora in rage.

“Lady Flora,” Celia said in dismay. “For heaven’s sake—please, don’t hurt my brother.” The simple plea was uttered without rancor. Edward’s eyes were wide with fear, but also shame.

“He was there.” Lady Flora’s voice shook. “He knew what happened. When this monster …” She broke off and advanced until the pistol was leveled at Colonel Kell’s chest, though she remained just out of his reach.

“What on earth did he do?” Celia asked.

But in a flash, she understood. Lady Flora had collapsed in despair when the soldiers had gone through her house, though she’d been cool and tart while she’d spoken to them. She’d wept unrestrainedly afterward, sobbing that she missed her daughter. I miss her with every breath. Why did they take her away from me?

“Flora, no.” Mrs. Reynolds started forward, but Lady Flora stilled her with a quelling glare.

“Please,” Mrs. Reynolds went on, her eyes shining with tears. “If you kill him, you’ll hang. Please don’t do this. I can’t bear to be without you.”

“He touched her.” Lady Flora’s voice rang clear. “My Sophia. The breath of my life. He put his filthy hands on her.” She waved the pistol at Colonel Kell’s head. “She sobbed it out to me, how he’d found her alone in Lord Chesfield’s bloody house, how she resisted his flirtation, until he dragged her off and had his way with her. Drunk and disgusting, and when she screamed, he laughed.”

The colonel’s face drained of color. Celia didn’t know Colonel Kell well, but she’d seen him with Lord Chesfield. Celia had overheard her father say that Kell had acquired his rank more through money and position than the ability to lead.

“Oh, God,” Kell said with realization. “Is that who she was?”

“Yes, that was who she was.” Lady Flora’s eyes were dark with pure fury. “She had a name. Sophia. Say it.”

Colonel Kell gulped. Edward, Celia was troubled to note, continued to look ashamed. Had he known?

Lady Flora pointed her second pistol at Kell’s groin. “Say it.”

“Sophia,” the colonel babbled. “Her name was Sophia. I had no idea she was your daughter, my lady. I’d never have touched her.”

“Bastard.” Lady Flora spat at him. “She was light and life, and you took that away from her. She showed signs of your disgusting pox, which even now rots your blood. The child she carried died inside her. In despair, my dear, beautiful, sweet Sophia, took a pistol and ended her life.”

Colonel Kell swallowed. “I didn’t know. I swear to you.”

Lady Flora had put it about that Sophia had died of an illness, nursed to the end by Flora herself. No one had been allowed to see her, to go near her. The illness, Celia now realized, had been Sophia’s pregnancy and miscarriage as well as her knowledge that she carried a disease that would slowly kill her.

“I’m so sorry,” Celia whispered, aghast.

Edward now looked shocked. He must not have known the whole truth.

“Flora, please don’t do this.” Mrs. Reynolds moved to her. “There is another way. We’ll accuse him, humiliate him, ruin him—”

“And have my daughter’s name dragged through the dirt?” Lady Flora asked in imperious tones. “No. He is scum, and scum must be cleansed.”

Lady Flora leveled the pistol, her finger squeezing the trigger. Mrs. Reynolds flung herself at her. At the same time Edward barreled into Kell, shoving him to the floor.

Behind Celia, a puzzled voice said, “Good heavens, what is happening?” and Celia’s father hurried into the room.

The pistol Lady Flora began to fire ended up pointing straight at the Duke of Crenshaw. Celia screamed and ran at her father, just as the gun went off.

Blood spattered Celia’s white fichu and her father’s pristine silk cravat as the two of them toppled to the floor. Celia gasped but felt no pain, only lightness.

“Celia!” The duke caught her in his arms, cupped her face. “My darling girl, are you all right?”

“I seem to be …” Celia trailed off as she saw the gouge in her father’s face, the blood. “Papa.” She quickly stripped off her fichu, wadded it, and pressed it to his cheekbone.

The duke blinked, his eyes flooding with pain. “Oh. Bloody hell.”

“Arrest her!” Colonel Kell spluttered as he climbed to his feet, pointing a shaking finger at Lady Flora. “She is a madwoman. She has shot the duke.”

“I’ll arrest you, sir,” Edward growled, springing up beside him. “For rapine and dissolution.”

“All that will do is shame Sophia,” Lady Flora wailed. “My way is better. I don’t care if I do hang!”

She brought up the second pistol and fired it at Kell.

Celia and Mrs. Reynolds had caught both Lady Flora’s arms at the same time. The bang of the gun burst in Celia’s ears, but the bullet went wild, striking a thick molding that framed the windows.