Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom(167)

Stephen let out a chortle and twisted in Justine’s arms, reaching his chubby hands out to Griffin. When the baby kicked against her stomach, she had to clutch him to maintain her grip.

“Give him to me,” Griffin said, “before you drop the little blighter. And I want you to sit down before you fall down.”

With only a minimal protest, Justine handed the baby over before righting the chair by the cradle and sinking into it. Her heart turned over in the most disgracefully sentimental manner at the sight of her powerful, dangerous husband, dressed in buccaneer black, competently shifting a damp, messy baby into the crook of his arm. Suddenly she couldn’t imagine anything she wanted more than to spend her life with Griffin, raising a family and loving him for the rest of her days. She didn’t care whether they lived in a villa in Italy or a tent in Egypt. She only knew she never wanted to leave him.

“Is something wrong?” he asked when he caught her expression.

“Not a thing,” she said. “I was simply wondering what happens now.” Suddenly, she jolted upright in her chair. “I completely forgot about the landlord and his wife! Count Marzano said he locked them up.”

“Deacon and Joshua have the situation in hand. In fact—” He broke off as Joshua Lewis came through the door.

“Beggin’ your pardon, Mr. Griffin,” Joshua said, “but Mr. Deacon was wondering what to do with those two coves downstairs.” He glanced at Marzano and his henchman, still unconscious, and then grinned at his employer. “Guess you took care of those bleedin’ sods. Sorry for the language, Mrs. Steele,” he said to Justine as an afterthought.

“No apology is necessary since I feel the same,” Justine said. “I’m just wondering what we’re going to do with them.”

Griffin cocked his head as if listening. “As to that, I think help is on the way.” Right on cue, Chloe hurried into the room followed a moment later by Dominic.

“Uncle Dominic!” Justine exclaimed, jumping up to throw herself into his arms. When her godparent enveloped her in a fierce and familiar embrace, she almost burst into tears.

“Are you all right, my child?” He eased her back to study her, his face anxious. “Marzano didn’t hurt you?”

“No, I’m fine,” she said, giving him a misty smile. “Griffin gave those two villains a splendid thrashing.”

“Well, you did shoot one of them in the shoulder, my love,” Griffin said as he carefully transferred the baby to Chloe. “That made my job easier.”

Dominic inspected the man slumped against the wall. “Well done, my dear. I see your aim is as good as ever. But I suppose we’d better fetch a doctor before he bleeds to death.”

“I was very careful not to hit anything vital,” Justine said, apologetically. “But I suppose it does make sense to send for a doctor.”

Just then, Deacon popped his head into the room. “Those blighters are trussed up nice and tight downstairs, Sir Dominic,” he said. “What do you want me to do with this lot?”

Dominic reached down and grabbed Marzano, who moaned as he came to. “Let’s haul them down to the taproom.” He shoved the count into Deacon’s ham-sized hands. “I need to have a brief discussion with the count. When everyone’s wounds are treated, we’ll dispatch them back to London.”

Justine and Chloe exchanged an anxious glance as Joshua and Deacon half-dragged, half-carried the count and his man from the room.

“Do you think it’s wise to just send them off like that?” Chloe asked. “What if the count won’t listen to you?”