Page 136 of The Sainted Duchess
“There,” he said softly. “Steady.”
She was not steady. He glanced at the welt on her cheek and winced.
“I should fetch a cloth; you need treatment.”
“Later,” she said. “This is enough for me now.”
His eyes moved to her mouth, then away at once.
“We will go back home,” he sighed. “Everyone has been worried about you. This… I cannot even imagine what would have happened if I had not arrived in time.”
“But you did,” she said. “And somehow, I held onto hope that you would.”
“Owen is a dangerous man,” his lips pressed together. “More so than I thought. If I had any idea that he had such inclinations of revenge, I would have never let him see the light of day since the day he was ousted from the city.”
“He’s gone now,” she sighed, looking at the door. “And I don’t think he will be bothering us any longer.”
“I will make sure of it.”
She held back on what she really wished to say next. But Stephen caught on.
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure if…” she said. “What does this change between us?”
“Everything,” his reply was firm. “But let me get you to safety first. We will talk about this.”
“I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” she said as he began to gently lead her out of the room, “ And I’m glad you came.”
“I would have come if every road were shut.”
“Even if I didn’t want to see you?”
“Especially then,” he said, without pride.
There was the sound of footsteps again, and a disheveled Nicholas appeared at the door.
“Maria?”
“Here,” she called.
“Good God,” Nicholas said, taking in her cheek, the rope on the floor, Stephen’s bloody knuckles. “Are you…”
“I am,” Maria said, “Stephen came just in time, and he rescued me.”
Nicholas pressed a hand over his eyes, then down his face.
“I should never have let you walk alone.”
“Nicholas,” she said gently.
“I promised to keep you safe,” he went on, voice breaking, “and I failed in the simplest way.”
“You didn’t fail me,” Maria said. “You can’t stand between me and every bad thing.”
The two exchanged a look. Somehow, their bond felt even closer now.
“Constables have him,” Nicholas reported to Stephen now, “They’ll carry him to Bow Street and then to the magistrate. I promised to sign whatever is required twice.”
