of events,” he said in perfect French. “The widow has been a worthy adversary, as have you. We shall meet again.”
Before Sebastian could work through the man’s cryptic remark, Silas swept his weapon toward Helsford and fired.
“No—” Sebastian dove toward his agent in a futile attempt to block the bullet, but it was not Helsford’s body that bucked against the impact.
Cochran’s neck jolted back and his body froze for an instant before melting in Helsford’s arms. Then his head rolled forward, revealing the bullet’s entrance, his death told by a single track of scarlet liquid.
With a fluid sweep of his arm, Sebastian grabbed his gun, twisted his body around to face Cochran’s murderer, and pulled the trigger. Sebastian’s bullet cleaved into Silas’s forehead at the same time another lead ball from behind blasted into the man’s back.
“Get down!” Sebastian yelled as he dove to the ground. “Helsford, to Catherine.” He didn’t have to look to make sure his agent followed his direction—the man was trained to do so without question. He watched Silas’s body collapse in a heap, dead before his face hit the hard-packed road.
“Who’s there?” Sebastian’s gaze flicked from one corner of the darkness to the next. “Show yourself.”
“It would be my pleasure, Lord Somerton,” a new voice said. “As soon as you lower your weapons.”
Sebastian glanced from Danforth to Helsford; both agents shrugged their shoulders. “I’ll have your name, sir.”
“Reeves. John Reeves, Superintendent of the Alien Office.”
Twenty-seven
“If you three women don’t stop pacing,” Danforth said from his location near the drawing room window, “you’re going to give me a megrim.”
Catherine halted behind one of Sebastian’s burgundy damask chairs, clutching the back with her cold, clammy hands. Cora and Dinks continued their assault on the expensive carpet, pausing only long enough to throw Danforth a leave-me-be look.
“No sign of them yet?” Catherine would never forget the steel coating Sebastian’s blue-gray eyes when he forced her to return with the viscount while he, Helsford, and Reeves dealt with the aftermath of Cochran’s failed abduction.
Danforth sighed, having fielded the same question no less than a dozen times since they had returned to Bellamere an hour ago. “They could be coming down the drive right now, for all I know. This blasted darkness has been both a blessing and a damned curse.”
“If you don’t mind, Miss Cora,” Dinks said, “I’ll look in on the wee ones. This waiting has my nerves stretched thin.”
“Of course,” Cora said. “Why don’t you make sure Bingham is still abed? I caught him trying to limp off toward the stables not long after we arrived.”
The maid’s eyes narrowed toward the open door. “Did he, now?”
“Thank you, Dinks,” Catherine said. “I doubt Mother has left the children’s side, but I’m sure she’s curious if there have been any new developments.”
Dinks picked up the tea tray and turned to leave. “I’ll have a fresh pot brought around.”
Catherine noted Cora’s sly smile. “Something amusing, Miss deBeau?”
“Do call me Cora. I detest such formality amongst friends.”
Glancing between brother and sister, Catherine said, “We are friends?”
The other woman lifted a sable-colored brow. “Are you finished plotting against Somerton?”
Danforth paused in his surveillance of the front drive to await her answer.
Heat rushed into Catherine’s cheeks. “Of course. I hold no ill will toward Lord Somerton.” She strengthened her voice. “I did what I had to do in order to save my daughter. And I would do it again.”
Brother and sister shared a satisfied look and then two sets of blue-green eyes settled on her. Cora said, “You will make a nice addition to our circle.”
Catherine’s nails scored the tight weave of the upholstered chair. “It is kind of you to say so. But in a few days, the lot of you will return to London, and I will settle back into country life here in Showbury.”
Danforth made a choking sound and pivoted back to the window. Cora scowled at her brother. “Why don’t you head down the lane to meet the others?”
“Believe me, sister,” he said. “I would like nothing better, given the new direction of this conversation. Not sure why I was relegated to women-sitting, rather than Helsford. All the same, I prefer my head attached to my shoulders.”
Catherine frowned. “What do you mean, sir?”
Cora answered, “He means Somerton will lop it off if he leaves us—or rather you—unattended.”
A soft knock drew their attention to the open door. Mrs. Fox said, “Pardon, the interruption. I have a warm pot of tea.”