Page 70 of Bluebell’s Fate

“You mean your father?” Bell spat back at him, too angry to censor her words, and too filled with pain to think through the repercussions.

Ian laughed maniacally and stumbled back a little. “You’ve figured that out too? Well then, that makes this easier. If you and your husband killed each other in a lover’s quarrel, I become the heir to the estate, with your ten thousand pounds to use as I wish.” He pointed the pistol at Nathaniel.

“It won’t work. I have evidence of your true origins.” Bell faked a confident smile, one that she hoped would make Ian think twice before shooting them both. Goodness, she hoped he had enough wits about him not to act before thinking.

He narrowed his gaze at her. “What proof?”

“A letter.” Bell raised her eyebrow. “A letter from your mother declaring Mr. Payne your father and begging him to treat you like his own. She was…quite descriptive in her relationship with him.”

“Lies,” Ian ground out between his teeth, but he trained his gun on her instead. At least his attention was no longer on Nathaniel.

Bell cocked an eyebrow. “I never lie.” She watched the muscles in his jaw work like he was chewing a particularly sour grape.

“Where is it?”

“Why would I tell you? If you kill me, it will be found, and all your plans for your future will dissolve faster than sugar in tea.” She felt Nathaniel twitch beside her. “But if you spare us, we can talk about other options.”

He laughed again. “I think I’ll take my chances.” He waved his pistol at the sky for just a moment, and Bell swung her uninjured leg as quickly and as hard as she could.

She connected with one of Ian’s legs. He stumbled to the side as Bell jumped to her feet and ran at him, head lowered, she rammed her shoulder straight into his abdomen. Her arm screamed in pain upon contact. She didn’t take him to the ground, but he lost his grip on his gun, and it skittered over the dirt and weeds next to Nathaniel. Both guns were now within his reach if only he would wake up.

“Bell!” Godmother’s voice called in the distance. Or was it close? Bell’s head was throbbing.

Ian pulled Bell by the back of her hair farther from the house. “It’s a shame, I don’t want to have to kill my own grandmother, but I will. She’s getting old anyway.”

Bell whimpered as he dragged her.

“That’s right, no more screaming. You don’t draw her too close to me, or she’ll meet the same fate as Nathaniel.”

He was correct. She wouldn’t do anything to direct his wrath on anyone else she loved. Perhaps it was best this way. Godmother would find Nathaniel and tend to his needs. Bell could lead Ian further from the ones she loved and provide them an escape from his desperation. This wasn’t the ending she’d planned for her story. She’d wanted to rescue Nathaniel, to show him how much she loved him. Hopefully, he would see her sacrifice for what it was.

She heard Godmother’s gasp, and tears fell freely down Bell’s face.

“I challenge you to a duel,” Nathaniel hollered from the clearing in a broken voice.

Nathaniel? He was awake?

Even so, she’d seen his injury; he’d not be able to win in a duel no matter how drunk Ian was at the moment. The best thing he could do was to get far from here.

Ian bent down, and whispered in Bell’s ear, the air hot and pungent from his lips. “If I win the duel, you agree to marry me after your time of mourning is complete. In return, I’ll keep you alive.” He pulled her head back more sharply to look into her eyes. Then he loosened his grasp and ran his other hand down the side of her neck and slowly traced his fingers down her body to her hip. Bell was frozen in fear. Ian continued, “Things could be different between us. I could treat you the way you always dreamed of.”

Bell scoffed at that. Ian knew nothing of her dreams. She threw her elbow as hard as she could into his groin. “Never.” She managed to break free when Ian doubled over, and she ran as fast as she could back to Nathaniel and Godmother, her bleeding foot screaming in rebellion all the while. When she broke through the tree line, Godmother screamed and reached for her. Nathaniel met Bell halfway through the clearing, looking just like a knight that had bested a dragon. Albeit one that had come from the battle worse for wear. He pulled her to his chest, and she melted into his embrace like a puddle of hot wax.

Chapter Forty-four

“

O

w.” Bell winced within Nathaniel’s arms as he crushed her to him.

He leaned back. “Why are you here?” He looked into her sapphire eyes. They were brimming with tears, and she was shaking.

“There’s no time for that. It’s Ian, he’s coming.” She looked over her shoulder as if his cousin was going to sink his teeth into her at any moment.

Nathaniel never wanted to let her go, but his brain wasn’t functioning like it ought to. It was pounding and hammering out an anthem for his beloved wife. Still, something was very wrong. “Bell, you’re hurt.”

She laughed a little. “So are you.”