Page 44 of Read To Me, Lyon

Before he even realized how he intended to react, he lifted his fist and slammed it into Larson’s jaw. The man crumpled to the ground without a sound.

Jack muttered, “Good riddance.”

Kitty rushed to Oliver. “I knew you would come.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and collapsed into him. He held on tightly. He could have lost her. The thought was terrifying. After a moment, however, she raised her face to his. He kissed her, but not as deeply or thoroughly as he would have liked. They had an audience, after all.

He broke the kiss, then turned to Jack and Shannon. “Mr. Hutchison said he jumped out of the carriage on the way to the London Docks. What a damn fool.”

The man they were talking about groaned on the floor. Oliver cast him a disgusted glance and bit out, “Don’t even think about moving.”

A commotion outside the office made Oliver glance at the doorway. Benton, Mr. Hutchison, and a constable were there. They rushed into the room toward them. Oliver motioned them to the floor where Dominic lay, groaning, with his hand to his jaw. “In here. He was trying to steal money.”

The constable said, “I’m Mr. Howard, my lord. Did everyone witness the theft in progress?”

Everyone in the room said, “Yes.”

“It was more than theft. He tied me up. He threatened to shoot my wife. He had a gun. He almost shot Lord Everly. And Kitty!” Jack declared.

“He shot my ceiling!” Kitty declared, and pointed upward.

“Well, that’s it, then.” Mr. Howard pulled Larson off the ground. “Up with you now. You will be spending your days in Newgate Prison until we get this sorted. And then, perhaps, even longer.”

Larson gasped in outrage. “They are publishing and selling illicit material here, and you dare to take me in.”

Everyone in the room gasped. Their secret was out.

“You are a horrid man,” Benton exclaimed.

Oliver and Kitty stared at each other, alarmed, but then the constable said, “You’re already in trouble. Do you want to end up in the asylum for crazy talk? You shouldn’t speak poorly of Lord and Lady Everly, especially after you threatened them with violence and tried to rob them.”

Larson struggled. “But it’s illegal to distribute! It’s immoral! It’s the truth, I tell you! I’m not lying!”

“And holding people at gunpoint isn’t? I’d shut up if I were you. You’re just digging yourself in deeper.” Mr. Howard shook Larson’s arm. Then he glanced at Oliver. “My lord, I will meet with you all in the morning at your home.”

Oliver nodded, and Mr. Howard dragged a resistant Dominic Larson out of the office. Then Oliver hugged Kitty tightly. “It is over. Finally. You won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

“What if he talks about the books?”

“It doesn’t matter. He held you—the wife of a peer—under armed threat. He has lost all credibility. We will make sure he stays far away from you and our family forever.” He brushed his lips over the top of her head. “Christ, Kitty, I was so worried.”

She looked up at him. The expression in her eyes held all the emotion that Oliver could feel in his heart. Gratefulness. Desire. And most importantly, love. “Can we go home?”

Yes, that was what Oliver wanted to do. They would deal with whatever messes Larson had caused here today, tomorrow. He glanced at Benton and Mr. Hutchison. “Will you lock up and make sure Shannon and Jack are taken home?”

Benton nodded. “Yes. I’m so relieved that everyone is unharmed. Go. I will handle all this.”

“Thank you,” Kitty said.

Oliver, holding tightly to his wife’s hand, guided her out of the office and into the store with his other hand around her waist. She said, “I’m fine.”

“Good,” he stated, “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you go anytime soon. You will have to deal with being attached to me.”

“I can’t think of anything better, Oliver.”

A look of adoration passed between them, and they continued on.

Chapter Seventeen

“I can’t believe Uncle Dominic would point a pistol at you, or try to rob us! I know we were never close with him, but Father did so much for him,” Hazel said with her mouth full. They were seated for a meal in the Everly Townhouse dining room. Kitty’s heart twisted at Hazel’s words because she had no justification for their uncle’s actions. Greed had been the one thing that guided him.