Chapter 22
Penny learned well in prison; anything could be a weapon, and there were no rules when a woman fought for someone she loved.
Slipping her hand into Constable Sweet’s pocket, she swiped the metal flask of water. Stomping hard on his foot, Constable Sweet let go of her, stumbling back. She swung around, the flask in her fist as she slammed it into the constable’s temple. He screamed high and shrill, his hand covering his head as he dropped the laudanum and fell to the ground. Another shot fired as splintered wood flew around her. Penny dropped to the floor, covering her head with one hand and swiping the bottle with the other.
Wrenching the cork free, she surged to her feet and turned to the Snake. She rushed him, swigging a huge mouthful of gin and opium as she ran. Before he could react, she leaned close and spit the vile concoction in his face. She used his shock against him, pouring the rest of the bottle over his head before he could process what was happening. Another gunshot rang out, but she kept her focus on the Snake as he covered his head and crouched down, still dripping with gin and opium. She spun, looking for the table. Her leg collided into the rickety thing, and she made a mad grab for the candle.
The Snake stood, spitting his cigar on the flagstones and sputtering. He wiped the mess from his eyes as he lifted the pistol again. ‘Bitch,’ he screamed.
She turned back to him as another gunshot rang out, echoing through the cavernous warehouse. The Snake whipped his head to the left, squinting into the darkness. His pistol followed his gaze. He fired wildly into the darkness. ‘Stop shooting at me!’ he screamed.
Who is shooting at us?
It didn’t matter. If she died, she didn’t care. As long as this monster died with her. And Liam lived.
Gripping the soft candle, ignoring the rivulets of hot wax that fell over her hand, she jabbed the flaming stick at the Snake’s neck like it was a dagger. The flame caught the expertly tied, gin-soaked cravat. The flame sputtered, then roared to life. He shrieked as red flame engulfed his head and shoulders.
Another gunshot exploded. Lord Gartling’s cries stopped abruptly as he collapsed to the ground, his chest a mess of blood, flesh and torn fabric.
Penny fell to her knees and crawled to Liam, laying her body over his like a human shield. Whoever was shooting at them would have to get through her to hurt Liam.
He groaned beneath her and she felt a moment of overwhelming relief.
Alive. He’s still alive.
She kept low, her body still shielding him, but lifted up enough to see his beautiful face, pale with pain and shock. ‘Liam. Oh, God. Where are you hurt?’
‘You promised,’ he grated between clenched teeth.
Penny shook her head. Perhaps he was nonsensical. What if he was losing too much blood? Didn’t men hallucinate when they were close to the end?
‘What? Where are you hit, Liam? Please, tell me so I can help you.’
‘My arm. He grazed my blasted arm and when I fell, I knocked the wind out of myself. I don’t care about that. You broke your promise, Penny.’ His amber gaze was sharp and lucid even if his words made no sense.
Penny shook her head. The pain must have stolen his wits. Her hands traced down both arms until she reached a sticky patch on his left bicep.
He hissed a breath. ‘God damn it, woman!’
‘Sorry! I’m so sorry. Are you hit anywhere else?’
Footsteps pounded on the flagstones. At least two people. Maybe more.
‘No. I’m fine. Actually, I’m not. I’m so angry with you, Penny.’
In her shock, she forgot to stay low and create a smaller target. Knowing Liam was in no risk of imminent death, relief and outrage drowned out her panic.
Angry? With me? I saved your thankless arse.
She sat and he struggled to follow her, holding his bloody arm to his chest as his face took on the hue of a perfectly laundered sheet.
‘What the bloody hell are you on about?’ Penny leaned into the outrage. It was far easier to manage than processing everything they’d just experienced.
‘You promised you would save yourself. That if it came down to making a choice, you would choose yourself over me.’
Tears threatened as her anger deflated and her heart thudded painfully. Penny bit her lip. ‘You silly man. I didn’t choose you over me. I found a better option. I chose us. I will always choose us.’
Liam’s confusion was almost comical after so much chaos. ‘Us.’ He spoke the word as if it were a foreign language.
‘Yes. You and me. Us.’
He leaned forward, pressing his cold forehead against hers. ‘I’ve never had an us to choose before.’ His voice broke, causing an echoing crack in her heart.
‘You do now, Liam.’
He crushed his lips against hers in a fierce kiss before pulling away. ‘I do. Although I’m not sure I can survive loving you, Penny Smith. But as you’re determined to save me, I suppose I shall have to try.’
Penny’s laugh came out as a sob as she pulled him closer and returned his kiss.
‘If you two are quite finished, we have a deceased and smouldering lord to identify, a sobbing constable to contain, and someone should probably see to your arm, Liam. You’re bleeding all over Penny.’ Philippa approached them, her dress pristine, every hair in place, and a smoking pistol at her side.
‘Did Worthington get his man?’ Liam squinted up at Philippa.
‘Please. He’s a dreadful shot.’ Philippa looked behind her where Worthington was pulling Constable Sweet to his feet. She turned back to them. ‘Whereas I never miss.’ She helped Penny up and they both took one of Liam’s arms, carefully lifting him to standing. He leaned heavily on Penny as Philippa stepped away, brushing her sleeve free of dirt.
The duchess arched a single brow at Penny. ‘As your employ with Lord Renquist is at an end, I have a new job proposition for you.’ She glanced at Liam. ‘This one mucked up the whole investigation and we still need to discover who the Wolf and Crow are before the nightmare ends. The Queen has taken note of your skills and thinks you would be an excellent addition to her team. I happen to agree.’
‘Philippa, can you please leave the recruitment of my fiancée until after I’ve stopped bleeding?’ Liam hissed in a breath and Penny tightened her arm around his waist.
Philippa rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. ‘Fine.’ She stalked over to Worthington and watched him shackle Constable Sweet.
Penny looked up at Liam. ‘Inmate, maid, marchioness, and now one of the Queen’s deadly damsels? I’m not sure the beau monde will know what to make of me.’
‘Because you defy their labels. You are the woman I love. And I am the man you love. Nothing else matters.’
‘Take me home, Liam.’
‘With pleasure, sweet Penny.’
Three months later
Penny sighed as Liam leaned across the leather settee in his study and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to the side of her neck, savouring the taste of her skin.
‘We have at least two hours until everyone comes for dinner. I can think of several things we could accomplish in that time.’ He pushed aside the shipping reports he was reading and traced his hand up Penny’s leg, nudging the primer book from her hands.
‘Liam! I must finish my lessons before Professor Derringer comes tomorrow. Molly is going to join us. She is so skilled with sums. You wouldn’t believe the way she whizzes through all of Professor Derringer’s books on Algebraic equations. I think he’s quite astounded by her. And not a little infatuated.’
In a swift move, he pulled her onto his lap despite her slapping hands. ‘Have I ever told you that your eyes remind me of the forest? Full of mysteries and shadows I hope to explore?’
Giving up her efforts to study, Penny sighed and leaned against him, letting him cradle her in his arms. Her lips curled in a secret smile. ‘Have I ever told you your scent reminds me of the forest? Wild and free. Tempting me to fly with you into the unknown.’
He leaned forward, nibbling her jawline, pressing soft kisses in a trail to her mouth. Teasing her lips open, he sipped and sampled, savouring the sweet, tart flavour of apples on her tongue.
‘I never imagined I could be loved the way you love me, Penny. That I could marry a woman as strong and beautiful as you without fear of the beast within destroying everything. But you showed me I could change my fate.’
Penny traced soft fingers over his cheek, slipping her hand into his hair and scratching his scalp. He wished he could purr in satisfaction, like a sated jungle cat.
‘Your beast isn’t so bad. He just needs a soft blanket, a tasty treat, and some scratches.’ She scraped her nails down his back, his jacket dulling the sensation, but not stopping his body from hardening in response. ‘You taught me how to change my stars too, Liam.’
‘Did I?’ He found the hem of her skirt and delved beneath, tracing over her ankle, up her calf.
‘I always believed I was nothing more than a poor maid born in St Giles and raised in the Steel. That my place was below-stairs. But you helped me to understand, no one is destined to be anywhere in particular. Not really. Not even the Queen on her throne.’
Liam’s hand paused on the underside of her knee. ‘Is that sedition? Because if you go back to the Steel, I’m going to have to come with you. And I much prefer to stay here.’ He smiled and leaned forward, licking the sensitive spot where her ear met her neck.
Penny moaned even as she pushed him back. ‘Perhaps. But it is true. And you told me to always be honest, Liam.’
‘If no one belongs anywhere, then why are we here?’ He loved sparring with her. Even if it interrupted his seductions. Or sometimes enhanced them. His intrepid fingers skated along the sweet inner side of one thigh.
‘Because of our choices. Because we won’t let the fates, or stars, or the bloody beau monde determine who we love. How we love. Or where we love.’
Liam nuzzled her neck, inhaling vanilla, cloves, and soap. ‘Speaking of where we love, I would very much like to love you on my settee, in the study, right now.’
Penny giggled. ‘Impossible man.’ She sank into his kiss as Liam sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, scraping his teeth against the skin, biting hard enough to provoke Penny to tug sharply on his hair. His beast purred in pleasure.
He pulled away from the kiss with a question of his own. ‘Do you think some loves are meant to be?’
‘Ours is meant to be,’ Penny said without hesitation. ‘We altered our destinies so our paths could align.’
He pressed his forehead against hers, his hand questing higher up her thigh. ‘We did. The lady and her lord.’
She gasped as his fingers slid into her. ‘The maid and her marquess.’
‘Us,’ Liam whispered against her lips.
‘Us,’ Penny whispered back.