36. Chapter 36
“Ibelieve the last time I caught a thief in my house, I was wearing considerably less.” Andrew pulled her onto his lap. He nuzzled her neck and kissed the spot right behind her ear, which always made her sigh.
“Andrew, we shouldn’t get distracted,” Emma murmured as she ran a hand through his hair.
“You started it, minx.” Andrew kissed his way over to her mouth, silencing her protest. This woman was a revelation.
Her humor, her sensuality. Life would never be boring with Emma in his arms. He pulled back slightly and almost proposed marriage yet again.
But he held the words back. There was still a part of him that wasn’t sure she was ready to say yes, and his heart could not suffer another no.
Besides, sitting on the floor of the darkened library hardly seemed advantageous to a decent proposal of marriage.
Then Emma’s eyes widened. He stopped thinking and started listening.
Sure enough, there was a clicking sound from the doors which led out to the garden.
The lock turned, and then a cold breeze rippled across the room, sending goose pimples along his bare forearms. Light footsteps tapped across the wood floor.
The lockbox sat tucked underneath a table across the room from where they were hiding.
Andrew squeezed Emma’s waist reassuringly.
They had decided they would wait for Charles to have the box open before coming out to confront him. Andrew peered around the end of the sofa.
Whittingham was still working the locks.
His lockbox had three key locks, one visible and two hidden behind secret doors.
Whittingham had none of the keys. Andrew sat back, grinning, satisfied that breaking into his box was most impossible.
They heard soft curses uttered, and then the snick of a lock opening.
A few moments later, a rasp of metal sliding over metal and then a third rattle as the last lock opened.
“I can’t believe it took him so little effort to break into it,” Andrew muttered under his breath, peering around the edge of the sofa again. Emma rose off his lap with a rustle of skirts. He cursed and pushed himself off the floor.
“Found what you are looking for, Uncle?” Emma called out.
Andrew stood in time to see Whittingham whirl around in surprise. The man’s eyes narrowed as he spotted Emma. Andrew instinctively stepped partially in front of her.
Whittingham slipped the necklace into his jacket pocket. “I didn’t want to believe you would betray me. But now I see you have set a trap. You.” Charles pointed at Andrew. “You have ruined her, filled her head with promises I know you won’t keep. She belongs with me!”
“So you may continue to put her in danger, to use her for your own gain?” Andrew snorted as he moved out from behind the sofa. He stalked slowly toward Charles.
“Uncle, it’s over. You’re caught.”
Charles whipped out a small pistol from his jacket pocket. “It’s a good thing I think everything could be a trap.” He pointed the barrel at Andrew’s chest.
Andrew froze in place. He looked back at Emma and motioned with one hand for her to get down.
“Uncle, no! Put the gun down! I beg you,” Emma cried out.
At that, the connecting door burst open. Jack and Woolsey burst into the room. They stopped in their tracks as they spotted the pistol pointed at him. They were too far away to stop Whittingham before he could get a shot off.
Andrew locked eyes with his brother. He motioned with his head in Emma’s direction, trying to indicate to Jack to protect her. Understanding, Jack took a step toward Emma, but before he could get to her, she stepped out from behind the sofa and began walking toward her uncle.
Andrew reached for her as she passed by him. “Emma, no!”
But she shook his hand off and continued toward Whittingham.
“Charles, don’t add murder to your list of crimes tonight. Let’s leave together. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
He recoiled in horror as she smiled and extended her hand to her uncle. Whittingham’s attention transferred to her, although he still had the pistol trained on Andrew.
Jack’s footsteps advanced slowly from his left. He knew his brother would do anything to prevent Whittingham from shooting him, including jumping in front of him like some damned hero.
“Don’t come any nearer, or I will shoot him!” Charles cried when he noticed Jack’s approach. Andrew noted Whittingham’s hand with the gun remained steady despite his outburst. He had no doubt that her uncle wouldn’t hesitate to fire the gun.
Andrew raised his hand up in a command for his brother to freeze. Jack held up both hands and nodded.
“Charles,” Emma soothed. “We can leave now, and after the auction tomorrow, we will have the means to travel wherever you want. There are plenty of rich nobs in Paris or Brussels.”
“You would come with me?” Whittingham eyed her skeptically. “I though you cared too much about preserving the family name.”
“Let Lucy and her earl take care of the children. I am so weary of trying to be good all the time.” Emma reached out and touched Whittingham’s cheek lightly with her fingers. “We could have so much fun together.”
The words made Andrew’s stomach turn.
Whittingham snaked a hand around her waist, turning her so her back was tucked tightly against him. Emma’s gaze collided with Andrew’s. Her eyes were wide with apprehension. But she continued with her act.
“Come on, Uncle, we have an auction to prepare for. Think how lovely this necklace will look showcased around my neck. The buyers will be scrambling to pay top price.”
“Well, it looks like I am getting everything I want tonight after all.” Whittingham smiled at Andrew in triumph. He waved his pistol. “You may live.”
Andrew’s vision went red. He would rip the man to shreds. He stepped forward, fists clenched. But Jack grabbed both his arms from behind, firmly keeping him in place. Charles lowered the gun. With a smirk, he grabbed Emma’s hand, and they disappeared out the open door into the cold night.