Wickeds Scandal (The Wickeds) (40 page)

Runyon let out a cry of astonishment and
pain.  “You worthless, bastard!  Look what you have done!  I
shall make sure you stay dead this time.”  Runyon rolled on the mat of
leaves, weeping in pain.

“Alex!”  Sutton ran to her,
enfolding her in his arms.  The smell of him, cinnamon and horse wrapped
around Alexandra, blanketing her.  Suddenly he pushed her back, holding
her before him with both arms.  He gave her stomach a stricken look. 
“I left you and you were with child.” 

“He said you were dead!” Alexandra cried.
“How did you-?”

“I am the package Miranda needed to pick
up.  You were supposed to go with her.” He kissed her forehead.

“You…should…not…be….here!”  The words
came from behind Sutton. Archie crawled over the forest floor, pulling out a
wicked blade. 

Sutton pivoted, but not quickly enough.
Runyon’s blade flashed in the sunlight before burying itself in Sutton’s
side. 

“You see if you want a job done correctly
you must do it yourself!” Runyon cackled.  He struggled to stand. 
“Now it’s just you and I my little pigeon!  Leave him!  We have a
barn burning to oversee!”

A large bloodstain spread across Sutton’s
waist.  He fell to his knees as Alexandra desperately reached him. 

She caught him, cradling his dark head in
her arms, his blood seeping through the shirt and staining what was left of her
skirts. Tears coursed down her cheeks.  “No.  No.  Please God
no!”

“Love you.  Have forever.”  His
eyelids fluttered closed. His skin paled.

“Sutton.  No.”  Alexandra
gently shook Sutton’s head. Bitter tears ran down her cheeks.  She heard
Runyon near her, but didn’t look up.

“Dead!  Yes!  Finally!” 
Archie stood on unsteady feet and approached Alexandra.  His insane
laughter echoed through the quiet clearing.  “Pigeon!  Pigeon!” 
He moved towards her.

That was the last thing Mr. Runyon said,
before a single shot rang out.

Sunlight filtered over the newly restored
gardens of Helsmby Abbey.  Alexandra closed her eyes, soaking in the
warmth of the sun and the peace of her garden.  She rocked back and forth,
humming gently to the bundle in her lap.  A pair of curious green eyes stared
back at her, nearly hidden underneath a thatch of dark, curly hair.  Her
heart constricted in her chest.  “I almost lost you,” she whispered to the
bundle.   The nightmares still came, although not as often as
before.  The horror of that day finally was fading.

“No more tears, my love.  You
promised me.”  Sutton sat in the other rocking chair.  He surveyed
her garden in appreciation.  The roses, not a single one white, bloomed in
a profusion of color against the old stone fence. 

Sutton shifted, wincing as the wound in
his side pulled. The doctor who tended him that fateful day told Alexandra that
Sutton barely escaped death.  Runyon’s knife sliced deep, but there would
be no lasting damage.  The dragon’s tail, however, looked as if it had
been cut off.  The knife’s blade neatly severing the tail.

Sutton moved again, trying not juggle the
bundle, identical to Alexandra’s, he held in his lap.  Reaching out, he
grasped Alexandra’s hand across the small span that separated them.  

Bees buzzed, stopping at each flowering
rose.  Alexandra smiled, closing her eyes. They sat in silence, the only
sound small snores from the bundles they each cradled.  As the sun rose in
the sky, the click of heels on the old cobblestones disturbed the tranquility
of the early morning.

“There you are!  Auntie Miranda must
say goodbye!”  Miranda floated over to Alex and pressed a kiss on Robert’s
downy head.  She stood and moved to the bundle Sutton held. “And a kiss
for you, my beautiful Madeline.”  Miranda placed her hands on her hips,
surveying her niece and nephew in mock offense. “They aren’t quite as upset at
my leaving as I expected they should be.  It’s very disappointing.” 
She grinned ruefully.  “I suppose with all that eating, burping and
sleeping, they are quite busy and will hardly notice I’ve left.”

Alexandra took her sister-in-law’s
hand.  “But I will notice.”

Miranda smiled. “I shall eagerly await
your return to London.  Elizabeth will be coming home from Scotland soon
as well.  She is beside herself that she is now an aunt.  And to
twins!”

“Gray Covington, I think, Miranda. 
Not London.” Sutton stated firmly.  “My marchioness prefers life away from
the glare of the
ton
.  As do I.”

Miranda laughed lightly. “Oh, it won’t be
so bad now that Mother’s been exiled.  Cousin Herbert, it appears, has
quite a firm hand about him.  He’s determined that Mother need not visit
London in the near future.  Or ever again.”  She wrinkled her brow.
“The poor man is truly distressed by all that happened, Sutton.  I doubt
I’ll ever have to see Mother.”

 “Herbert is much tougher than I
would ever have given him credit for.” Sutton smiled back. “
You
are much
tougher as well. I am grateful for it.” He kissed his sister’s hand. “And I am
especially grateful, my beautiful sister, that you nagged me to teach you how
to fire a pistol.”