Scandalous Deception (Russian Connection 1)

He muttered a curse when she did not respond, turning his head to give her a furious glare. By God, he did not have time to waste….

His heart came to a sharp, agonizing halt, as he met her stunned gaze, belatedly noting the dark blood that welled on her temple before trickling down her cheek in a garish path.

He was instantly pulled ten years back in time, to the young man who had howled in helpless fury when he was told his parents had been drowned as they had taken their yacht from Surrey to London. Back then, he had been incapable of doing more than grimly enduring the loss. He had been so…damnably powerless.

This time, he would walk through the gates of hell before he allowed another in his life to die.

The agonized thoughts seared through his mind even as Brianna began to topple forward. With a hoarse cry, Edmond stepped forward, capturing her in his arms.

As was only to be expected, pandemonium erupted as Howard’s cowardly squawks of alarm brought the elegant guests spilling onto the balcony to discover that one of Lady Montgomery’s guests had been shot.

Edmond was vaguely aware of Howard’s stuttering explanation of the mysterious gunshots, and Lady Montgomery’s shocked commands that the entire town house and gardens be searched by her servants.

His attention, however, was firmly fixed on the terrifyingly limp body he held cradled in his arms as he stormed through the town house, barking for his carriage and growling at anyone foolish enough to stand in his path.

A voice in the back of his mind whispered that it would no doubt be wiser to take her to Lady Montgomery’s bedchamber and call for the doctor, but Edmond dismissed it with a ruthless efficiency. He was seized by a stark need to have her in Stefan’s town house. Only there would she be surrounded by his trained servants who were on constant guard and were loyal beyond question.

It was the one place he knew he could keep her safe.

In that moment, nothing else mattered.

EDMOND GLARED AT THE DOCTOR as he tugged on his coat and adjusted the beaver hat on his thinning, silver hair. He did not particularly care for the arrogance etched onto the man’s narrow face, or the cavalier manner he dismissed Brianna’s injury as a trifling matter, but Letty had convinced him that the condescending ass was the best doctor in London.

“You are certain Miss Quinn will recover?” he growled as the man continued to fuss with his hat.

“Your Grace, I assure you that the bullet merely grazed her temple. The bleeding has already halted and the wound should be completely healed within a few days.”

“Then why is she unconscious?”

“Even the glancing blow of a bullet to the temple would be enough to send a grown man into a swoon, let alone a delicate female.” He cleared his throat, his gaze casting a covert glance toward the nearby door. His arrogance was swiftly crumbling beneath Edmond’s seething frustration. “No doubt it felt as if she were kicked in the head by a mule.”

Edmond muttered a foul curse. The memory of Brianna’s wide, pain-stricken eyes before she swooned made his heart twist in horror. Christ, had she moved her head just a fraction that bullet would have…

He refused to allow the thought to form. Instead he glowered at the hapless doctor who was edging ever closer to the door and freedom.

“What of infection?” he demanded.

“There is little likelihood, but I shall return in the morning to ensure that all is well.”

“Does she have something for the pain?”

“I left a bottle of laudanum with her maid, although it would be best not to use it unless absolutely necessary.”

“And you will return if there is need before morning?”

“Really, your Grace…yes. Yes, of course. I will attend Miss Quinn whenever you desire.”

Edmond gave a dismissive nod as he turned and headed up the wide staircase. He had no true need for Haggen’s grudging promise. If he was in need of the doctor’s services, then he would send Boris to fetch him. At gunpoint if necessary.

His footsteps echoed eerily through the silent house, briefly slowing as he reached the landing. The need to continue up the next flight of stairs to the private chambers trembled through his tense body. The fear that gripped him would not be eased until Brianna was out of her bed and creating her usual chaos throughout his house.

He knew better than to attempt to join the wounded minx, at least for now. Both Lady Aberlane and Janet were hovering over Brianna like rabid badgers who would tear him asunder if he dared to interfere in their fussing and fretting.

Sourly, he stomped his way to the library. Entering the hushed room that was lit only by the smoldering embers of the dying fire, Edmond moved to pour himself a large measure of brandy, tossing it down in one swallow. The finely aged spirit burned a welcome path down his throat, helping to ease the icy fear that had clutched him from the moment he’d turned to discover that Brianna had been shot.

He was pouring his second brandy when Boris joined him. The sturdy soldier pau

sed to add another log on the smoldering fire before removing his heavy coat and leaning against the carved mantle.