The Heiress (Madison Sisters 2)

"Fine. Just don't try anything funny," Danvers snapped, grabbing Suzette by the arm and dragging her close to his side.

Daniel continued to move left, aiming for the fireplace along the side wall and the poker leaning there.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Madison said dryly, opening a large chest against the wall and beginning to rifle through it.

Daniel sidled up to the poker and leaned to pick it up. Holding it firmly in hand, he then started forward, moving up behind Danvers.

"Hurry up, dammit," Danvers snarled impatiently.

"Robert put it in here, I--ah ha, there it is," he said suddenly.

Daniel didn't know what gave away his presence. He hadn't made a sound, was out of the man's vision range, and had nearly got close enough to hit him with the poker when Danvers suddenly stiffened and then whirled around. His eyes widened incredulously when he spotted Daniel there, and then he turned his pistol on him even as Daniel charged forward raising the poker overhead.

The blast of the pistol was incredibly loud in the room. Still, he heard Suzette scream as he jerked to a halt and peered down at himself, searching for a wound despite not having felt an impact. When there was no sudden blossom of blood or pain, he frowned and glanced to Danvers and Suzette in time to see Danvers fall, revealing Lord Madison still kneeling by his chest, but now holding a smoking pistol.

"Daniel!" Suzette cried and rushed to him, throwing her arms around his waist. "You could have been shot."

"But I wasn't," he murmured, dropping the poker to wrap his arms around her. "Besides, I was more concerned for you."

"There was nothing to worry about," she assured him, leaning back to eye him solemnly. "Father would never leave money in a chest in an inn room. Someone would steal it. He has had it on his person since leaving London. He just said it was in the chest so he could retrieve his pistol."

"Yes, I realize that now," he murmured, glancing to Lord Madison with a new respect as the man got to his feet and moved to turn Danvers onto his back.

"Father is a crack shot," she told him in a proud whisper. "He taught all us girls to shoot."

Daniel felt alarm claim him at just the thought of Suzette being allowed near a pistol, but managed a weak smile and then glanced to Lord Madison as he straightened.

"Dead," the man announced solemnly. "I shall ask the innkeeper to remove him while we have the wedding . . . if you still wish to marry," he added uncertainly. "Everyone will understand if this has made you wish to wait until tomorrow and--"

"No!" Suzette and Daniel said together.

Lord Madison smiled and nodded. "Then I shall just go have a word with the innkeeper about removing the body and join you in the courtyard. Do not start without me."

"I guess we should head outside," Daniel murmured, releasing Suzette as the door closed behind Lord Madison.

Suzette reluctantly removed her own arms from around him and allowed him to lead her to the door, but halted there and said, "I have something I need to tell you."

Daniel felt his heart drop several inches in his chest at her words and solemn tone of voice. Neither boded well, suggesting to him that she was about to make some grand confession and one he probably wouldn't like. Clearing his throat, he faced her and nodded. "Very well."

When Suzette breathed out a deep sigh, and stared at her feet briefly, his heart sank a little lower. He was sure that didn't bode well either. And then she lifted her head and blurted, "I love you."

Daniel blinked, waited a moment, still expecting some horrible confession, but then realized that this was the something she had needed to tell him. She loved him. His mother had said she thought as much, and while it had given him hope then, having her actually tell him so was just . . . well, it was wonderful.

"Thank you," he said finally, slipping his arms around her waist. "I love you too."

"Do you?" she asked uncertainly, and then added, "Even though I'm not always a proper young lady?"

Daniel stiffened, recalling his words to her the first night they'd met when she'd protested his escorting her out onto the terrace because they hadn't even been properly introduced. His response had been, "Very true. However, I suspect you aren't a proper lady, so we should do well enough."

Noting the vulnerability and fear on her face, Daniel closed his eyes briefly with regret, thinking it was amazing how one careless comment could come back to bite a person. He had no doubt the memory of those words had helped little when she'd read the letter Danvers had left supposedly from him.

Opening his eyes, he caught her face in his hands and said solemnly, "You are a proper lady when it is required, and when you aren't, I love you even more for it. You are everything I could want in a wife, Suzette, and I love you just as you are; smart, funny, courageous and sassy. I do love you." He hugged her close, admitting, "I just wish I'd said it first."

Suzette shrugged in his arms. "You should have been faster then."

Daniel closed his eyes and burst out laughing. In the back of his mind he heard Lord Madison saying that Suzette was like her mother and that he had been kept hopping to try to keep up with her. Daniel didn't have a doubt in the world that it would be the same with Suzette . . . and he was looking forward to it.

Shaking his head, he tipped her face up and kissed her firmly. "Let's go out to the courtyard. I can't wait to make you my wife."

"All right," she murmured, pulling away and allowing him to lead her from the room before adding, "Though you aren't fooling me, my lord. I know why you are really so eager to marry."

"Why is that?" Daniel asked.

Suzette shrugged and teased, "You just don't want to have to sleep with my father and Robert on the return journey to London."

Daniel burst out laughing and hugged her close, thinking life would be a joy with this woman and he couldn't wait to start it.