Before Owen could think of a response to that nonsense, Mr. Timken entered the room, pushing a cart, but stopped in his tracks the moment his gaze settled on Goldie.
“Miss Pierpont,” Mr. Timken exclaimed. “What happened to you and...” His gaze darted to Lottie. “Why is Lottie pointing a gun at Mr. Chesterfield?”
It was difficult to resist a groan as it became glaringly obvious his day was not destined to improve since the woman he’d come to present a business proposition to was none other than Goldie.
Given the glare she was directing his way, there was little hope she’d be receptive to his proposal. In fact, it was far more likely she’d soon encourage her paid companion to take a shot at him yet again, and with his own revolver to boot.
Three
Camilla drew in a deep breath, then another, then another after that, but finally abandoned the whole deep breathing process when she realized it wasn’t doing a thing to help her regain control of a temper she rarely lost.
“I believe a more pressing question over why Lottie is holding that man at pistol-point, Mr. Timken,” Camilla began, directing her attention to her butler, “is how he gained access to our house when he’s nothing more than a common criminal.”
“Criminal?” Mr. Timken repeated, his eyes widening.
“Quite right, and one Lottie and I believe has nefarious plans to abduct me.”
Mr. Timken sent the man he’d called Mr. Chesterfield a look of great disdain before he nodded to Lottie. “Keep that trained on him while I send a groom to fetch the police. It won’t take me but a few minutes.”
“You might want to fetch a weapon of your own on your way back, Mr. Timken,” Lottie said, her hand shaking the slightest bit. “I’m not certain how much longer I can keep this beast of a gun aloft. It’s far heavier than I was anticipating, and it was a miracleI was able to retain my hold on it when Miss Pierpont and I took an unexpected dousing in the Hudson.”
“You ended up in the Hudson?” Mr. Timken asked, returning his gaze to Camilla.
“It was purely unintentional, a result of a tumble we took down an embankment as we were fleeing the man you called Mr. Chesterfield, as well as a pack of aggravated raccoons.” Camilla dashed a sopping strand of hair out of her eyes. “We then almost drowned because Lottie refused to let go of the weapon she’s currently wielding, which turned into nothing short of an anchor after she got pulled into the current. She was then swept underneath the water, but thankfully, I managed to haul her back to shore, a daunting feat because Lottie wouldn’t relinquish the gun, which made it impossible for her to assist with swimming since she had a choke hold around my neck with her other hand.”
“It’s too fine a weapon to condemn to a watery grave,” Lottie argued. “As I mentioned, after we finally got to shore and you gave me that look you use when you’re annoyed, I told you that I’m familiar with a gun dealer down in Five Points who’ll give me top dollar for it.”
“Considering your past history, and the fact there are still members of the criminal underworld, specifically one Victor Malvado, who would love nothing more than to find you and force you back into shady dealings, the last thing you should be doing is seeking out a gun dealer in Five Points, no matter how much he’ll give you for that revolver.”
A loud clearing of a throat drew Camilla’s attention to Mr. Chesterfield.
“You have something you’d like to say?” she asked.
“Quite a few things,” Mr. Chesterfield began. “The first is, of course, my concern that your companion is intending to sell one of my Colt Dragoons. They were a present from my grandfather, and as such, they hold a great deal of sentimental value for me.”
“Then perhaps you should have left them at home and brought less sentimental weapons to use during your abduction attempt.”
Mr. Chesterfield gave his nose a rub. “Forgive me, Miss Pierpont, but even though I know I’m at risk to incur more of that formidable temper of yours, I feel compelled to point out yet again that I wasn’t trying to abduct you.”
“I don’t possess a formidable temper, and am, in fact, considered a lady of admirable composure, which I never lose.”
“I wouldn’t say you were admirably composed when you took that shot at me earlier,” Mr. Chesterfield muttered.
Mr. Timken took a single step toward Camilla. “You tried to shoot Mr. Chesterfield?”
“Only because he was about to shoot poor Lottie,” Camilla said. “I had no other option to distract him from that dastardly intentionexceptto use my derringer.”
“I wasn’t going to shoot your companion,” Mr. Chesterfield argued. “I was merely of the misimpression that she was one of the men I’d chased away. If you’d not shot at me and redrawn my attention, I assure you I would have lowered my weapon as soon as I realized Lottie was no threat.”
“She was wielding a tree limb,” Camilla pointed out.
Amusement flickered through Mr. Chesterfield’s eyes. “True, but Lottie is a wee-bitty thing and I’m fairly confident I wouldn’t have suffered much damage if she’d gone on the attack.”
“She’s far more lethal than she looks.”
“Duly noted,” Mr. Chesterfield said, catching her eye before he winced. “However, since you’re continuing to display what I can only describe as an annoyed look, something Lottie suggested you do often, lending credence to my observation that you possess quite the temper, allow me to return to the second item I wanted to broach—my reason for traveling to the Hudson Valley today. I assure you that abduction was never on my mind as I’m here on a legitimate matter of business.”
Camilla lifted her chin. “If I’m currently looking slightly annoyed,which is not a usual happenstance for me, know that it’s a direct result of you seemingly being under the impression I’m completely gullible.”