“Yes, but—”
Heart racing his mind calculated the steps from the ballroom to the hedge maze and there were toomany.
Seth bolted through the ballroom.
“What do I do?!” Trevor yelled to him.
Seth shouted over his shoulder, “Tell my brother!”
“Which one?!”
Seth didn’t answer. He ran to the back door. Guests rushed out of his way with startled cries, but he wouldn’t look back,couldn’tlook back. Cassandra wasalone, away from the manor, away from help. She might be hurt, she might be—no.She’s alive. Please be alive.Strides lengthening with each step to the door, he begged,please, God, let her still be alive!
Once outside, Seth ran down the terrace steps like a man possessed. He ripped at his cravat and coat buttons in case he needed full range of movement. He tiptoed through the hedge maze. As he neared the center, he heard whispering, recognizing the lulling of Cassandra’s voice, and the harsh clips of Sir Reginald’s responses.
“I’ve read e-every one of your s-son’s pamphlets,” Cassandra said conversationally through chattering teeth.
“Don’ttalk about him!”
“I finished readingHellion from Hampshirelast night. It might be my f-favorite in the series. He painted such a vivid picture of Sicily, I could taste the salt on the sea b-breeze.”
“I saidstop!”
“From his words I know that he was a good man, with a strong sense of justice, h-honorable, and merciful. Wouldn’t he want you to show mercy?”
“He’s not around toask!”
Seth willed Cassandra to keep talking, to provide a distraction while he planned his next moves. His handsshook, and he forced himself tothinkbecause she was alive now, but as soon as he made his presenceknown, the likelihood of her staying that way was slim. As were his options. There were only two entrances to their position, the one he was at now, and the one behind the bench. He wouldn’t be able to sneak around to the back, hehadto face him head on.
Seth removed a muff pistol from his inner coat pocket and transferred it to his hip. It was preloaded with a single round. One shot was all he would have, one second, and if he failed, Cassandra would die. Sir Reginaldwouldkill her, as he had tried so many times before.
This would be thelasttime.
Sir Reginald had gone mad. He would continue to come for her, waiting in every dark alley and hiding behind every top hat. He wouldn’t stop on his own.
He had tobestopped.
Seth took a step forward. Sir Reginald’s eyes snapped to him. Ice seeped into Seth’s marrow when he saw Cassandra, sitting with her hands in her lap, loosely covered by a shawl. Cheeks and nose red, she shook visibly, but she was unharmed.For now. Next to her, Sir Reginald sat with the pistol that Seth had seen in his dreams, pointed directly at Cassandra.
Seth struggled tobreathe, the air sucked out of his chest. With every forced inhalation, he harnessed the resolve of a soldier, forcing the clear-headed calmness beaten into him during training.Focus. Make the right move. Say the right thing. Time sped up. His own pistol rubbed against his side as he stepped further into the center.
A lifetime of instructions ran through his mind.
Don’t escalate.
Seth moved forward with both hands in the air.
Sir Reginald stood, lifting Cassandra roughly by the arm. Her cry pierced the silence, filling Seth with the primal urge to defend, tomaim,and he fought with himself tostay still.
No quick movements.
She reached for him, but her struggles ceased when Sir Reginald grazed the barrel against her temple. Trembling, she kept her arms at her sides and her eyes clenched closed. With an arm around her shoulders, Sir Reginald used Cassandra as a shield.
Wait for the right moment.
Seth took half a step forward.
“Lovely of you to join us, Mr. Reeves.” Venom dripped from Sir Reginald’s voice. “We were just discussingmy son. You remember him, don’t you? Of course you do. You remembereverything.” He smiled, baring each of his teeth. “Except for me. When I found out you lived, I thought the authorities would show up at my front door any day.”