Oliver turned and saw the vicar approaching them with a pistol in his hand. The kindness in his eyes had been replaced with hardness.
Mr. Lawson stopped a short distance away from them, but the hand that was holding the pistol wavered. It was evident he was not as confident in this plan as Lord Taylor was.
“Get on your knees,” Lord Taylor repeated.
Oliver held his hand out to assist Emmeline as she knelt on the sand. He leaned closer and whispered, “Trust me.”
Emmeline nodded her understanding.
As Oliver went onto his knees, he saw Mr. Lawson step closer and position himself right behind him.
Lord Taylor gave Emmeline an apologetic look. “I truly did not want it to end this way, but you are just as stubborn as your parents were. You see, they refused to sell this property, as well.”
Crouching down in front of Emmeline, Lord Taylor continued. “It’s a shame that I had to kill them.”
Emmeline’s eyes grew wide. “You killed my parents?” she repeated in disbelief.
“I did. I staged it to appear as if it were a botched robbery attempt,” her uncle replied without a hint of remorse in his voice. “You should know that they begged me to spare your life, and I agreed.” He sighed. “But, unfortunately, I won’t be able to honor that promise any longer.”
“You are a monster!” Emmeline exclaimed.
Lord Taylor tsked. “I see that you are upset, but you will shortly be joining your parents in death.”
While Lord Taylor was distracted, Oliver slowly reached behind him and placed his hand on the pistol in the waistband of his trousers, being mindful not to draw the vicar’s attention. He was waiting for the perfect moment to retrieve it and end this madness.
Tears flowed down Emmeline’s cheeks as she asked, “How could you kill your own brother and sister-in-law?”
“It was much easier than I had anticipated,” Lord Taylor admitted as he stood and took a few steps back. “Your father fought back, and I had to kill him first.” He grew silent for a moment. “I didn’t want to kill your mother, but I couldn’t very well leave any witnesses. That is why I was forced to kill the driver and footmen, as well.”
“You did all of this just for Lockhart Manor?” Emmeline asked in disbelief.
“I did,” Lord Taylor replied. “The amount of money the smuggled goods generates makes me a very rich man.”
“Does Aunt Betty know you killed my parents?”
Lord Taylor shook his head. “She does not,” he responded. “She is blissfully unaware of all my business transactions.”
Raising his arm, Lord Taylor aimed at Emmeline’s forehead. “I tire of your questions. It is time you died.”
In a swift motion, Oliver retrieved his pistol and fired it at Lord Taylor’s side, causing him to drop his weapon and stagger back. Then, he turned around and whipped the vicar across his face with the butt of the gun before dropping it. Mr. Lawson howled in pain as Oliver twisted his wrist, forcing the vicar to drop his pistol on the sand.
He reached for the vicar’s weapon just as he heard the sound of a pistol discharging. His heart dropped.
Emmeline.
He turned around and saw Emmeline standing over Lord Taylor’s body with a smoking pistol in her hand. “He was going to shoot you,” she said, her face pale, “and I couldn’t let that happen.”
He nodded as he turned back towards the vicar. “It’s over, Lawson,” he declared, pointing the man’s own gun at his chest.
The vicar had blood gushing from his nose. “You broke my nose!” he exclaimed.
Oliver huffed. “I would be more concerned that you will be going to jail.”
“I did nothing wrong,” Mr. Lawson asserted.
“No?” Oliver asked. “You conspired with Lord Taylor to commit murder and have been working with the smugglers.”
“It is your word against mine,” Mr. Lawson remarked smugly.
In a quick motion, Oliver hit the vicar over the side of the head with the butt of the pistol, rendering him unconscious.
“I tired of his pompous attitude,” Oliver explained as he walked over to Emmeline. One glance at Lord Taylor, and it was evident that he was dead.
Tucking the gun into the waistband of his trousers, Oliver put his hand out. “Give me the pistol, Emme.”
Slowly, she extended him the pistol, but her eyes never left her uncle. “He was reaching for the pistol, and I picked it up first,” she murmured. “I didn’t mean to kill him, but he tried to take it from me and shoot you. I couldn’t let him hurt you.”
“It’s all right,” he attempted, placing it on the sand. “He left you little choice in the matter.”
Emmeline bobbed her head weakly. “You are right, of course.”
Oliver reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. “Thank you for saving my life,” he murmured against her hair.
“It was the least I could do, since you saved mine.”
He leaned back slightly to gaze into her eyes. “I will gladly give my own life to save yours. I hope you know that.”
“I believe you,” she replied, “about everything.”
“You do?”
A smile curved her lips. “How could I not?” she asked. “You just saved us from two men who had pistols aimed at us.”
“With your help, I might add.” Bringing his hand up, Oliver cupped her right cheek. “Now that there is complete honesty between us, and you see me for who I truly am, do you want to change the terms of our arrangement?”
“I do,” she breathed. “That is what my heart longs for.”
“There is one more thing I should add,” he said, leaning forward.
“Which is?”
Drawing their faces closer, his lips hovered over hers. “I love you,” he whispered.
To his delight, she quickly replied, “I love you, too.”
Not waiting for another moment, Oliver pressed his lips against hers. He kissed her deeply and fiercely, as if his very soul depended upon it.
After a deliriously long moment, he leaned back and rested his forehead against hers. “I have been longing to kiss you again since we first kissed.”
“As have I,” she said coyly.
“We did
