Time to Heal Read online

  “So it is.” The old nurse had a sour expression on her face. “But I’m still not sure it was her Ladyship as ordered the witch to come.”

  “She’s not a witch—you heard her, she’s a priestess,” the wet nurse breathed reverently. “One with amazing powers. See how well the baby looks now—and him so sick just a moment before!”

  Indeed, Jamie was now clearly in the pink of health, looking better than he ever had before, Emmeline thought with satisfaction. However, now that he was well enough to notice things around him, his bright green eyes fastened on the black mask she wore and he let go of her nipple and began to fuss.

  “Oh no, my darling, don’t cry,” Emmeline tried to soothe him. “It’s just me, my wee little man—see?” She lifted the mask and let him see her face. “See? It’s just Mama come to save you and bring you home.”

  “What’s that she said?” the old nurse said. She was glaring at Emmeline and now she pointed. “I know you! You’re not a priestess—you’re the girl that got my Jack killed, so you are!”

  “She’s his mother?” the wet nurse gasped, her eyes wide. “But how did she get in here? I thought she was back at the whore house!”

  “No matter how she got here—she mustn’t have the baby!”

  The old nurse made a lunge for Jamie but Emmeline was too quick. Holding him tightly against her chest, she turned and rushed down the hallway with both women in pursuit.

  “Come back! Come back here you hussy!” the old nurse called. “Give back that baby—he’s his Lordship’s heir!”

  Holding Jamie tight with one hand and gripping the banister with the other, Emmeline sped down the stairs. She had reason to be glad she was still wearing the soft fur boots she’d gotten in Skahr’s world. They gripped the steps and gave her a much surer footing than she would have had if she’d been wearing the stiff leather ankle boots with wooden heels she was used to.

  Fear for her baby gave her feet wings and she sped down the stairs so quickly she was almost dizzy. Behind her, she could hear the other two women puffing and blowing as they tried to keep up but there was no way they were going to catch her. She was too fast for them. She would be down the stairs and out the front door before they even reached the landing. She—

  Her thoughts were cut off abruptly when she rounded the last curve of the staircase and had to stop abruptly. There, barring her way were two large, burly footmen wearing the green and silver livery of the Earl of Kent.

  And standing behind them was the Earl himself.

  Twenty-Two

  “So, Miss Hastings, here you are.” The Earl—an older man with a mane of silvery hair and a walrus mustache—glared at her from behind his footmen. He was holding a black walking cane with the silver head of an elephant affixed to the top and he had raised it in one hand, as though he was thinking of using it as a weapon.

  For a moment Emmeline’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest with fear. But then she felt Jamie move against her and her spine stiffened.

  “Yes, here I am,” she said, lifting her chin. “To reclaim my baby—whom you stole.”

  “There was no theft involved, I assure you.” Lord Torrington’s voice was as cold and brisk as an icy afternoon. “This child is my heir—the only one I have since you had your filthy Kindred relation call out my son and shoot him.”

  “I asked Richard to call him out because he forced himself on me,” Emmeline said angrily.

  The Earl’s face grew red and he puffed out his cheeks.

  “How dare you say such things to me? How dare you tell such lies? Have you no shame, young lady?”

  It was hard for Emmeline to speak of such things aloud—terribly hard. What she was saying wasn’t considered polite conversation in any way—in fact, it was considered a terrible social gaffe to even breathe a word of such a subject in the circles she’d been raised in.

  Yet she was tired of silence—tired of shame. Jack Torrington had attacked and raped her and she refused to let anyone silence her on that subject.

  “No,” she said coldly. “I have no shame in telling you what your son did to me. How do you think Jamie here was born in the first place?”

  “You tempted my son,” the Earl blustered. “You offered yourself to try and lure him—”

  “That is a lie.” Emmeline kept her voice low and steady, refusing to let his disgusting allegations make her upset. “He attacked me and took my innocence with no provocation and Jamie is the result. But he is my son and I love him—you cannot take him from me!”

  Lord Torrington’s face grew cold and he stepped to one side.

  “I already have. Have you forgotten that you are standing here in my house? Well, what are you two waiting for?” he snapped at the footmen. “Go on Ryder, Coleman—take the baby.”

  “No!” Emmeline shrank back, holding Jamie tight. “No, leave him alone!”

  “If you want to keep your heads, you will do as Emmeline tells you.”

  The deep voice was familiar and extremely welcome. Looking up, Emmeline saw that Skahr had come up behind the footmen. His great sword was out and pointed directly at their backs. As both men turned, their faces registered first shock and then fear. The big Kindred was taller than either of them by at least a head and he was considerably more muscular. Not to mention the fact that the sword he held had a razor-sharp edge and it was well within striking distance of both their necks.

  “Step back,” he growled at them. “The first man who makes a move towards the woman I love and the son I protect will see his guts spilled on the floor.” He poked them both with the sharp tip of the sword, making them flinch.

  “Nonsense! This is nothing but a circus performer!” Lord Torrington snarled. “Attack him at once!”

  The two footmen looked at each other and then looked at Skahr and then back at the Earl. Emmeline could see the fear and uncertainty in their eyes. Clearly his Lordship did too.

  “At once I say!” he shouted. “Or I’ll throw the both of you out without references!”

  This got the two footmen moving. Bending low, one of them tried to tackle Skahr from the side while the other rushed him head-on.

  The great sword made two swift swipes through the air and the two heads—one blond and one with black hair—were suddenly rolling on the floor.

  “Oh!” Emmeline gasped as the two headless bodies clad in green and silver livery fell to the floor, the stumps of their necks spraying arterial crimson over the expensive cream-colored oriental carpet.

  That will never come out, she thought randomly. Then she looked up at Skahr. The big warrior stood there, an impassive look on his face but there were two new, pink, raw-looking scars across his throat.

  Emmeline stared at them. Had he gotten them from killing the two footmen? Wasn’t that how it worked with his people? They only got scars from the blows they made on their enemies? She couldn’t remember.

  If the scars hurt the big Kindred, it was impossible to tell. His face was blank but his body was tensed and it was clear he was ready to kill again if need be.

  “You killed them—chopped their heads off,” Emmeline blurted, still feeling stunned at the sight of the bloody carnage.

  He nodded. “I did and I would do it again. They should not have threatened you.” He turned to Lord Torrington and waved his bloody, five-sided sword. “Do you also wish to die? Or will you let Emmeline take her baby and go in peace?”

  The Earl held up his hands—one still gripping the elephant-head cane—in a gesture of peace.

  “Be on your way then,” he snarled. “Get out of my house at once before I call the constables!”

  “Very well, we will go. Come, Emmeline.” Walking to the front doors, Skahr threw them open and gestured for her. “It is time we were leaving.”

  “Yes. Yes, of course.”

  Swiftly, she skirted around the headless bodies and the spreading pool of blood. Gripping Jamie tightly to her chest, she walked quickly to the door which Skahr was still holding