Edward kept his gaze locked with Alyssa’s. He wanted her to know that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

“Now, step back against the wall,” Elsberry said. “Now!”

Edward stepped back along with Nick and Winslow. “You won’t get away with this,” Edward said.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Elsberry answered, stuffing the jewels into his jacket pocket. “I have every intention of getting away, and I’m counting on Lady Lindleigh to help me.”

Edward knew he couldn’t allow Elsberry to leave the building with Alyssa. He knew if he did, they’d never see her again.

Edward searched the floor for the guns they’d dropped when they entered. He located the gun closest to him, and made his decision. Even if he couldn’t reach the gun before Elsberry realized what he was doing and shot him, it would give Nick and Joshua Winslow time to react. It would also give Alyssa the opportunity to break free.

He let his gaze focus on Alyssa once more, just long enough to put her features to memory, then lunged toward the nearest gun.

“No!” he heard Alyssa cry out.

A fiery pain stung his shoulder and he knew he’d been hit. He reached for the gun, but he seemed to move in slow motion. It seemed to take forever for him to grip the gun in his hand and turn.

When Alyssa realized what Edward intended to do, she flung herself into Elsberry. She knocked him off balance enough that he was unable to fire a second shot in Edward’s direction. But Elsberry swung his hand through the air and the gun in his grip connected with the side of Alyssa’s head.

Alyssa fell to the ground, leaving Elsberry exposed.

Edward fired his gun the same moment Elsberry answered the shot with one of his own.

Edward felt another fiery sting, this time to his arm, but before his hand lost the grip on the gun, he squeezed the trigger again. This shot hit its mark the same as his first one had.

A look of shocked disbelief covered Elsberry’s face as he stared at the growing circles darkening his chest and his torso. Then a gush of blood spilled from his mouth and he crumpled to the ground.

Edward turned to the spot where Alyssa lay unconscious on the ground and tried to get to her, but his body wouldn’t allow him to move.

In an instant, Nick was with him. “Alyssa,” Edward whispered in a hoarse voice, and Nick leaped across the floor to Alyssa’s side.

“She’s fine,” Nick assured him. “Just unconscious. But we need to get you both home to the doctor.”

Nick’s men swarmed the room and brought with them the smugglers they’d apprehended.

Winslow helped Edward to his feet. Nick walked past them with Alyssa in his arms. The place where Elsberry had struck her was already turning dark.

She’d saved his life. If she hadn’t knocked Elsberry off balance, Edward would be suffering from a wound much more grievous than a shoulder wound. He would most likely be dead.

He leaned on Winslow as they followed Nick to the carriage. The minute Edward sank against the cushions, darkness engulfed him.

Edward slowly opened his eyes to find his room crowded. Gideon and Eve stood at the foot of the bed. Benjamin and Rachael stood on one side. And Winnifred and Nick on the other. He was happy to see them, of course, but the person he was most anxious to locate was Alyssa. He found her in a chair near the bed.

“How do you feel, Father?” Gideon asked. Eve reached for a glass of water and held it to his lips. The caregiver in her came to the forefront.

“Like someone shot me,” he answered.

Everyone in the room laughed, but Edward noticed that through the laughter, Winnie, Eve, and Rachel brushed at the tears that spilled from their eyes.

“I hope you know how concerned we were,” Benjamin said in his teasing manner. But there was something quite serious in his tone.

“I’m sorry I worried you.”

“Just be sure you never do something like this again,” Gideon said.

Edward couldn’t help but smile. There was nothing teasing in his tone, or in the expression on his face.

“I won’t. You have my word. I’m getting too old for this.”

Edward cast Alyssa a glance and saw the wetness in her eyes. A large bruise had darkened her cheek where Elsberry had struck her.

When Edward thought of how close both of them had come to being killed, his blood turned to ice.

“Perhaps we should leave Father alone for a bit,” Winnie said. “Cook has some sandwiches waiting for us downstairs. We could let Father rest while we eat, then return in a bit.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Eve said. She turned to Alyssa. “We’ll bring you a plate when we return, Lady Lindleigh. In the meantime, we’ll send someone up with a tea tray.”

“That would be lovely,” Alyssa answered.

That was the first time she’d spoken, and Edward couldn’t wait until they were alone and he could reassure her that everything would be all right from here on.

Winnie and the others fussed a bit more before they left the room. And he was alone with Alyssa.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“That’s what I should be asking you,” she answered.

“I love you, Alyssa.”

He hadn’t meant for her to react the way she did, but a river of tears spilled from her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

“Come here,” he said, patting the left side of the bed with his uninjured hand.

She rose and sat down beside him. He reached for her hand and held it. “I intend to send Gideon for a special license. We’ll marry as soon as I’m well enough to stand on my feet.”

“Oh, Edward.”

“Will you marry me, Alyssa?”

She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “You know I will. I love you. When I woke and realized you’d been shot, I was more worried than I’d ever been in my life. The thought of having to live one day without you was more than I could bear. Don’t ever frighten me like that again. Promise me, Edward.”

He smiled. “I promise, Alyssa. I’ll never frighten you like that again. Every day we have together will be a blessing from God, and we’ll live life to the fullest.”

“Oh, yes, Edward.”

Alyssa leaned down and kissed him.

Edward had never been happier in his life, and knew that at last, his heart had been made whole.