Milly behind his back, he held her there.

“No!” She struggled to free herself. “I have a right to see the face of the man who has meddled in my life.”

“Milly, stay back!”

“I will not!”

“Such fire, my dear. We shall be very happy together, as I knew we would be when I made the deal with your dear, departed father.”

The man had a smug look on his face that made Joseph’s fingers itch. He’d disliked a few people in his life, but this man he reserved a special hatred for.

“Mr. George, I believe,” Joseph drawled. “You, sir, have caused my fiancée and me a great deal of trouble.”

The smile slipped slightly. “She will not wed you, my lord.”

“Oh, but she will, and let us not forget that several of my peers saw me walk through your establishment tonight. Imagine if this was the last place I was seen. Surely that would cast suspicion on you. As it would if you removed every last member of my family.”

“I will have her.”

“As I would die to keep her safe, you will have to walk through me first.”

“Why have you persisted in pursuing me?” Milly asked.

Joseph saw Mr. Brown appear briefly behind George and his men, and then disappear again. He had no doubt the Bow Street runner was planning something, and when he did, Joseph would be ready.

“Your father owed me, and I always ensure my debts are repaid.”

“You cannot repay a debt with a person,” Milly scoffed. “Neither you nor my father had a right to use me like chattel.”

Aware that his brothers were standing silently at his back, Joseph knew they would have seen Brown also, and would be ready and waiting.

“I wanted you from the first moment I saw you, Lady Millicent. Your mistake was in thinking I would stop before I had you.”

“But I loved another!”

“Milly, that’s enough, love—”

“No.” She spat out the word. “It is nowhere near enough!”

“This man has no morals, Milly,” Joseph said.

“Yes, my dear, do not mistake me for your cosseted, soft nobleman.”

“Joseph is ten times the man you are!”

“Thank you, Milly, but that will do now,” Joseph said. “You will never have her, George. We are at a stalemate, surely. Guns firing in the hallowed walls of this reputable establishment will draw people and suspicion, and finding several dead peers will not go well for you either.”

George paled slightly, then his lips pressed together, and Joseph knew he hadn’t put a great deal of thought into what he had done tonight.

“Fire!”

George turned, as did the other men at his side, at Mr. Brown’s roar, and Joseph seized the moment and leapt at him. Carrying the man to the ground, he pounded his fist into his face. It felt good enough to do so again.

Around him, his brothers were meting out their own justice to George’s men.

“Bastard!”

Joseph saw the boot lash out and connect with George. Looking up into the face of his beloved, he saw her ferocious scowl.

“Run now!” he roared. “Go to Mr. Brown, Milly!”

“I will not leave you again!”

“You bloody well will!”

Distracted, he did not see the knee George lifted. It connected with Joseph’s groin, and he fell sideways.

“He’s getting away!”

Joseph felt hands slip inside his coat, and then she had his pistol.

“Milly, stop!”

Too late. She aimed, and fired. Joseph managed to get to his knees and battle through the blinding agony. Staggering to his feet, he watched George brace himself against the wall. Eyes wide, he focused on Milly, who still held the gun.

Joseph moved to take it from her.

“Y-you shot me!”

“I should have aimed for the heart, but ’tis, I fear, too small an area.”

“God, you are a wonderful woman.” Joseph snorted, moving close to her. He pulled off his necktie and pushed the still-stunned George to his knees. He then bound his hands.

“I’ll be taking him, my lord.”

“Thank you, Mr. Brown. I will speak with you tomorrow about charges.”

“Joseph?”

“It is over now, my love.” He pulled her into his chest, and held her trembling form close. “Come now, let us go home.

 

It was shock, she knew that. But she couldn’t stop shivering. Milly had shot a man. Yes, she had not killed him, but she had raised a gun and fired it. She had never done so before.

She was at the Ellsworth town house. Her aunt had been called, and was at present in a room down the hall, talking with Joseph’s family. Joseph was at present being seen by the doctor. As yet she had not had a chance to be alone with him, and Lord, she needed that. Needed him. She had left the family on the pretext of wanting a moment to herself, but what she needed was Joseph.

“Lady Millicent.”

She turned as the butler entered the room.

“If you will come with me, Lord Ellsworth wishes to see you.”

She didn’t run, but it was a near thing. She was shown into his room, and the door was closed firmly behind her.

“Joseph, are you all right?”

He was seated before the fire in his dressing gown. He rose as she entered.

“I am fine, Milly, but I missed you, so come here at once.”

His smile had her running to his side.

“Joseph, is it over?”

He wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her close.

“Yes, my love, it is over.”

He kissed her, soft and achingly sweet.

“I can hardly believe it. So much has happened, so many wasted years.”

He touched her lips with a finger. “I would have grown to love you as I do today given time, but you were right. What I felt for you was nothing compared to this fire inside me. It consumes me, love. You consume me.”

“We will never part, Joseph.” She touched his face, mapping the contours she loved so much.

“Never. I love you, Milly.”

“And I you.”