Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (83 page)

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good. The men were brawling close. Each looked as if they'd taken the brunt of the other man's fists.

Brandon pinned Witherspoon's gun arm and was repeatedly slamming it against the plank flooring in an attempt to shake it loose from Witherspoon's grip. Witherspoon punched at Brandon's mid-section with his free arm.

Brandon groaned from the impact, incrementally loosening his hold on Witherspoon's pistol arm. It was enough for Witherspoon to force Brandon away from him and scramble to his feet.

Nora screamed a warning.

'Nora, get out of here!' Brandon yelled, not once breaking his concentration from Witherspoon. Brandon, still half-bent from trying to rise,

Witherspoon like a bull head down,

the force of his muscular body taking the other man up against a wall. Caught between the wall and Brandon's powerful form, Witherspoon lost his grip on the gun. It fell to the floor with an ignominious clunk and misfired.

'Brandon!' Nora cried in fear. Both men were down, Witherspoon's body falling into Brandon's in a heavy slump that took Brandon to the ground beneath it. Neither moved.

'No!' Nora rushed forward, careless of her own safety. Witherspoon was absolute dead weight in his unconsciousness. It took all her strength to heave his form off Brandon. Once she did, she could see plainly where the bullet had struck him in the ribs. It had likely punctured a lung when it misfired. He was dead, beyond her help.

She

next to Brandon. Blood soaked his shirt although she fervently prayed the blood was Witherspoon's. She took the cloth of his shirt and rent it in two, too

about what she'd find

underneath to take the time and undo his buttons. She ran hands over his torso,

for any sign of serious

or bleeding.

He was battered and would be bruised in the days to come.

But he was all right. Nora sat back on her heels, allowing

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herself to breathe a sigh of relief. He still hadn't woken, but now there was at least the possibility that he would.

'Brandon! Nora! Are you in there!' Sounds from outside caught her attention. Help at last.

Nora went to the door and unlocked it. 'Jack! Dulci!' she exclaimed. 'There's been a terrible fight. Witherspoon's dead and St John is tied up over there. Brandon's unconscious.' She tried to control herself. It sounded like she was babbling, but she couldn't help it.

They went to Brandon's prone form. Jack felt the back of his head and smiled. 'He'll have a goose egg there tomorrow.

I would bet he hit his head when he fell. He should be fine in a few moments.'

Protectively, Nora sat down next to Brandon on the floor and took his head in her lap while Jack and Dulci righted the cottage and checked on St John.

As Jack predicted, Brandon stirred shortly. 'Where's Witherspoon? Are you all right?' He immediately tried to rise and fell back in her lap.

Everything's fine,' Nora assured him. 'Jack and Dulci are here. They'll take care of everything.'

'You're fine too?' Brandon asked.

'Perfectly .'

'Help me get up. I want to sit at the table and hear what Jack has to say.'

With Jack's help, Nora got Brandon to the table and he laid out the events of the evening for Jack and Dulci.

'I expected as much,' Jack confirmed grimly when Brandon had finished. 'When the vicar and I got into the village, I could see the fire in the distance. At first, I didn't suspect the mill, but the closer we got the more obvious it seemed. I went to the jail for Dulci then. I feared for her safety in case there was a mistaken identity in the dark. We came out here directly. I wish we'd been earlier.'

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'We managed.' Brandon smiled at Nora and reached out to cover her hand with his.

'Are you well enough to ride into town and look over the mill, what's left of it?' Jack asked.

Brandon shook his head. 'There's one stop I need to make first. Tonight has been a cautionary tale about the import of time. I find I don't want to wait another minute to make you mine, Nora. Will you come with me to the vicar's?'

Dulci broke in. 'You can't be serious, Brandon. She needs a dress and you should have a big wedding.'

Nora looked at Brandon and shook her head against Dulci's exclamations. 'I don't need those things. I only need you.

you tonight .'

Brandon rose slowly and held his arm for Nora. His blue eyes danced with teasing good humour. 'Excellent. I promised the vicar a wedding tonight and I always keep my word.'

An hour later, The Cat retired and Nora became Lady port in a quiet firelight ceremony performed by the vicar and witnessed by Jack and Dulci.

It was an odd wedding as weddings go, but no less heartfelt for its idiosyncrasies. The bride wore black, the groom sported quite a facer and

the bride for an indecent length of time.

But in the end, the important conventions were followed and Brandon sealed their vows with a ring set with amethyst on the bride's finger.

The vicar left them alone afterwards while he went to gather the necessary licences and forms. Nora held her ring up to the firelight, watching the gem dance. 'It's the ring I stole the first night we met.' She gave Brandon a coy smile. 'Why did you want it back so much?'

Brandon came to stand behind her and wrapped his arms about her, hugging her against his form. 'I always meant for my wife to wear it some day. It belonged to my mother. She

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was a woman who specialised in making impossible dreams come

'She sounds a lot like her son.'

'I think she's a lot like my wife.' Brandon nuzzled her neck.

'Let's go home, Lady Stockport.'