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M erritt wasn’t afraid. She refused to give in to fear—just as she’d so often refused in her marriage. Of course, that had often led to worse back then. It wouldn’t today. Today all she had to do was hold out until Belmont arrived.

“Luck is with me today,” the stranger said, prodding her with his pistol to make her move faster.

He eyed her with a grin as they hurried along the shore.

“Or perhaps it’s all down to you, my pretty lady.

If I hadn’t spotted your boots in the sand from atop the cliffs, I’d have lost you both.

Wasn’t nice of Abbott to chase me off the village fair, was it? ”

“Belmont,” she corrected him. “He’s the Duke of Belmont now.”

“Not for long,” he said, cackling. “Not if Allard finds he’s been hiding Linwood. His duck will be cooked then.”

“Your employer sounds like a horrid man.”

“Oh, he is. Especially to those that thwart him.” He gave her a shove. “Which is why you should spill now, if you know anything about the playwright.”

“Playwright?” She blinked at him. “You are looking for a playwright? If you find him, send him to me. I’ve only recently acquired a theatre.”

“Do you think I don’t know that? I had a look around, though it would have been foolish to hide him in so obvious a den. I ain’t spotted the man yet, but if I do, I’ll be sending him to the deep.” He waved a hand toward the sea. “Go on, now. Move faster.”

“Belmont will catch us,” she said.

“I’m counting on it. I just wants to be ready ’fore he do.

” He shrugged. “It’s fine if you don’t know nothing.

I seen Abbott—I mean, the duke —sniffing round your skirts.

Funny, though, he weren’t much for chasing the ladies in London.

Talked you out behind the rocks, though, didn’t he?

What were the pair o’ you up to back there? ”

Merritt pressed her lips together.

The man laughed. “That’s good, then. He’ll talk when I have his ladybird in hand, won’t he?”

She faltered as the sand narrowed and gave way to the granite platforms that reached out from the cliffs beneath her new home.

“Keep moving,” the man ordered her. “We’re going out.”

“No,” she gasped. “I can’t swim.”

“Good. We’ll make sure your man knows that.” Grabbing her arm, he climbed up and yanked her after him. “Go. All the way out to where the water is deep.”

Maybe she should be afraid. Her feet were bare. The stones were wet and slippery. She stepped carefully, but the man kept tugging and nudging her. The further they went, the more water washed in, until, at last, her feet were submerged.

The man tugged her to a curve in one of the stone jetties. He looked over into the water beyond it. “Looks deep,” he said maliciously. “You go in, you’ll be sure to sink.”

Merritt stood as still as the incoming tide would allow, while her captor scanned the shore behind them. They waited.

“He’s surely had time to catch us up now,” the man muttered.

She ran her gaze over the path they’d followed but saw no sign of Belmont. She looked up, then, to the theatre above, and thanked the heavens that Julia was still in the village.

“Abbott!” the man shouted.

“Belmont,” she corrected him.

He rolled his eyes. “Belmont!”

“He might not be able to hear you over the sound of the surf.”

“He can hear me. Belmont! Come out! I know you’re there.” He grabbed her arm and shoved her near the edge. “Tell me where you stashed Linwood, or your lady friend will go in the drink!”

“Please,” Merritt cried. “I don’t think he knows where the man is.”

“Listen. Allard says he knows, and Allard ain’t a stupid man. ’Twas Abbott’s solicitor who stole Linwood away. If he don’t have him, then he knows where he is.”

The clatter of a falling rock echoed from the shore, and they both turned to face it. “Abbott!” the man shouted. “You know I can’t go back to Allard without a report of Linwood’s death.”

“Oh, I know.”

Merritt gasped. Belmont’s answer had come from behind them. Before either of them could turn, a soaked and shirtless Belmont reached out, plucked the gun from her captor’s hand and, in one smooth motion, tossed it out to sea.

“Damn you!” the man snarled. He swung at the duke, but Belmont ducked. When he straightened, the would-be-assassin grabbed him around the waist and tried to heave him off the rocks.

“Belmont!”

The duke grappled with the man. They stumbled further along the rocks, then back toward the water. Merritt tried to scramble out of the way, but they rocked into her. She struggled to maintain her balance, but her foot slipped, and she went over, into the sea.

She sank fast and, for a moment, struggled to understand which way was up.

Holding her breath, desperately flailing, she managed to break the surface and draw a sputtering breath.

A wave broke over her head and she went down again.

Her skirts hampered her. Fear threatened to paralyze her, but she fought.

The next time, she barely got her face above water before she was pulled down again.

This was it, then. She felt a brief flash of gratitude that she had found a good man and earned his regard before she died. Belmont would take care of Julia, she knew. She raised her eyes and watched the sunlight move farther away as she sank.

Suddenly strong arms encircled her, and he was there. Belmont. He kicked strongly and carried her to the surface. Gasping and sputtering, she cried a bit as she clung to him, but he managed to get her onto the stone shelf and pull himself up to lie, spent, beside her.

“Where is he?” she asked fearfully.

“Gone. Struck his head on the way in. Let the sea have him.” His chest was still heaving.

Shivering, she lay down beside him, her head on his shoulder. They stayed that way for several minutes, until they heard shouting from the shore.

Belmont sat up. “Linwood and Evans,” he said. Standing, he waved, then reached down to pull her to her feet. “You, madam, are going to have to learn to swim.”

“Now?” she asked doubtfully.

“Soon. Before the children come, certainly.”

Merritt froze. “Children?”

“Weren’t you listening before? Everything. All of it. Together.” He raised his brows. “Unless you have other plans?”

“No!”

“Good. For a moment, I thought you meant to change your mind.”

“No. Not this time.” She leaned in to kiss him. “I do from time to time, though.”

“Change your mind?”

“Yes. But you will get used to it.”

He pulled her close. “I can’t wait to get used to it.”