Eve had been standing with her ear pressed to the connecting door, listening eagerly to their conversation. Geoffrey’s declaration that he was going to kill Noah frightened her, and when she heard the sound of their struggle, she opened the door a crack to watch. There, in the middle of the study floor, she saw Noah and Geoffrey brutally fighting over the weapon. Horrified, she watched as they rolled violently about the room, each trying to get the advantage of the other.

Geoffrey, never one for physical violence, felt his strength fading as he continued to battle Noah. In a last grim effort, he tried to push him away with all his might and bring the gun to bear upon his chest, but Noah read his move and made a desperate grab for his wrist. Muscles straining, they fought on.

Eve found the sight of two grown men engaged in battle oddly exciting, and she watched, mesmerized. It was only at the sound of the shot being fired that the deadly reality of the situation intruded. She gasped in stark terror as both men went rigid and then lay still upon the floor.

The gun still clutched in his hand, Noah was shaking as he drew back to stare down at Geoffrey’s lifeless features. He didn’t know how it had happened, but he didn’t question his good fortune at being the one left alive. Wearily, he got to his feet.

It was in that position that Bartley and the law officer who’d accompanied him discovered Noah.

“He’s in here…” Bartley was saying as they rushed down the hall and into the room. The servant stopped dead in his tracks to stare at the scene before him in outrage. “He’s murdered him! He’s shot Lord Radcliffe!”

The constable hurried to take the gun from Noah as the servant bent over his dead master.

“It’s like I was telling you! Lord Kincade forced his way into the house and threatened Lord Radcliffe! That was when Lord Radcliffe sent me to get you… But it was no use! I was too late!”

Noah blanched at the servant’s accusation and he turned to the law officer, wanting to give his side of what had happened. “I can explain everything. Radcliffe drew the gun on me, we fought for it, and it went off. It was self-defense.”

“Not if what Mr. Bartley says here is the truth,” the constable charged coldly. “You’re under arrest for the murder of Lord Geoffrey Radcliffe.”

“But I was defending myself!” Noah protested. “If you’ll check, you’ll find that the weapon belonged to Lord Radcliffe. I came here unarmed.”

“Let’s go.” The constable gave Noah a forceful push toward the door. “You can tell your side of it when you’re arraigned. All I know is that we heard a shot, and I found you standing over the victim with the murder weapon in your hand.”

“But-”

“Shut up.” He turned to Bartley. “Shall I have help sent to you?”

“Yes,” the servant requested, still stunned by all that had happened. “What are you going to do with him? He’s guilty! He killed Lord Radcliffe!”

“I’ll see that he’s incarcerated, and he’ll go to trial. Will you be willing to testify?”

“Of course! The man is a murderer, and I want to see him pay for what he’s done!”

The realization that Noah had shot Geoffrey during the struggle had frightened Eve. Silently closing the connecting door, she’d given thanks that her presence hadn’t been discovered. Upon hearing Bartley’s charge that Noah had murdered Geoffrey, she’d grown fearful that she might be implicated in some way. As quietly as she could, she grabbed up her cloak in the hall and escaped from the house while Bartley and the constable were still in the study with Noah. Traveling on foot, she made her way as quickly as possible back to the safety of her own home.

“Miss Eve?” Peggy greeted her, a bit surprised to find her mistress returned so early and on foot. “I hadn’t expected you to return until much later.”

“Yes, well, Lord Radcliffe had some unexpected business come up, so I came home,” she answered nervously.

Peggy took her cloak. “Can I get you anything this evening?”

“Yes. Have a hot bath brought up and a bottle of sherry,” she told her, feeling definitely in need of a potent drink to steady her nerves.

“Right away, ma’am.”

A short time later, glass of liquor in hand, Eve eased herself into the hot, scented water. Her thoughts were turbulent as she went over in her mind all that had happened. Geoffrey was dead. A few hours before, the news would have devastated her, but now she found she couldn’t care less. Geoffrey had been an ass. The man had thought she would be pleased with the news that he wanted to make her his mistress! She’d found his declaration highly insulting and thought he well deserved the end he’d met. Certainly, had they been able to continue their conversation without Noah’s interruption, she might have shot him herself in her outraged indignation. Noah had merely saved her the trouble.

Noah…She smiled at the thought of him. He had been arrested for Geoffrey’s murder. He had been accused by Bartley’s testimony and convicted by his own stance when the law officer had entered the room. Only she could save him from a certain death sentence. Eve smiled even more widely as she imagined how grateful Noah would be for her timely rescue. Tomorrow she would go to the jail to see Noah. Perhaps, if she played this whole thing right, she might end up as Lady Kincade yet.

Draining the last of the sherry from her crystal glass, she refilled it again. Leaning back against the edge of the tub, Eve relaxed as the heat of the water and the potency of the liquor began to relieve her tensions. True, she had seen a man killed tonight, but she knew that it would all turn out to her advantage. Closing her eyes, she imagined herself married to Noah and returning to England as Lady Kincade. The dream appealed, and she grew determined to make it a reality.

Faith had been eagerly awaiting Matthew’s return and she greeted him at the door when he finally made it back to the house. Her joy at seeing him was short-lived, however, when she noticed the rumpled condition of his clothing and the bruise already forming along his jaw.

“My darling, what’s happened to you?” Faith ushered him quickly into the parlor, where her mother and Ben awaited him.

“Nothing important; I’m fine.” Matt dismissed her worry easily as he hurried forth to speak with Ben.

“How can you say it’s not important when you look like you’ve been involved in a street brawl?” Faith followed him into the room.

“I have been involved in a street brawl, but that’s not what matters right now. That’s all been settled. What’s important is”-he paused to draw her close to his side as his gaze met Ben’s squarely-“that Noah has agreed to sell us the entire shipment for the amount already paid.” His tone was triumphant as he happily revealed Noah’s change of heart, and all thoughts of his unsavory encounter were wiped from the others’ minds at the news.

“Noah agreed to that?” Faith was stunned but pleased, and Ben and Ruth exchanged puzzled looks.

“Yes.” Matt nodded down at her. “We talked for quite some time. It was his decision…his offer.”

“You told him of the arrangement Graves had suggested, didn’t you?” Ben was totally dumbfounded by this change in Noah Kincade.

“Yes, I approached him with that offer,” he explained, “but after we’d talked for a while, he told me to tell Graves that he would agree to deliver for the amount already paid.”

“Matt, that’s wonderful!” Ben was truly excited. “I’d better get back to Ryan right away with the news.”

“I’ll go with you. Noah explained to me how he wants the transfer to take place, and I think you’ll be pleased with the plan he’s devised.”

“Let’s go, then.” Ben stood, glad to be the bearer of good news for a change.

“Wait up for me,” Matt told Faith as they paused near the front door on their way out. “We’re going to meet Noah later for dinner so no one suspects us.”