“There has been a change of plan.” Her bottom lip quivered as she spoke.
Valentine slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to calm the shaking that had taken command of her body.
“I understand,” he said, knowing he had asked too much. “You do not want the man’s death on your conscience.”
“It is not that.”
“What then? Did he provide evidence to support his claim? Were you mistaken when you suspected he had a hand in your parents’ deaths?”
Ever since Ava had learnt that Fairfax and Cassiel were the same man, she had feared the worst. Why else would Cassiel say that her parents were murdered?
“No.” Ava raised her chin and exhaled deeply. “Fairfax confessed. He caused the mine to collapse. From what I understand from his cryptic clues, he embezzled money. My father must have found the evidence in the accounts.”
Valentine pursed his lips. “I am sorry. It must have hurt to hear his admission of guilt.”
“Jonathan told my father of Mr Fairfax’s plan to ruin me, to force a wedding.” The sudden cold indifference in her tone unnerved him. “My father attacked him, and Fairfax swears he acted in self-defence.”
“And you believe that to be the case?”
With no witnesses to the crime, the blackguard could say anything.
Ava arched a brow. The forlorn expression he’d seen a minute earlier was replaced with a confidence, an arrogance he’d witnessed when first meeting her on the duelling field.
A crippling sense of trepidation held him by the throat.
“I don’t know what to believe,” she said. “But know that I love you more than life itself. I love you enough not to let you sully your hands on that scoundrel.”
Valentine’s heart swelled against his ribs. Despite all Fairfax had done, Ava’s only thoughts were for him.
“I do not trust him, Lucius. What if he appears at some point in the future, to hurt my family, to seek revenge?”
Confused as to what she wanted, Valentine said, “What are you proposing we do?”
Ava hesitated before cupping his cheek and kissing him once on the lips. “I have challenged Mr Fairfax to a duel. Set to take place in thirty minutes in the field a little farther along the road.” She pointed north. “The winner takes the licence and the ruby. Though I intend to put a lead ball between his brows.”
Shock rendered Valentine speechless.
The searing pain in his chest as his mind played out the scene caused one knee to buckle. Bile bubbled in his stomach. Panic choked his throat. His head spun until he struggled to see straight.
Sheer terror forced him to say, “How can an intelligent woman be so bloody stupid? Tell him you made a mistake. Tell him I’ll give him five thousand pounds to disappear for good. Tell him … just tell him something, damn it.”
Ava placed her hand on his chest though Valentine could not remain still. He swung around, punched the air, dragged his hand down his face and wished he could turn the clock back to the moment they first rattled into the courtyard of the White Hart Inn.
“No,” he said as he whirled back to face her. “Get into the carriage and wait for me there.”
“You are not my husband yet, Valentine.”
“And I doubt I shall be your husband at all if I permit such recklessness.”
A tense silence ensued, a silence permeated with mumbled curses.
“Fairfax took advantage of me,” she said, sounding just as determined as he. “Jonathan prevented him from stealing my virginity, but he would have used me given the chance. For that alone I deserve vengeance. And I refuse to let you pay the heavy price on my behalf.”
Images of her standing alone in a field, scared and vulnerable, flashed into his mind. Anger surfaced. He would be the one to put a lead ball through Fairfax’s cold heart.
“Then I will be your second,” Valentine insisted.
“You may name yourself my second, but you will follow the code of conduct.”