After determining the aisleway was indeed deserted, Celia carefully climbed up to the hayloft. The pistol bumped against her leg, weighting her skirts down as she ascended the wooden ladder. She tried not to think about the real possibility of using it.

The moment she was free of the ladder, Bryan grabbed her by the arm. He dragged her away from the loft’s edge and shoved her toward the stack of hay bales in the far corner.

“You’re late,” he sneered.

“Only by a few minutes,” Celia replied, rubbing her arm. Even through the cloak and the fabric of her gown, she was sure he left bruises from gripping her so hard. She would need to invent a reasonable excuse to justify the markings when Gabriel discovered them.

“Well? Did you bring what I asked for?”

Celia took a deep, shuddering breath. “I did. And Bryan, once again, I am begging you to take this money and go. Somewhere far away from here. I won’t bring you any more money. This is the last time.”

“Oh, is it now, Marchioness?” Bryan asked softly, his face twisting into a mask of rage so frightening, Celia’s heart began skipping in double time. “You think you get to tell me what to do? Ya do what I say, not the other way around.”

Celia pulled the wad of notes from her pocket and thrust it toward him. When he did not take it from her hand, it scattered over the floor of the loft and mixed in with the hay. “Take it. Please take it. It’s all the pin money I have. Every bit of it. You could live off this for years, if you are careful with its spending. But you cannot stay here and I cannot bring you more.”

A calculating light gleamed in Bryan’s cold blue eyes. “Then I suppose I’ll be telling everyone I fucked the Marquess of Rosenthorne’s new wife. That I had her sweet young cunny long before he tasted her. Do you want them all to know how you begged for me cock and how you cried when I didn’t spill inside ya?”

Celia’s eyes closed. Her hand found its way into her pocket, her fingers caressing the butt of the pistol.

If I should pull this from my pocket, there is no going back. I will kill him.

“You will not say anything, Bryan. I won’t allow it.” Her voice trembled, but the thread of resolute strength in it only sent Bryan into a further rage.

“You know what? I think I’ll have you and the money. I think I’ll take that ring on your finger as well. It’ll bring a pretty penny.” He advanced on her, ignoring her warning. Ignoring the chance she’d given him.

He’d sealed his death warrant with those words, and she would die before she allowed this animal to take Gabriel’s ring from her finger.

The pistol suddenly appeared in her hand, pointed straight at Bryan’s chest. For a moment, he appeared surprised, but then he laughed.