Page 122 of A Deal with the Devil

Evie scowled. “Can I hit him again?”

“Yes.” This was a chorus from everyone in the room. Even the housekeeper, who was helping the vicar sit up.

Kitty narrowed her eyes at Devil, catching his expression. She pointed an accusing finger up at him. “You can’t kill an unarmed man.”

Devil smiled, amused. “Can’t I?”

She rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t kill an unarmed man. Even one like him.”

“As it happens, I don’t have to.”

“No?”

“No. I’ve already sent word to the people he was blackmailing. Some of them are very powerful. Unlike this pathetic excuse for a vicar. And they are rather cross. He’ll be on the run. Probably forever.”

“And the evidence? Will you return it to them?”

He snorted. Wulf and Pierce both snorted as well.

“All right,” Kitty grumbled. “It’s not as if I expected him to.”

“What evidence?” Priya demanded.

“Portsmouth was blackmailing a select list of people in order to get away with his murders.”

“Who?”

Devil only smirked. Priya muttered something very uncomplimentary under her breath. Then much louder. Twice.

Portsmouth groaned.

“Stay down,” Devil snapped, “or Miss Evangeline here will hit you again.”

Caroline stepped closer to peer down at her husband. He blinked blearily at her. Her smile was deeply, happily unforgiving. “I will be in charge of your estate while you are running for your pitiful life,” she informed him. “I intend to donate most of your money to the family members of your previous wives—the ones who actually loved them. Not the one who sold them to you like cows at market. The rest will go to orphanages that care for orphaned girls and aristocratic bastards. And widows.” She crossed her arms. “And then I will drive you so deep into debt that creditors will also be hounding you to the ends of the earth, should you escape the others. Your family name will be mud.”

He groaned again. She had hit a deeper nerve than Devil’s knife.

“You’re not leaving him here?” the vicar asked nervously.

“He’s your problem until the others find him,” Devil replied, shrugging. “Next time don’t force girls to marry murderers.”

“But—”

“Count yourself very lucky I don’t stay here even a moment longer.” The threat was clear, sharp. Cold. The vicar shut his mouth.

“You’re not going to double back and kill him when we’ve all gone, are you?” Kitty whispered.

“Probably not,” Devil whispered back.

“That is not reassuring.”

He just shrugged.

Evie looped her arm through Kitty’s. “Let’s go home.”

Kitty was deeply grateful Evie and the others were safe. That Portsmouth would get justice in one form or another. But there was a thread of uncertainty too.

She did not know where home was anymore.