Kitt stood frozen in horror, afraid to look, afraid to see Alex’s blood and brains all over the wall.
“Kitt, are you shot? Are you all right?”
Suddenly Alex was standing before her. She put her hands to his face—his whole, wonderful, worried face—and pulled his head down to kiss him. “I’m fine now, my love.”
His kissed her back, his mouth pressed reassuringly hard against hers. “I believe your son needs attention, my dear.”
He walked her to the corner where Gareth lay in his basket. Keeping himself between her and Mr. Ambleside’s body, Alex retrieved the basket with the howling baby inside it.
Kitt lifted Gareth out of the basket and laid him on her shoulder to quiet him. “All is well, Gareth. As your father promised. All is well.”
Kitt stared down at the man who’d been the source of so many problems. “Will you have someone come bury him?” she asked.
“I think not,” Alex said, his eyes cold. “He is where he belongs. His bones will bother no one here.” He put his arm around her waist with one hand and slid the baby’s basket over the other. “Let’s go,” he said.
“Where are we going, Alex?”
“Home,” he replied. “We’re going home.”
“Where is that, Alex?” Kitt asked, her heart in her throat. “Back to Blackthorne Hall? Or to Blackthorne Abbey in England?”
“Wherever you are, Kitt,” he said. “That will be home to me. You see, I love you. I’ve never stopped loving you.”
Kitt laughed, a bubbly, delicious, delightful sound. “I love you too, Alex. Oh, I do love you.”
Alex grinned back at her. “I expect you to keep saying that for at least the next fifty years.”
“I will,” she promised. “I will.”
A Note to Readers
Dear Readers,
For those of you searching for Blackthorne’s Bride, this is it! While I was writing the novel, Alex persuaded me to change the title to The Bodyguard. Enjoy!
If you are following my Captive Hearts series (Captive, After the Kiss, The Bodyguard), you’ll be pleased to know my next novel matches those fiesty Blackthorne twins, Lady Regina and Lady Rebecca, with two wonderful characters you’ve met in The Bodyguard—Clay Bannister, the vengeful Earl of Carlisle, and the Irish pauper Michael O’Malley, who turns out to be the grandson of an English marquess!
Watch for my new suspense novel, A Stranger’s Game, in stores March 2008.
As always, I appreciate hearing your opinions and find inspiration in your questions, comments, and suggestions.
You can reach me at my Web site, www.joanjohnston.com. I personally read and answer my mail, though, as some of you know, a reply might be delayed if I have a writing deadline.
Best always,
Joan Johnston
September 18, 2007
This book is dedicated to
my writing friends
with thanks
for your love and support.
Bitter Creek series
THE COWBOY
THE TEXAN
THE LONER
Captive Hearts series
CAPTIVE
AFTER THE KISS
THE BODYGUARD
THE BRIDEGROOM
Sisters of the Lone Star series
FRONTIER WOMAN
COMANCHE WOMAN
TEXAS WOMAN
Connected Books
THE BAREFOOT BRIDE
THE OUTLAW’S BRIDE
THE INHERITANCE
MAVERICK HEART
and don’t miss …
SWEETWATER SEDUCTION
KID CALHOUN
About the Author
Joan Johnston is the New York Times bestselling author of forty-seven novels and novellas, with over ten million copies of her books in print. She received an M.A. in theater from the University of Illinois and was graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Joan writes full-time and splits her time between homes in Florida and Colorado. You can reach Joan through her Web site at www.joanjohnston.com.