Part 11 (1/2)

”Yes, and likely to be again if we don't leave.” He cast a worried glance over his shoulder.

”What do you mean?”

He shook his head. ”Never mind that now. Let's get on your horse and ride for Holland House.”

Favoring his wounded left arm, which was obviously too painful to use, he went around to pick up the reins of her mare using his right. The animal backed up, turning suddenly fractious at the scent of fresh blood. He calmed her as best as he could, then gestured to Thalia. ”You mount first, then I'll come up behind.”

”All right, but we should bind your arm first so you don't lose any more blood. I have your clothes with me as well. You can get dressed too.”

”We'll worry about both of those things later. For now, get on the horse.”

She stiffened and was opening her mouth to disagree when a huge man emerged from the trees. A frightful scowl darkened the stranger's face, one paw-sized hand clenched around a rifle. A lad of ten or eleven trotted at his heels. Without hesitating, he and the boy made straight for them.

”Accosting women now, are ye, ye blackguard?” the big man called. ”Step away from her or it'll go even worse for ye than it already has.”

Thalia stared in horror.

”Ye're safe, ma'am,” the man said rea.s.suringly. ”He won't hurt ye.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Lord Leopold do as instructed, clearly trying to separate himself from her so that she would be out of the line of fire. Without a moment's hesitation, he'd chosen to place himself in further danger to protect her.

The selfless act warmed her down to her marrow, something unexpected s.h.i.+fting in the vicinity of her heart. Rather than let him continue to move away, she stepped sideways so that she was once again standing between him and the gun.

”Hurt me?” she told the large man derisively. ”Do not be ridiculous. Lord Leopold would never hurt me.” And curiously, in that moment, she knew it was true. For all his rakish ways, she realized that Lord Leopold was the sort of man who would never resort to violence against a woman, or any creature weaker than himself.

”It is you, sir, who are cause for concern,” she continued, her tone blistering. ”Put that gun down immediately.”

The man stopped abruptly, the boy at his side.

”Thalia, don't,” Lord Leo said quietly. ”You'll just antagonize him. Step away and let me handle this.”

But as before, she ignored him, her attention fixed on the other man. ”Are you the one who shot Lord Leopold?” she demanded.

”Wot?” Thick eyebrows rose skyward.

”You heard me? Did you shoot and injure this gentleman?”

The large man bristled. ”He's no gentleman-he's a thief. He were tryin' ter steal the clothes right out of me own yard.”

”Well, of course, he was, given that he had lost his garments and had need of new ones. And I am sure he was not stealing them as you claim, but rather borrowing them until such time as he could repay you for their use.”

”Exactly what I tried to explain, but you refused to listen,” Lord Leopold said to the farmer. ”As you can see, the lady has no difficulty in her understanding of the situation.”

The big man's eyebrows bunched with renewed anger. ”'Ow were I ter know you was some high-n.o.b lord when ye ain't wearin' so much as a kerchief around yer nethers? 'Sides, ye're the one what ran off when I told ye I was callin' fer the constable.”

”No doubt because you were holding that gun on him,” Thalia stated, interceding before the men could come to further blows, verbal and otherwise. ”You still are holding it by the way. Did I, or did I not, tell you to put that weapon down? Do it now.”

The farmer flushed, ruddy anger darkening his skin. But to the surprise of them all, he did as she commanded, laying the rifle carefully into the gra.s.s.

”Thank you,” she said. ”Lord Holland will be informed of everything that has occurred here. As magistrate, it will be up to him to decide what is to be done, though I rather doubt he will be pleased to hear that you tried to kill one of his houseguests.”

The color drained out of the huge man's face. ”I didn't try ter kill 'im. Just winged him. He's all right, ain't he?”

”He's gunshot and bleeding, so he most certainly is not all right. If you are done threatening his lords.h.i.+p and me, I should like to tend to his wound and get him back to Holland House so that he can receive proper medical attention. Young man,” she said turning her attention to the boy, ”have you a blanket in your house?”

”Aye,” the boy said.

”Then pray run and fetch it while I see to Lord Leopold.”

After the boy ran off, the farmer turned to follow.

”Not you,” she said. ”Once I've done binding his lords.h.i.+p's wound, you are going to a.s.sist him up onto my horse.”

”That's not necessary, Lady Thalia,” Lord Leopold said quietly. ”I can see to myself.”

But one look at his wan complexion told her he was not nearly as steady and robust as he claimed. ”Sit down, Lord Leopold, before you pa.s.s out.”

”I never realized before quite how bossy you are.”

”I am sure there are many things you have not realized about me. Now please, sit down.”

”Hand my trousers to me first. Then I'll gladly oblige.”

Oh. He was right. In the midst of all the turmoil, she'd nearly forgotten that he was unclothed. He was s.h.i.+vering as well, she saw, the setting sun and falling temperature only adding to his discomfort.

Hurrying to the mare, she pulled the bundle of clothes off the saddle. Her hands trembled, suppressed tension coming to the fore now that the danger was over. But she could collapse in a quivering heap later, once she was alone. Right now, Lord Leopold had need of her.

She returned to his side. ”Here.” She shook the bundle free, then held out the trousers.

”Are those his clothes?” the farmer asked.

”Never you mind,” she said over her shoulder before turning back to Lord Leopold. ”Can you manage?”

”Of course.”

But he couldn't, his wounded arm too stiff and painful to be of much use. In the end she knelt down and helped him into them-he fastened the b.u.t.tons on his own, however, using only one hand.

Next she retrieved his cravat. ”This will have to serve as a binding for now,” she told him as she tied the soft linen tightly above the wound to slow the bleeding. Once done, she wound the rest around his arm as best she could.

The boy suddenly appeared with the blanket, a woman with him.

”What has happened?” she said, a toddler set at her hip. ”Is this the man who was in our yard? Thomas said he's Lord something or other and one of Lord Holland's guests. Oh, Joseph, what 'ave ye done?”

”Hush, Mary,” the big man said. ”Let's get 'em on their way, then we'll see wot's wot.”

”But-”