I point the fowler atLiddell.
“Do you want to make that wager, Mr. Liddell? If so, you better make sure you’re certain.”
“Really, Saintsbury! Take care!” Mr. Thompson exclaims.
Liddell looks up defiantly. But then he steps back.
And spits on the ground.
“No true man of God would defend such filth.”
He turns and walks away. The other men wait for a minute and then follow suit.
I lower the gun, but keep my eyes trained on their backs until they disappear.
I look back into the carriage.
Miss de Lacey sits as cool as ever. However, despite her calm appearance there is something ineffable, something I would not notice if I hadn’t been so intimate with her the other morning, that suggests deep down she does feel some alarm.
“My Red Cross Knight,” she drawls. “I’ve never seen such heroics.”
My cheeks burn. I hate her mockery—why must she be so cutting? I defendedher. Even when I shouldn’t have. My parishioners won’t like it. And she has hardly treated me in a way that demands I take her part.
“Take some advice, my boy,” Mr. Thompson says, the scorn in his voice unmistakable. “It is generally ill-advised to threaten members of one’sownparish. Especially if you mean to keep the living!”
“You do not decide, Mr. Thompson,” Miss de Lacey says, the acid of her tone as caustic as I have ever heard it, “whether Mr. Saintsbury keeps his post.Ido. And seeing as he was defending me in this little farce, you can hardly accuse him of being reckless with his professional fate.”
“Yes, ma’am, of course,” Mr. Thompson says, bowing, “Ionly meant that Liddell and his ilk will not take kindly to being threatened?—”
“Then they should not threaten others,” Miss de Lacey replies. “I will give the good citizens of Trescott one attempted riot without any consequences. After the second, they will not be so lucky. The Abbey need not employ half the town or give the funds it does now for its welfare. Make that known, won’t you, Thompson?”
“Miss de Lacey,” the man begins to object.
“We must leave. Mr. Saintsbury, please get into my carriage.”
I start in shock.
“I will walk back to the vicarage.”
“And risk letting Liddell and his friends find you and enact their revenge? I think not.”
A warm thrill goes through me. She is trying to protect me. Or is she just taking the opportunity to torment me further? Of course, I don’t exactly dislike her style of torment.
“I have my fowler. I will be safe.”
“It need not come to that. And all the more reason I should have you with me—for my own benefit,” she snaps. “Getin.”
Of course, she wants the gun. As a gentleman, I cannot refuse.
Or is it more?
I am not sure.
Her face tells me nothing. The intuition that told me she was at least a little frightened of the crowd fails me here.
I stare into her soft blue eyes. She looks so sweet and proper right now in her day dress and mantle, especially if you didn’t listen to what came out of her mouth. It seems absurd that men were just agitating to expelher from town.
I shake my head.
