The Marquis of Queensbury would disapprove, but Aylesbury could only be as fair as his opponent intended to be.Borrowing a move from the man’s repertoire, Aylesbury wrapped his arm around the thug’s thick neck and braced himself as the man tried to pull him off.It took longer than he thought before the giant fell first to his knees and then to the ground.
Dusting himself off, Aylesbury watched the unconscious man to make sure he stayed so.Even Crumpky was eyeing him in surprise.
“A knife,” Fiona said fiercely, waving the weapon at him until he took it.“A knife would have ended all of this much faster.”
“I didn’t want to kill him,” Aylesbury said as she drew a handkerchief from her reticule and dabbed at the blood dripping from his neck.
“Why not?He would have killed you.”
Crumpky chuckled at that.
“Be quiet,” both Fiona and Aylesbury snapped.
“Come on,” Aylesbury took her hand.“We need to go.”
“Very...Ah!”she cried out as the giant brute grabbed her by the ankle.Turning, she raised her parasol and brought it down on his head, where it cracked soundly.“Oh!Look what you made me do!”
With a screech of fury, she beat him with it again and again until it was nothing but sad spindles and tattered violet silk.
Still, the brute grabbed at her skirts and pulled her to the ground.She struggled against him until he suddenly went limp, falling onto his back.She froze, staring at the knife protruding from his chest.She scrambled back, but Aylesbury lifted her into his arms and turned her away.
“Did you...?Is he...?”
“I doubt it,” Aylesbury said grimly, leading her away.“Big bear like that, he’ll probably be even more angry when he wakes up.”
“Harry...”She looked up at his face, as stony as if it had been set in granite.“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.He ruined your parasol, after all.”
She groaned, unable to find any humor in their situation any longer.“Please, let’s just go home.”
Chapter 29
I never understood how one could be enraged enough to kill, but think I have it now.Of course, I am now well-versed as well in being so aggravated by a woman that I would like nothing more than to...I know not what, but the indecision will drive me as mad as she.
~From the journal of the Marquis of Aylesbury—May 1895
