He whirled to see her fending off the second assailant with her parasol, landing blows with surprising force. But the man was regaining his footing, reaching for her with malicious intent.
James moved without thinking. In three long strides, he closed the distance and launched himself at the attacker. They went down in a tangle of limbs, rolling across the gravel drive.
Fists flew, each man seeking any advantage. James tasted blood, felt the sting of split knuckles. But beneath the pain and chaos, a cold fury burned. How dare they threaten Selina? He would make them regret ever laying eyes on her.
With a savage growl, James landed a crushing blow to his opponent's jaw. The man's eyes rolled back, and he went limp.
Panting, James pushed himself to his feet, scanning for the first attacker. But the man vanished into the night.
"Selina," James gasped, turning back to the carriage. "Are you hurt?"
She stood in the doorway, parasol still clutched like a weapon, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and exhilaration. "I'm... I am quite alright. Thank you."
James reached for her hand, helping her down from the carriage. His touch lingered longer than necessary, but propriety be damned. They had just survived an attack.
“You are bleeding,” she said, reaching for a handkerchief and pressing it to his brow.
James shrugged it off. "It is nothing. A mere trifle, I assure you. I have survived far worse. You fought admirably," he said, a note of pride in his voice. "But why didn’t you shoot?”
“I have never fired a pistol, but I know how to swing a parasol.”
James could not help the laugh that escaped him. “I daresay you are full of surprises, Lady Hollyfield."
A faint blush colored her cheeks. "As are you, Lord Blackwood. I never knew you were so... capable in a fight."
James's lips quirked in a roguish grin. "There is a great deal you do not know about me. Perhaps, in time, that might change."
“Perhaps,” she said, her gaze moving to the man on the ground.
James turned his attention to the unconscious ruffian. "Now, let us see what our friend here has to say for himself."
He knelt beside the man, roughly shaking him awake. The ruffian's eyes fluttered open, unfocused and dazed.
"Who sent you?" James demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
The man's gaze darted nervously between James and Selina. "I... I don't know what you're talking about."
James's grip on the man's collar tightened. "Do not play coy. You and your associate did not happenupon us by chance. Certainly not in this area of London. Who hired you?"
Selina stepped closer, her voice trembling slightly. "Was it Lord Hawthorne?"
The ruffian's eyes widened at the name, and James knew they had struck gold. He leaned in, his face inches from their attackers.
"Lord Hawthorne, is it?" James pressed. "What did he want? To scare us? Or something more... permanent?"
The man squirmed, sweat beading on his brow. "I can't... he'll kill me if I talk."
James's laugh was cold and mirthless. "And what do you think I will do if you don't?"
Selina gasped behind him, and James felt a twinge of regret. He did not want her to see this side of him, but needs must.
The ruffian's resolve crumbled. "Alright, alright! It was Hawthorne. He wanted us to disappear you, scare the lady. Said it'd teach her to mind her own business."
“Disappear me?” James's mind raced. This was the proof they needed, but it still didn't explain everything. "And what of Lord Hollyfield's death? Was Hawthorne involved in that as well?"
The man's eyes darted away. "I... I don't know nothing about that. We was just hired for this job, I swear!"
James stood, his thoughts whirling. He turned to Selina, whose face was a mask of shock and anger.
