"Are you alright, sis?" Fines murmured to her. But he kept one eye on Gavin, his knuckles white against the pistol.
"Yes, yes, I am fine." She lifted her head from Fines' chest, dashing the back of her hands against her cheeks. The pressure rose in Gavin's veins. Devil take it, her bacon-brained brother did not deserve tears. "Put that away, will you," she sniffled, "before someone gets hurt."
"What is going on here? Percy, did Hunt... did he force..." Fines' eyes widened as he took in Percy's damp, loose curls, her unbuttoned pelisse. His features twisted with tormented rage. For the first time, Gavin commiserated with the cove. If anyone had hurt Percy, he, too, would be fit for murder.
"Oh no, 'tis nothing like that," Percy said quickly. "Mr. Hunt and I are, um, friends."
Gavin's eyebrows lifted in unison with her brother's.
"Friends. With him." As if he failed to comprehend the simple statement, Fines gestured at Gavin with the pistol. "The blackguard standing over there who's holding my vowels ransom?"
"It's a long story," Percy said, "and I'll explain once you put that ridiculous weapon away."
Fines did not budge.
"This show of male bravado isn't helping anything," Percy said in exasperated tones. "How did you come to find me here?"
"I was down at the Red Lion nursing a drink because yourfriendhere"—Fines spat the word—"saw to it that my credit's worth less than ashes at O'Brien's. And anywhere else, for that matter. He's destroyed my good name and for that alone I should call the rotter out."
Percy lifted her chin. "That was my doing, so don't blame Mr. Hunt."
"Yourdoing?"
"I hadn't any other means of stopping you. So I asked Mr. Hunt to put an end to your gaming because clearly you cannot stop on your own."
"You asked..." In a sudden movement, Fines grabbed Percy by the arm. A growl emerged from Gavin's throat.
"Stay back, Gavin. I'm fine." Percy glared at her brother, shaking free. "I can take care of this."
"Gavin.What they said was true, then." Fines whirled on him, eyes blazing in a bloodless face. "You've ruined my sister, Hunt, and I am going to put a bullet through you."
Gavin tensed, ready to spring. Stewart's pistol cocked with a deadly click.
"For heaven's sake!" Before Gavin could react, Percy flung herself in front of him. "If you're going to shoot him, you will have to go through me first. I love him, you nodcock! And I'll probably end up marrying him, once he gets it through his thick skull that he loves me back."
Her words blazed to the knotted, tangled morass within Gavin's soul. A breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding left him, replaced by an almost overwhelming sense of... relief. Despite their earlier row,she still loved him.
"What the devil are you talking about?" Fines shouted. "Get out of the way."
Percy shook her head. Though her gesture would warm his heart for the rest of his days, Gavin could not let this continue. She squeaked in surprise when he lifted her by the waist and set her gently aside.
"I can fight my own battles, love," he said.
"It isn't your battle," she insisted. "The numbskull over there ismybrother. And as usual he's not listening to me."
"For once, do as you're told. I'm not going to hide behind your skirts."
She crossed her arms. "Are trousers any more bulletproof? Because I'm not letting you get hurt."
"Oh, for crying aloud, have I interrupted a lover's quarrel?" They both looked over at Fines, who lowered his pistol in disgust. "Are you going to explain what is going on, Percy, or should I take myself off to Bedlam and call it a night?"
"As I said, it's rather a complicated—"
Gavin cut her off. "First tell me, Fines, how did you come to show up tonight?"
The man gave him a sullen look. "I was drinking at the Red Lion, like I said. Met a pair of toffs and we got to talking. Happened that they're former employees of yours and none too happy about it."
Gavin traded quick looks with Stewart, who shrugged. Apparently the other man couldn't recall any recent disgruntled workers either.
