"And?" Gavin prompted.
Fines scrubbed a hand over his face. "And they said you'd been keeping company with a pretty miss who could be my twin. Said her name was Persephone—how many of those could there be? So I put two and two and figured you had somehow gotten to her." His face darkened. "The culls at the Red Lion said this would be the best place to nab you, so that's why I'm here in this filthy armpit of a place. To defend my sister's honor."
"Oh, Paul," Percy said in a tremulous voice.
"Those men—what did they look like?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth, then Gavin heard a shuffle. The hairs rose on his nape. He heard his name—a warning cry from Stewart. He spun to see the two homeless wretches approaching, cloaks thrown off to reveal the pistols in their hands. Shots flashed, and he was knocked bodily to the ground. For an instant he lay there, stunned, blood pounding in his ears. Through the roar in his head, he heard more shots being fired.
Percy. Must protect her.
He struggled to sit up—couldn't. A dead weight held him down. His blood froze at the sight of Stewart's body collapsed atop his own, the dark pool spreading beneath the grizzled head.
31
"Damnit,Percy, stop squirming about and stay down!"
When the first shots had gone off, Paul had shoved her behind a rubbish heap and covered her body with his own. Paralyzed, she'd watched as the two brutes advanced, loaded pistols swinging from their belts. Blast after blast had gone off as Gavin's men returned the fire. And now Gavin lay in the dirt…
"Let me go." She resisted with all her might. "I have to get to him."
"You're not going anywhere," her brother panted, keeping her pinned.
To her relief, Gavin moved. He struggled to sit up—no wonder, as Mr. Stewart had fallen atop him. Her eyes widened as Gavin rolled the other man over, lifting the grizzled head into his lap.
Blood… there's so much blood.
Gavin's gaze whirled around the alley, found hers. Seeing the flare in his eyes, the trembling tension in his shoulders, she shouted, "I'm unhurt."
He gave a dazed nod, his gaze dropping once more to his mentor.
His guards swarmed the alley now. A pair went to prod at the fallen bodies of the attackers. From her vantage point, Percy could see the unblinking gazes of the brutes, their weapons scattered in the dirt around them.
"All clear, sir," one of the guards shouted. When Gavin did not respond, the other man took charge, saying, "Boys, let's block off the alley. A pair at each end and be quick about it."
"It's safe now, Paul. Let me go," Percy said urgently.
Her brother grunted as she threw him off, scrambled toward Gavin. He had his hand pressed against his mentor's temple, and she shivered to see the blood seeping through his fingers. Reaching to her petticoats, she tore off a strip and passed it to him. He took it mutely, pressing it to the wound.
Percy's throat clenched as the cloth turned red. "Should we take him inside?" she whispered.
"Can't move him. He's… bleeding too much," Gavin said tonelessly.
"Doctor's on 'is way," one of the guards said.
Yet even Percy could tell it was too late. The pallor of Stewart's face shone in the darkness, each of his breaths fainter than the last. Not knowing what else to do, she knelt beside Gavin and put her hand on his shoulder.
Stewart's eyelashes lifted. "That you, lad?"
"It's me. I've got you," Gavin said hoarsely. "You hold on, Stewart—help is coming."
"Ain't no 'elp for me this time," the other man said, coughing.
"We've been through worse." Gavin's stark voice made Percy's eyes well. "I'm not letting you go this easy."
"Not up to you, lad." Steward took a long, rasping breath. "'Ave to… 'ave to… say my peace before I go."
Gavin shook his head in denial, his eyes wet.
