“I noticed,” Conrad laughed.
Hawke sighed. “You know, under different circumstances I could almost like him. It’s a shame I had to come across him when he was such a sharp-tongued young pup.”
“Weren’t we all at that age?”
“Yes, I suppose we were. And we all must learn from it.” Hawke tried to straighten to his full height but groaned and doubled over. “Get me to a bed, Connie. I think I’ll need at least a week’s rest after this.”
“Was it worth it?”
“Yes, by God, it sure as hell was!”
Chapter 18
THE last of the officials and the doctor filed out of the room, and Nicholas’ valet, Harris, closed the door. Nicholas allowed himself a smile, but the movement turned to a grimace as the cut on his lip stretched.
“If you don’t mind, sir, I’ll manage that smile for the both of us,” Harris offered. And then he actually did, his drooping mustache leveling out as he smiled widely.
“It did end better than I could have hoped, didn’t it?” Nicholas said.
“That it did, sir. Instead of coming before the magistrate on a simple matter of assault, he’ll face the charge of piracy.”
Nicholas wanted to smile again, but thought better of it. Now he knew how Captain Hawke felt about evening scores. Well, Hawke’s victory had been very, very short-lived.
“I suppose I shouldn’t gloat, but the fellow deserves no better,” Nicholas said.
“Indeed not, sir. Why, the doctor said you’re lucky your jawbone is still intact. And I never in all my days saw so many bruises and—”
“Oh, that doesn’t matter. You don’t thinkhe’snot suffering now, too? It’s the principle of the matter. I never would have met the cur if he hadn’t attacked my ship to begin with. Yetheheld a bloody grudge! But I don’t think he’s laughing about it now, sitting in jail.”
“It’s fortunate the watch found you when they did, sir.”
“Yes. Pure luck, that.”
Nicholas had regained consciousness a few moments after Hawke and the red-haired Connie left in Nicholas’ carriage. And it was only a few more moments when he heard horses’ hooves not too far away. He managed to call out, and the two night watchmen heard him. It took some convincing to get them to leave him and go after his carriage instead. Thirty minutes later they came back for him with the happy news that his carriage was recovered and the injured assailant apprehended—though the other one managed to outrun capture.
Nicholas told the whole story to the good fellows who brought him home, and Hawke’s name nagged at one of them. Sure enough, a host of officials descended on Nicholas while the doctor was still working on him. They announced that Hawke was a felon wanted by the Crown.
“It is also fortunate, sir,” the valet continued chattily as he straightened the bedcovers over Nicholas, “that Lady Ashton was not with you when you encountered the thugs. I assume the evening went as planned and she left without you again?”
Nicholas did not answer. When he thought of what might have happened…no, it did not bear thinking about. She was safe because George Fowler had taken her home.
Hmm. George Fowler indeed. Unreasonable anger, hot and vicious, took hold of him.
“Sir?”
“What?” Nicholas barked, then recovered. “Ah, yes, Harris, the evening went as expected where the lady is concerned.”
The middle-aged valet had been with Nicholas for ten years and was privy to his thoughts and feelings the way no one else could be. He knew Nicholas didn’t want to marry Regina Ashton, though he didn’t know why—nor would he dream of asking. He and Nicholas had discussed the strategy Nicholas was employing to deal with the commitment.
“Lady Ashton had words with you, sir?”
“It didn’t gothatwell,” Nicholas replied tiredly. The sedative the doctor had given him was starting to take effect. “I am still engaged.”
“Well, surely next time…”
“Yes.”
“But there’s not much time before the wedding,” Harris added hesitantly. “The doctor wants you to have three weeks’ bedrest.”
