Eva stilled, as if all the air had been sucked from her lungs. Looking up into Simon’s eyes, she realized no one could stop the fight and that either Huxley or Daniel would die this night. “I cannot lose him.”
“He’s good, Eva.” Simon placed his hands on her shoulders. “So is Huxley. However, I believe Daniel can take him if he fights with his head.”
“Can he?” she whispered. “I-I mean will he fight with his head?”
Simon nodded. “As long as he has no distractions.”
Eva gulped a deep breath and then nodded. It was obvious she could be a distraction.
“I will not distract him, b-but I will not leave. If my husband is injured, I wish to be here to tend him.”
“All right.” Simon took her hand and followed Daniel outside.
Light from the room lit the small balcony and the moon sat high in the night sky illuminating both men as Simon and Eva joined them. She bit her lip to keep herself from calling out as she saw them facing each other. Simon clenched his fingers around her slender ones and she was glad of their strength at that moment, as her knees were struggling to hold her upright.
“Ready to die, Stratton?”
“Even if you win tonight, Huxley, you will never get your hands on my wife. She is protected now from scum like you. And tonight I will extract long overdue revenge for the part you have played in tormenting her. No one frightens my wife and lives to see another day.”
“En garde!”
Eva shivered at the first clash of steel, the sound so loud in the night air. The music from the ballroom below drifted toward them, the happy sound so at odds with what they were watching. She felt a wave of hysteria swell up in her throat.
“Focus, Daniel,” Simon said softly.
They seemed to be locked in some sort of deadly dance for several seconds, each circling the other, gauging weakness, looking for opportunity. She didn’t want to watch but could not draw her eyes from the scene. Huxley lunged and blood appeared on Daniel’s arm. Daniel lunged and Huxley retreated and each time Eva felt as if a fist was clenching tighter around her heart.
“Have faith in him, Eva.” Simon tightened the grip on her fingers, his eyes never leaving the two men.
They were both fit. Huxley was the shorter, yet he was fast, his movements quick and concise. Daniel’s moves were elegant and seemed to flow more easily from one to the other.
“Keep moving, Daniel.” Simon’s voice sounded calm when, in fact, he was far from it. Next to him, Eva could feel the tension in his body.
She didn’t know how long the fight had been going on; time seemed to stand still. The night air was now filled with the harsh breaths of both men as they continued in their deadly combat. Occasionally, a burst of laughter drifted upwards from below.
“Your wife has beautiful breasts,” Huxley rasped.
Eva held her breath as Daniel lunged, his feet leaping forward. His blade sliced through Huxley’s shirt and into his side. Huxley gasped and dropped his sword as the front of his shirt was swiftly drenched in blood.
Simon stepped forward, pushing Eva to one side. She gripped the stone balcony, watching as both men reached for the fallen man.
“Kill me, you bastard. For God’s sake put me out of my misery!” Huxley cried.
“Simon, is that footman still here?”
“I am, your Grace.” The man materialized out of the shadows.
“Have my coach brought around to the back entrance and say not one word of this to anyone,” Daniel ordered.
“At once, your Grace.”
Daniel tried to ease his breathing as he spoke. “Eva, get another blanket from the bed,” he said without looking at her. If he did, he would have to touch her, pull her into his arms and hold her and never let her go. He couldn’t allow himself to do that until he had the matter of Huxley cleared away. Only then would he take her back to their house and lock the bedroom door.
“I have the blanket,” Eva said a short while later. He noted she had pulled on a cloak over her torn dress.
“Good girl. Now lay it over him and then go to the steps along the end and see if the carriage has arrived.
“Where are you taking him, Daniel?” Simon said, still holding his hand on Huxley’s injury.
