“From a friend.”
Mr. Winston returned and handed the sticks to Adam. The boy looked like he’d been given everything he’d ever wished for in his young lifetime. His smile was huge as he lowered his old walking sticks and took them. They fit under his arms perfectly, and he began to move around the small area, completely oblivious to the man lying moaning under Mr. Zwart.
“I can never thank you enough,” Adam said, reaching Forrest. “These are wonderful.”
“I shall pass on your thanks to my friend, Adam. Ruby is with Miss Kent. This man upset her, so your sister is consoling her.”
“We are the Amble sisters,” two elderly women said as one to Forrest. “Thank you for coming to the aid of our dear friend.” They wore thick shawls that, to his eyes, looked of fine quality.
“Come,” one of them said to Mrs. Chen and another lady. “We will see to Miss Kent.”
“I need to get this man to my carriage. Can you help get him down the stairs, please?” Forrest asked.
“Wait!”
They turned as one and watched Ruby and Miss Kent leave her room. Ruby had color in her cheeks now, which he guessed was from anger.
“Miss Kent wishes to speak to Mr. Turnip,” she said.
As the man was trussed and gagged, Forrest knew he posed no threat. But still, he turned him over and kept a foot on his chest.
“Say what you want, Miss Kent. He is listening.”
The woman came forward, clutching Ruby’s hand, then bent at the waist until her face was inches from Turnip’s.
“Y-You are a sniveling c-coward to have threatened both me and my family.”
Ruby patted her back. “Tell him the rest, Miss Kent.”
“You’re a b-bully, and I will never wed you. And we will no longer be frightened by your f-family.”
“You had better listen to her, Turnip, or you will answer to me,” Forrest said. He didn’t know if he could do anything yet, but he intended to enlist his cousins’ help to try.
“Now kick him,” Ruby said.
Forrest shot her a look. She had a determined expression on her lovely face.
“Yes, kick him,” Mrs. Chen encouraged.
Miss Kent drew back her foot and kicked Turnip in the ankle. It wasn’t hard, but he could see that simple gesture made her feel stronger and more in control.
“If you will take Miss Kent to your rooms, please, Beatrice and Violet. I will be along shortly,” Ruby said.
When they’d left, she took Miss Kent’s place and bent to address Turnip.
“If you ever come at Miss Kent again, you will be very sorry. We will make sure of it, you sniveling rodent.”
She straightened and looked at Forrest.
“I have no right to ask this of you, Mr. Howarth. But this man has done a great many things to my dear friend and her family—”
“What things?”
“She did not wish for me to tell you, but I assure you he needs to be punished.”
“I will do what I can, Miss Knight.”
She nodded, managed a small smile, and then followed the ladies to the Amble sisters’ rooms. He watched her with a tight hot feeling inside his chest.
