“As if we could hurt him more,” Alexander muttered.
When Forge didn’t answer, Ellen jabbed him in the belly with her umbrella.
Alexander Nightingale and Mungo watched on as if it was a normal occurrence for Ellen to behave in this way.Was it?
Gray took a step closer, no longer able to be a bystander. The man could head butt her or kick out with a large, booted foot at any time.
“What is going on?” he asked to anyone who would give him an answer.
“This man has abducted a woman,” Lord Seddon said.
“Yes. Penny Tompkins. She told this rodent many times she has no interest in succumbing to his revolting advances,” Ellen snapped. “And yet he persisted, and when she demanded he stop, he kidnapped her.” She finished that statement with another jab of her umbrella into the man’s stomach. She then reached for his lapel and wrenched the small pin from it.
“She’s my woman!” he wheezed.
“Now, that’s not the truth, is it?” Alexander said.
“What’s your name?” Gray asked the man. When he didn’t answer, Ellen jabbed him again. “Yes, thank you, Miss Nightingale, I have it now.” He grabbed her arm and tugged her back a few feet.
“Hey!”
“Release him, my lord,” Gray said. The nobleman raised his hands in the air and moved to where his siblings and Mungo stood.
“Run, and I’ll let them have you,” he said to the man before him. “Name?” Gray barked.
“Barney Forge.”
“Do you know the location of the woman called Penny Tompkins?”
The man hesitated.
“I will have you incarcerated in Newgate if I find you’ve lied to me, and I will be in no hurry to get you released. Now I will ask you again. Do you know where Penny Tompkins is?”
“You should lock him away where he can’t hurt Penny or anyone else again,” Ellen Nightingale snapped.
“That will do.” He shot her a look he hoped held authority. Her brothers snorted.
“Good luck getting her to shut her large mouth,” the eldest said.
“Leo,” Ellen growled.
He’d thought her cool and contained. Emotionless. It seemed he’d been wrong.
“Answer the question, Mr. Forge. Where is Penny Tompkins?” Gray said while he attempted to tamp down the anger that smoldered inside him.
What the hell were these people thinking coming here and finding this man? Anything could have happened to them. Right now, this crowd of onlookers could have turned on them.
“She’s not hurt,” the man said. His shoulders dropped, and Gray saw defeat when faced with it.
“You will take me to her now.”
He nodded.
“I just needed time to make her see,” Barney Forge said.
“A small lesson in how to woo a woman, Mr. Forge,” Alexander said. “Never force yourself upon them. They tend to react badly.”
CHAPTERTEN
