* * *
Not missing a beat, Adrian drew the dagger sewn into his jacket sleeve before the glass he’d knocked from Ashburry’s hand smashed onto the floor.The distraction served its purpose, forcing Ashburry’s attention away from Adrian and, hopefully, Mrs.Lester’s away from Samantha for a split second.
Just long enough for them to gain the upper hand.
Ashburry cursed and Adrian launched himself at him, prepared to thrust his blade deep inside his chest, when a shot shook the air.“Samantha?”
“You bastard,” Mrs.Lester shrieked and Adrian realized she’d just tried to shoot him.
“I’m fine,” Samantha yelled.“You?”
He’d no time to talk, with Ashburry already adding distance.He’d managed to sidestep the attack and now fumbled for Adrian’s pistol, which the doctor had placed in his own jacket pocket when he’d disarmed Adrian earlier.
“Fine,” Adrian told her, despite the deep burn in his upper left arm.He could not afford to let Ashburry grab the weapon, so he went in swift pursuit, only vaguely aware of the fight playing out behind him.
One of the women grunted.He wasn’t sure who.But with Mrs.Lester’s pistol empty, Adrian’s worries for Samantha abated.When it came to actual hand to hand combat, he’d no doubt she’d win.
So he pushed her from his mind and focused all his attention on Ashburry.He’d edged around the far corner of the table on which Islington lay, now unconscious, probably thanks to having the experimental tincture forced upon him.Ashburry’s hand finally managed to sink inside his pocket.Soon, he’d have the table wedged between them as a barrier with Adrian’s pistol aimed squarely at Adrian himself.
Or at Samantha.
Not an option.
The ache in Adrian’s upper arm curled up over his shoulder.He hissed a breath, fully aware of what had occurred.The shot Mrs.Lester fired had indeed struck him as she’d intended, and while he didn’t believe the wound was lethal, it would be a disadvantage for him in a fight.
Already, he could feel his strength waning.Ashburry had almost pulled the pistol from his pocket when Adrian hurled his blade at the doctor.He was already reaching for the one tucked into his other sleeve when the weapon he’d thrown met its mark.
Ashburry’s eyes went impossibly wide and his mouth fell open.The pistol he’d been retrieving clattered onto the floor.He stared at Adrian for a few heartbeats, then staggered backward and hit the wall.His gaze dropped to the dagger protruding from the left side of his chest.One hand rose, as though he meant to try and withdraw the weapon, only for it to fall limply at his side.He swayed slightly, produced a groan that brought blood with it.The crimson liquid trickled over his lips and onto his chin.Mrs.Lester screamed as he collapsed in an awkward heap.
“No.”Mrs.Lester’s voice made Adrian turn.
The blasted woman was on the floor, flaying as though she’d caught fire.Even though Samantha had managed to pin her down, restraining her was clearly proving a challenge especially with her long skirts causing a hindrance.And then Mrs.Lester bit her.
“Argh!”Samantha instinctively let go of the woman and paid the price by taking an elbow straight to her stomach.Grunting, she balled her hand into a fist and swung it at Mrs.Lester’s nose.“I’ll murder you for that.”
A crunch followed and Mrs.Lester howled in pain.Blood poured from her nostrils.The pair rolled and something flashed.Adrian couldn’t tell which of the women had managed to find a weapon.He started toward them, prepared to pull Mrs.Lester off Samantha, when the woman uttered a garbled sound and collapsed.
Both had gone utterly still.Adrian stared at them, his heart in his throat for one horrid second, until Samantha suddenly blinked.Air rushed into his lungs and his muscles relaxed.
The relief was brief, however.Voices coming from the opposite side of the door informed him that someone else had arrival.Probably Kendrick.
The confirmation of this was provided by a knock and the sound of Kendrick’s familiar voice.“Open in the name of Bow Street.”
“Just a moment,” Adrian called back.He bent to push Mrs.Lester away from Samantha.The woman rolled sideways, onto her back, allowing him to see the long diamond-tipped hairpin embedded in her throat.
Kendrick banged on the door with greater insistence.“Let us in right now.”
Dropping to one knee, Adrian helped Samantha sit, then pulled her face close for a tender kiss before pressing his forehead to hers.“Are you all right?”
She was trembling.Her hair was a tangled mess, her face and clothes both stained by Mrs.Lester’s blood.But she was alive.Thank the merciful heavens, his wife was alive and she was nodding.
“Yes,” she whispered.“What about you?”
“I’ll be good as new once the wound in my arm heals.”
Additional banging sounded.“Mr.Croft.Are you in there?”
Concern filled Samantha’s face as her eyes began searching his body.“Where are you hurt?”
