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“I must say, William,” Nelson panted. “It is always fun being with you.”
Nelson fell to the ground, dramatically scrambling out of the way of the other man who was swiping at him with his own knife. William didn’t get the chance to answer him when he caught his assailant’s fist and sailed a punch into his nose. Bones broke under the force of the blow, but the man’s head snapped back into position, only faltering for a moment.
He was relentless, even with a bleeding nose, coming at William with everything in him. When William once again dodged the blade, catching his arm in a tight hold in the process, the thief rammed his elbow back and it collided into William’s jaw. It knocked him off his feet.
He fell with a grunt and in a second, a hand reached out to him. He grabbed it, allowed Nelson to haul him to a stand as they switched positions and William faced the man who had attacked Nelson.
“Though you must admit,” Nelson said quickly, his voice breathless. “I wasn’t the one who brought the trouble this time.”
No, he wasn’t. The real culprit was safe in Brandon Manor where she belonged.
William pushed the thought to the back of his head as he tried and failed to dodge the blow of the man before him. It pushed him back, but he held his ground, managing to thwart another punch even as stars swam in his vision. His block was weak, however, and William couldn’t step back far enough to keep the knife from slicing his side. It ripped into his clothes and nicked him.
The man grinned satisfactorily. He raised the knife again, but before he could do anything, two shots rang through the air.
The man froze. His eyes went wide. And then the knife slid from his hand and clattered to the ground. William watched as he crumpled, clutching his bleeding side with a groan.
He turned to see Nelson standing behind him, wearing his usual grin, a pistol in either hand. The other man lay still on the ground. His ears ringing, his body buzzing, William panted, “You had those all along?”
Nelson only shrugged. “A little tousle is never a bad thing, you know. I thought it would be a good way of celebrating my return to London.”
William felt a hysterical laugh bubble up his throat. Energy spent, it was all he could to keep standing. “I see a drink was not enough.”
“Clearly.” A mad glint appeared in Nelson’s eyes as he turned to face the leader of the little pack, who was now cowering in light of the weapons. Behind him, William could see people spilling out of the tavern, no doubt to seek the source of the shots. Soon, they’d be found, and William did not want anyone to see his face in case the authorities got involved.
Surely, Nelson knew that as well, but he spoke with little urgency when he said, “What shall it be? A bullet in the leg or in the stomach like your friends?”
“P-Please,” the man begged. William watched in disgust as he lowered himself to his knees. The groans of his men filled the air around them. “Please, have mercy on me.”
Nelson tilted his head to the side. “What shall I do, William?”
The man looked at William, every trace of that early vicious expression completely gone. William might have felt a sliver of pity for him—had it not been for what he’d done to Beth. “Leave him be,” he said after a moment. The man’s shoulders sagged. “He is not worth it.”
“Ah, such a disappointment,” Nelson sighed. Then he tucked the pistol away. As soon as he did, the man scrambled to his feet and ran, leaving his men behind.
William did the same. He turned in the direction of the buildings and walked away, well aware that Nelson would follow. As soon as he was within the coverage of small alleys, others had found the bleeding men and were helping them to their feet. William continued on without looking back, knowing that his time to escape was quickly growing shorter.
When they’d made it to the carriage, Wesley appeared alarmed by William’s appearance, but remained where he sat at a raise of William’s hand. He didn’t need the coachman fussing over him. He needed to return home, to leave Nelson behind, and to put this entire ordeal behind him.
Nelson, of course, would not let it finish that easily. He leaned against the side of the carriage, smiling as William struggled to climb in. His head and side throbbed and the pain seemed to be spreading throughout the rest of his body with no remorse.
“I shall be in touch, Your Lordship,” Nelson drawled, chuckling.
“Do me a large favor, Nelson,” William said, settling into the seats. “Do not bother me ever again.”
