Page 80 of Real Earls Break the Rules

“Go see,” Arnold ordered. “No one can know I’m here, understand?”

Panic rioted within her. She was familiar with that type of warning in a man’s voice. She’d heard it on the streets before fisticuffs broke out. They meant her grave harm if they caught her eavesdropping.

She took a small step, but her ankle throbbed painfully. She knew she’d never be able to outrun them. Her gaze wildly scanned the heap of broken equipment for something…anything that could be used as a weapon. She reached for one of the broken brooms, its handle old, cracked, and missing the brush. The end was sharp, splintered wood.

Grasping her skirts with her free hand and the broom handle with the other, she turned and ran as best as she could.

“Stop!”

Fear spurted through her, but she kept onward. Her ankle throbbed with each step, a jarring pain that radiated from up her calf, nearly crippling in its intensity. Her skirts hindered her flight, and her chest felt as if it would burst inside her tight corset. Footsteps sounded behind her, growing closer and louder by the second, and a man’s hoarse breathing echoed in her ears. Ignoring the pain shooting up her leg, she continued to run. But her pursuer was fast and agile, and with sudden fear, she realized she wouldn’t make it around the factory to the doors.

“Don’t let her get away!” Arnold cried. “Kill her if you must. The bitch must never tell Vale I was here.”

Sheer black fright swept through Amelia. Thoughts shot through her mind. She couldn’t die. Not right after Brandon had told her he loved her, not when her heart’s desire was so close within reach.

Her fingers tightened around the broom handle, and a splinter pierced the flesh of her palm.

Suddenly she felt her hair grasped from behind, and she cried out as sharp pain tore at her scalp.

“Stop!” Begley shouted.

Anger overrode her haze of panic. She was a fighter, a survivor. She refused to let Begley prevent her from reaching Brandon. Brandishing her makeshift weapon, she jabbed the sharp, splintered end where it would do the most damage—deep into his groin.

“Fuck!” Begley bellowed as he doubled over.

She didn’t stop to see how far away Arnold was, but took off hobbling as fast as she could. She rounded the corner of the building and ran straight into a hard, impregnable wall and screamed.

“Amelia!”

She froze, her eyes focusing on the dark face looming above her.

“Brandon!”

“My God! What’s wrong—”

Just then Arnold appeared from around the building, followed by a pale-faced, and limping Begley. Both men froze at the sight of Lord Vale.

Brandon’s eyes narrowed as they traveled from Arnold to Begley. “What the hell is going on here?”

“They’ve conspired against you!” Amelia’s voice was edged with panic. “They sabotaged the power looms to keep you in debt so that you’d be forced to turn over the factory and the land. There’s coal on Rosehill’s land. Coal!”

Edward Arnold looked like he was going to take off for the woods. Brandon must have sensed it, and he stepped past Amelia to grasp Arnold by the collar and thrust him against the brick wall. “You sabotaged the looms? For coal?”

The color drained from Arnold’s face as Brandon shook the man. “My father was drunk and desperate when he came to you, wasn’t he?”

“Aye, he was a sodden fool. He kept blabbering about an abundance of coal on his land.”

If Brandon was surprised by this news, his expression remained unflinching. “You feared I would be able to pay off the loan, didn’t you?” Brandon ground out.

Arnold unsuccessfully tried to pry Brandon’s hands loose. “It’s true. I paid Begley to keep the looms from working,” Arnold spat. “Your father had been an easy mark, my lord. But Begley assured me you weren’t as foolish. I couldn’t allow the textile mill to be productive or for you to pay off the loans.” He glared at Amelia. “We would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for the bitch.”

Brandon’s expression turned murderous. Tightening his grip on Arnold’s collar, he lifted the man from the ground. “I’d let the constable deal with you, but you threatened Amelia. You threatened my fiancée. And for that reason, I have no mercy.”

Arnold’s eyes bulged as his air supply was restricted, and he clawed at Brandon’s fist.

“Brandon! No!” Amelia shouted.

Brandon pulled back his fist and punched Arnold square in his nose. Blood splattered across Arnold’s cravat and jacket. He howled in pain as he cradled his broken nose with both hands.