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By now, Trim’s voice had reached bellowing proportions. More doors opened, as perplexed-looking footmen peered out. Mrs. Buchanan, now joined by her sister, was no doubt taking mental notes of the gruesome scene.
“Don’t you dare shout at my sister,” Jeannie yelled, storming up.
Gillian followed closely behind. “Sorry, Kath. She rather got away from me.”
“It’s fine.” Kathleen grabbed Jeannie by the arm.
“There is nothing fine about any of this,” Trim blustered. “And donotthink my father won’t be writing to Lady Gorey. She’ll be as shocked as I am about this dreadful situation.”
“Oh, hell,” Gillian muttered.
Kathleen’s heart seized. “You know our parents?”
“My father is related to Lady Gorey on his mother’s side.”
“Then Kathleen and Jeannie are your relatives,” Gillian pointed out. “So perhaps you could try for a little familial charity, instead of acting like a nincompoop.”
“Gillian, please don’t,” Kathleen warned.
Trim snorted. “You’re clearly a hoyden as well.”
“You’ll have to do better than that if you want to insult me,” Gillian said with a smile that was mostly teeth.
Kathleen chopped down a hand. “Everyone, stop. Mr. Trim, may we please go inside and talk?”
“There is nothing to talk about. My father will be writing to Lady Gorey and informing her that her daughters are ill-mannered hussies.”
Jeannie suddenly shoved in front of Kathleen. “You’re a mean old man.”
“Andyouare a nasty guttersnipe.”
Before Kathleen could react, Jeannie delivered a swift kick to Trim’s right shin. He staggered but, with astonishing speed for so portly a man, grabbed Jeannie by the wrist.
Her sister tried to break free. “Let me go!”
Kathleen stepped forward and planted a hand flat on Trim’s chest. “Jeannie, stop struggling. And you, sir, release my sister.Immediately.”
“I’ll be handing you both off to the constable, is what I’ll be doing,” he angrily replied.
Angus practically crawled over Kathleen’s shoulder. “I’ll kill ye myself, ye scaly bastard.”
“And I’ll stab you right where you live,” Gillian snarled, crowding in from the other side.
Kathleen wasn’t entirely sure whatthatmeant but knew it should be avoided at all costs—especially since two large footmen had erupted from Trim’s house. Both looked ready to start throwing punches.
“No one is stabbing anyone,” Kathleen yelled over the growing commotion.
She doubted anyone could hear, since Kade was now shouting at Trim, while Angus and Will intercepted Trim’s footmen and commenced a yelling match. Gillian, meanwhile, was now calmly bending over and reaching for her boot, which no doubt contained a knife.
“Gillian, no,” Kathleen ordered as she tried to clamp a madly wriggling Jeannie to her side. If Jeannie kicked Trim again, all hell would break loose—if Gillian didn’t stab the man first.
“Mr. Trim, if you value your safety, let go of my sister,” Kathleen added.
The man froze as his gaze jerked up and over her shoulder. He suddenly let Jeannie go and scuttled back several steps.
Oddly, his footmen also retreated. Everyone suddenly stopped yelling, and silence fell over the square, broken only by the sounds of Jeannie’s outraged sniffles.
“Trim, if ye touch either girl again, I will twist yer damn arm off.”
