A Scandal Most Daring

“Good God, woman, what-” He was lost for words.

Stalking across the room, he side-stepped around the tormenting end, and stopped. He wanted to snatch it off her, and had to dig very deep for his self-control so that he could ease it out of her reluctant hold gently and render it safe.

“Don’t ever do that again,” he growled.

Before she could protest he slammed a kiss on her lips to assure himself that she was alright while Isaac slammed the shutters closed, and drew the curtains.

“It won’t hold them, but it will delay them a little,” he sighed as he turned to face everybody.

“How many windows are out?” he asked Oscar as he strode across the room.

“Three downstairs. Everything upstairs is secure,” Oscar reported.

“Good. Let’s find something to barricade this,” he ordered over his shoulder as he left the room.

Isaac moved to second damaged window and peered out of it. Taking aim, he began to take shots at the men running toward the house. Connor stood behind him and reloaded the guns Isaac handed them back to him.

“Who are they?” Tahlia cried as she watched the smooth way they seemed to each know what the other was doing without being told.

“Whoever shot at us the other day,” Connor told her. “It was me they were shooting at. This was a trick, Tahlia. The fire was a ruse to get us out of the house.”

“What do they want?”

Connor shook his head. He didn’t tell her that it had something to do with the Star Elite’s investigation into Sayers. It would only add to her fear.

“Go pack some things,” Connor ordered.

“Wouldn’t it be best to keep shooting at them? One of the neighbours is bound to hear and will send for the magistrate,” Oscar asked as hurried into the room carrying two pistols.

When Tahlia looked at him in astonishment, he shrugged.

“They were your uncle’s,” he explained.

Connor swore. “It is going to take too long for the magistrate to get here. Even if he comes straight away, there were at least fifteen people out there. We can’t fight them all.”

“Six are down,” Isaac told him darkly as he swapped guns again.

“Nine are remaining then, at a rough guess. There are still too many of them for us to fight single-handed if they charged us and forced their way in here,” Connor replied. “There are too many doors in this house. It is too dangerous to stay here. There is a safe house we can go to.”

“Whatever they are after, they are desperate to get it,” Isaac warned. “They don’t send a mob like this if they just want to carry you off, Connor. It was both of us they wanted out there, not just one of us.”

“A safe house?” Tahlia interrupted, horrified at the thought of what might have happened if Connor and Isaac hadn’t been able to find their way back.

“Where is the portrait?” Connor demanded.

“Barnaby took it,” Isaac informed him. “The jewels, the portrait, and all paperwork have gone with him to the War Office. It is safe.”

“They don’t know that,” Connor warned.

“Connor,” Tahlia pleaded. She wasn’t sure what she was asking for, but he seemed to understand.

“Trust me,” he whispered. “We will get you out of here. We have a secret house where we can be safe until we can arrange a secure passage out of London.”

“Can we go to Rutland?” she asked hopefully.

She hated London in the first place. After the last few hours she hated it even more.

“Yes, Tahlia. Nobody will link me to you. Nobody but Henry knew where you had moved to. I think I am right in believing that the only other person who knows where you live now is the solicitor. He is hardly likely to tell anybody. I will get Barnaby to speak with the man and ensure all correspondence relating to you is removed from the solicitor’s premises.”