Patience, who'd been standing beside Vane, quickly stepped forward-to come up with Vane, who'd stepped forward as he delivered the blow that had lifted Whitticombe from his feet.
Clutching Vane's arm, Patience looked down-and prayed Whitticombe had the sense to stay down. She could feel the steel in the muscles beneath her fingers. If Whitticombe was foolish enough to fight back, Vane would demolish him.
Stunned, Whitticombe blinked back to full consciousness. As the others gathered about, he raised one hand to his jaw. And winced. "Assault!" he croaked.
"The battery might yet follow." The warning-entirely unneccessary from Patience's perspective-came from Vane. One look at his face, as hard as granite and equally unyielding, would have informed any sane person of that fact.
Whitticombe stared-then he scanned the circle about him. "He hit me!"
"Did he?" Edmond opened his eyes wide. "Didn't see it myself." He looked at Vane. "Would you care to do it again?"
"No!" Whitticombe looked shocked.
"Why not?" the General inquired. "A sound thrashing-do you good. Might even knock some sense into you. Here-we'll all come and watch. Ensure fair play and all that. No blows below the belt, what?"
The horrified look on Whitticombe's face as he gazed around the circle of faces-and found not one showing the slightest glimmer of sympathy-would have been comic if any had been in the mood to be amused. When his gaze returned to Vane, he sucked in a breath, and sniveled: "Don't hit me."
Narrow-eyed, Vane looked down at him, and shook his head. His battle-ready tension eased; he stepped back. "A coward-through and through."
The verdict was greeted with nods and humphs of agreement. Duggan pushed forward and grasped Whitticombe by the collar. He hauled the miserable figure upright. Duggan looked at Vane. "I'll lock him in the cellar, shall I?"
Vane looked at Minnie. Tight-lipped, she nodded.
Alice, who had watched it all, face alight with vindictive glee, laughed and waved at Whitticombe. "Off you go, brother! You wanted to look at a cellar all these months-enjoy it while you can." Cackling, she slumped back in her chair.
Agatha Chadwick laid a hand on Minnie's arm. "Allow me." With considerable dignity, she descended on Alice. "Angela."
For once, Angela did not drag her heels. Joining her mother, her face a mask of determination, she grasped Alice's other arm; together, they hoisted Alice to her feet.
"Come along, now." Mrs. Chadwick turned to the door.
Alice glanced from one to the other. "Did you bring my elephant? It is mine, you know."
"It's on its way from London." Agatha Chadwick glanced at Minnie. "We'll lock her in her room."
Minnie nodded.
All watched the trio pass through the door. The instant it closed behind them, the iron that had kept Minnie's spine straight for the past hours dissolved. She slumped against Timms. Vane softly cursed-without requesting permission, he scooped Minnie up in his arms and gently eased her into the chair Alice had vacated.
Minnie smiled tremulously up at him. "I'm all right-just a bit rattled." She grinned. "But I enjoyed seeing Whitticombe fly through the air."
Relieved to see that grin, Vane stepped back, letting Patience get closer. Edith Swithins, likewise at the end of her resources, was being solicitously helped into the second armchair by Edgar.
As she sank down, she, too, smiled at Vane. "I've never seen any fisticuffs before-it was quite exciting." Rummaging in her bag, she retrieved two bottles of smelling salts. She handed Minnie one. "I thought I'd lost this one years ago, but lo and behold, it turned up at the top of my bag last week."
Edith sniffed from her bottle, eyes twinkling at Vane.
Who discovered he could still blush. He glanced around; the General and Gerrard had been conferring-the General looked up. "Just discussing the dispositions, what? No staff here-and we haven't dined yet."
The observation got them all moving, lighting fires, making up beds, and preparing and serving a hot, sustaining dinner. Grisham, Duggan, and the two maids assisted, but everyone, bar only Alice and Whitticombe, readily contributed their share.
As no fire had been lit in the drawing room, the ladies remained at the table while the port did the rounds. The glow of common experience, of camaraderie, was evident as they shared thoughts of the past weeks.
At the end, as yawns started to interrupt their reminiscences, Timms turned to Minnie. "What will you do with them?"
Everyone quieted. Minnie grimaced. "They really are pitiful. I'll speak to them tomorrow, but, in all Christian charity, I can't throw them out. At least not at the moment, not into the snow."
"Snow?" Edmond raised his head, then rose and pulled back one of the drapes. Fine flakes swirled across the beam of light shining out. "Well, fancy that."