Page 59 of Marry in Secret
“It’s over, sir.” A different hand on his shoulder, heavy, authoritative. Thomas twisted around, ready to fight this new enemy. “Easy, easy there, sir. It’s over.” It was Jackson.
Thomas straightened, catching his breath. The red haze slowly cleared from hisbrain.
Chapter Eight
Nothing has proved him unworthy; nor has anything declared him indifferent to me.
—JANE AUSTEN,SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Jackson’s Boxing Saloon had gone silent. The cheering, jeering spectators stood motionless, staring at Thomas as if they’d never seen a man fight before.
He looked at his opponent. Ashendon was still standing, but barely. He was swaying on his feet, spattered with blood and dark bruises.
Jackson’s eyes were dark with understanding. “Best to stop it before it got out of hand, sir.”
Thomas nodded wearily. He hadn’t wanted to fight at all. But the taste of blood in his mouth, the threat to kill him... rage, long suppressed, had broken free...
Jackson raised his voice. “Since both gentlemen are still on their feet, I declare this friendly bout a draw.” There was a groan and a mutter of complaint from the spectators. Jackson, unperturbed, simply held up his hand. “My club, my decision.” He turned to Thomas and Galbraith. “Nicely fought, gentlemen.”
Thomas turned toward his bench. The crowd parted silently before him, all eyes. A low murmur of comments followed his passing. Thomas ignored them. Ashendonwalked slowly to his bench, leaning heavily on Galbraith. He looked a mess.
Rose’s brother.
Thomas hesitated, then approached. “Are you all right?”
“What do you care?” Ashendon snarled.
“You’re my wife’s brother,” Thomas said, and when the earl didn’t respond, he added, “You forced this fight on me, remember. I told you I don’t fight for pleasure.” He glanced at Galbraith.
But Galbraith was looking elsewhere. He nudged Ashendon, who followed Galbraith’s gaze. His eyes narrowed. “You swine. Now it all makes sense.”
Thomas glanced down. One of his stockings had slipped down in the fight and lay scrunched, half off, almost below his ankle. He yanked it up and tucked it back under the hem of his breeches. But it was too late. They’d seen.
Damnation.
Ollie returned with water, cloths and vinegar for Thomas to clean himself up with. “Never knew you could fight like that, Thomas. Took my breath away. Dashed glad I’m your friend and not your enemy.”
He hovered, passing Thomas vinegar-soaked cloths and chatting excitedly, reliving the highlights as he’d viewed them. Thomas dressed in silence, cursing Galbraith’s sharp eyes.
Galbraith approached. “I’ll fetch a cab. Your choice whether we go back to my place or Ashendon House.”
“Why should we go—” Ollie began.
“Ashendon House,” Thomas said wearily. Might as well get it over and done with.
***
They arrived at Ashendon House after dropping Galbraith off at his own house on the way. “I’ll bring Lily,” he said. “This looks like a family affair, and she won’t want to miss out.” He glanced at Thomas for confirmation, and Thomas shrugged.
But if any of them thought that the revelation of secretswould be top of the agenda, they reckoned without the women of the family. Lady Ashendon took one look at her husband, exclaimed faintly and whisked him upstairs to have his injuries tended to, overruling his objections in a no-nonsense voice. “I’m not fussing, Cal, merely being practical. Now don’t be a baby...”
Rose did likewise, escorting Thomas to her bedchamber, where she bathed each cut in vinegar and applied a pungent unguent to every cut and bruise she could find, scolding him all the time for being so foolish as to fight her brother and at the same time exclaiming in distress over every little mark as she tenderly rubbed on goo.
“Take off your shirt,” she instructed when she had finished with his face and his bruised and scraped knuckles.
He hesitated but decided that she was going to find out anyway. He shrugged off his shirt, and she continued applying her potions.
A sudden still silence told him she had seen his back.
