Page 105 of What's an Earl Gotta Do?
... and watched the lead ball fly true, catching Scudamore just where she had aimed, right in the hand that held the knife.
He screamed and dropped the blade, clutching his hand. Michael was on him in a second, kicking the knife clear, then shoving him up against the wall.
But two of Scudamore’s thugs were still sensible. One of them grabbed Anne’s arm. As she struggled to free herself, she watched in horror as the second man stole up behind Michael, fists raised. Anne tried to scream but her throat had gone dry with terror.
That was when the door flew open, and Samuel and Lord Gladstone came charging into the room. Samuel ripped the man holding Anne’s arm off of her, smashing his head against the wall for good measure.
Meanwhile Lord Gladstone charged the man creeping up behind Michael and took him out with a ferocious headbutt.
Anne blinked at them in confusion, then noticed a third person coming through the door—a shirtless, soot-streaked Nick.
“Nick!” She pressed a hand to her chest. “Thank God you’re alive.” She caught him in a hug as she turned to Samuel. “What are you doing here?”
“I received your note. Having spent most of last night searching Notting Hill, I happen to know that it does not feature a”—he pulled Anne’s note from his pocket and consulted it—“Butterfield Lane. I went to your house seeking clarification, and who should I find sitting on your front step but this fellow, looking more than a little confused.” He clapped Lord Gladstone on the shoulder. “Once Gladstone recounted your conversation, I was able to put two and two together.” He nodded toward Nick. “We were trying to figure out which house you were in when this intrepid young man came scrambling down a gutter pipe, shouting for help.”
Anne turned to Nick. “Scrambling down a gutter pipe? But how did you get out? We were coming to rescue you.”
“I went up the chimney, naturally,” Nick said, retrieving his shirt from the floor by the fireplace. “I did it the first night, too, but they caught me and dragged me back. That’s why they were keeping me tied up.”
“But why did you remove your shirt?” Anne asked.
Nick thumped his concave stomach. “I’m getting downright stocky, what with those two rolls at breakfast. Figured I’d better buff it.”
Anne laughed as Samuel stepped forward. “Lord Scudamore, you’re coming with me. I’m taking you straight to Bow Street.”
Scudamore made a vain attempt to jerk from Michael’s grasp. “I am a peer of the realm. You cannot lay hands on me.”
Lord Gladstone stepped forward. “Then allow me to do the honors.” He stripped off his cravat and proceeded to bind Scudamore’s wrists.
“Look, Gladstone,” Scudamore said, “I can explain—”
“You’re a bad person and an even worse friend,” Lord Gladstone said, jerking the knot tight. He leveled a glare at Scudamore. “Even I’m smart enough to figure that one out.”
Michael surrendered Scudamore to Lord Gladstone, who hustled him across the room, making a point to steer his former friend into the doorframe on their way out.
Anne’s eyes met Michael’s, and she flew across the room, throwing her arms around his waist. Suddenly she was crying uncontrollably.
After a few moments she pulled back, and gently raised a hand to his battered face. He might be bruised and bleeding, but he was alive, which made him the most beautiful sight in the world as far as Anne was concerned. “Oh, Michael,” she said, burying her face in his chest.
“Now I really do look like I wrestled a bear,” he said. He ran his thumb over the top of her head, frowning. “Er, I’m afraid I bled on you.”
Anne hugged him closer. “I could not possibly care less.”
She was distracted by a rustling sound. Glancing around, Anne saw half a dozen little boys emerging from dark corners and beneath the furniture. She smiled as Nick herded them together.
Anne ruffled Nick’s hair. “Come, and I mean the lot of you. Let’s go home.”
Chapter 40
And so it was that they squeezed inside a hackney carriage (Scudamore’s curricle having been commandeered to transport its owner to gaol) and made their way to Anne’s lodging house. Anne hated to rouse the whole house in the middle of the night, but that was exactly what ended up happening, as nobody wanted to miss the excitement. Mrs. Godfrey supervised the bathing of their new arrivals (as well as Nick, over his protestations that he wasn’t that sooty.)
The children were peering up at Michael with a touch of hero worship. He ducked his head and demurred when asked how he had received such impressive injuries.
Unfortunately for him, the tiny witnesses who had been peering out from the darkened corners of the room were much less circumspect.
“T’was four against one, battle royale—”
“Took a fist right in the eye and didn’t even blink—”
