Page 81 of My Gentleman Spy
He stood for an instant, rooted to the spot. Memories and images of that fateful night in Paris with Yvette crashed through his mind. He reached out a hand, desperate to touch the ghost which consumed hisvision.
“Hattie?” he stammered, as the spellbroke.
“Yes, it's me. Or at least what is left of me,” she replied through grittedteeth.
Will raced to her side and after slipping two strong hands under her arms tried to help her to standupright.
“Ow, ow. Let go you are hurting me!” shecried.
“Where does it hurt?” heasked.
Hattie gasped forair.
“Everywhere. I think he may have broken some of myribs.”
She took hold of Will’s hand and with great effort managed to finally pull herself away from the wall. They walked toward the house, stopping every few feet while Hattie got her breathback.
Joshua followedbehind.
Once inside Will gently sat Hattie down on the steps which led up to the ground floor of the house. Mrs. Little went into the kitchen and came back with fresh rags and a bowl of warm water. Mr. Little was sent out to locate and bring back the Saunders’ familydoctor.
Will took one of the clean cloths and wiped the blood from Hattie’s face. She winced when he got to the source of the blood, a nasty cut high on her forehead. From the look of it, a blade had cut cleanly across her head. The wound would requirestitches.
“Hold this firmly to the cut on her head,” he ordered Mrs.Little.
He turned to the lad who had brought Hattie home and summoned himover.
“What happened?” heasked.
Joshua looked at Hattie, but she was too busy trying to breath to give him anyanswers.
“The Belton Street Gang. They don’t like people who try to help in the rookery. Miss Hattie stood up to Tom, my boss, tonight and he beat her. It was supposed to teach her a lesson about coming onto his patch without his permission,” repliedJoshua.
Will fixed his gaze hard onJoshua.
“Yourboss?”
Joshua took a step back. His shoulders slumped. Will thought the boy close to tears as he watched Mrs. Little change the blood- soaked cloth on Hattie’sforehead.
“I have a sick ma, and a family to look after sir. When Miss Hattie left for Africa the gang were the only people who offered to help us. I had nochoice.”
“It’s not Joshua’s fault,” saidHattie.
Will held his temper and his tongue. Now was not the time to reprimand Hattie for having been so stupid as to have gotten into a fight with a criminal gang. He would wait until after her face had been stitched and the doctor had seen to her other injuries before taking her totask.
* * *
“The situation is untenable.”
Hattie opened her eyes and turned her head in the direction of the voice. As her eyes gained focus, her gaze settled on the figure seated in a chair by thedoor.
“Will?” she said, in a voice still full ofsleep.
He rose from the chair, but as he did another figure in the room stirred and caught herattention.
Seated by the fireside Mrs. Little yawned and stretched. Seeing that Hattie was now awake, she hurried to herbedside.
“How are you my sweet girl? We were so worried when Joshua brought you in last night. I must confess when I first saw him, I feared theworst.”
