But Hades was the sort of horse to rouse a man’s desire, and she expected several well-heeled gentlemen would try to buy him. The auctioneer signaled the start of bidding. Lily found herself gasping and squealing and clutching Ewan’s arm each time the stakes were raised. Ewan’s attention was on the prize and not even her childish enthusiasm could distract him. Good thing. Several men were passionate about that horse, but Ewan’s cool control won out.
While Laurel and her uncle went with Ewan to secure his purchases, Lily went back to the little mare’s stall to tell her the good news. Not that she had the ability to speak to horses, but Lily was bursting with excitement and wished to share it with that gentle creature.
She was still smiling and petting the gray mare’s nose when someone came up from behind her and not so gently shoved her into the stall. “What the—” She fell beneath the mare’s hooves, startling the old girl, who did her best to avoid hurting Lily. But she was just a horse and didn’t understand what was happening. The assailant moved toward Lily, obviously not intending to stop with just a shove. He picked her up and pushed her against the hard, wooden boards of the wall before she had the chance to catch her breath and scream.
Lily expected to recognize her assailant, believing it was Desmond once again releasing his fear and frustration on her, but when she turned, she saw a large, unkempt ruffian with a knife in his dirty hand and an evil gleam in his bloodshot eyes. “Is it my purse you want? Here. Take it.”
“I’ll have it an’ ye as well. Think ye can get the better of m’master. This’ll teach ye.”
Lily had to think quickly. She pretended to surrender, and then at the precise moment brought her knee to his privates with all the force she could muster. As he bent over with an angry yelp, she grabbed the pin from her hat and stabbed it into the hand that was holding the knife. He shrieked and dropped his knife. Lily used his momentary distraction to race from the stall.
She darted out and fell against another hard wall. Ewan. He tightened his arms around her. “What’s the matter?”
Laurel was two steps behind him. “She’s afraid of mice. Did you see one in the stall?”
Lily was too frightened to answer.
Ewan took a closer look at her. “Bollix,” he muttered, handing her over to Laurel and heading into the stall before she could stop him. “Bloody bastard. Who are you working for?” Ewan growled, then she heard the thud of fists against bodies. To Lily’s frustration, she couldn’t make out the rest, for Laurel was tugging her away.
A group of men heard the commotion and began to gather by the stall, further shutting her out. Men being men, they were quick to take bets on who would come out the winner, though she could have told them the blackguard stood no chance against Ewan. As the fight spilled out into the pathway, she saw Ewan knock the man to the ground with two swift punches. He hauled the dazed man to his feet, obviously searching for a Tattersalls official to take him into proper custody.
Lily could see he was angry, his dark eyes blazing as he scanned the bloodthirsty crowd. And angrier as his gaze fell upon someone else of interest. He released the man and shouldered his way through the crowd, grabbing his cousin. “Desmond,” Lily muttered, drawing Laurel toward the pair.
“Who’s Desmond?”
“His despicable cousin. The one who threatened me and Meggie at Madame de Bressard’s shop. We’d better stop Ewan before he kills him.”
Laurel held her back. “Are you serious? You can’t get between those two. It’s too dangerous.”
As if to prove her point, Ewan drew his fist back to begin pummeling his cousin. At the same time, the blackguard he’d released a moment earlier and three of his friends ran forward, quickly surrounding him. “What are you waiting for? Get him,” Desmond ordered, sneering as the assailants obeyed him and attacked Ewan.
Desmond hurried off, leaving Ewan alone to defend himself against the unsavory foursome. Though there were dozens of bystanders nearby, not one man stepped forward to help Ewan. He was in trouble, clearly outnumbered, and he stood no chance of escaping unharmed, especially if those men carried weapons. “Laurel, find Uncle George.”
Laurel nodded. “Stay out of it, Lily. Promise me.”
“I can’t. Someone has to even the odds until help arrives.” Lily grabbed a wooden board that lay near her feet. Ewan had shattered it over one of the brigands a few moments ago. She avoided Laurel and rushed forward with careful purpose, holding her breath in order to remain calm as she entered the melee. She struck two of the assailants with precision, catching them at the back of the knees. Their ungainly bodies responded as she knew they would, the precise blows causing their legs to buckle. They lost their balance and fell to their knees.