“I do not know this man,” Aidan replied, looking away.
“You know me,” the man barked. “Intimately.”
Aidan swung his gaze to him and his eyes widened in recognition. He dropped the mug and the remaining tea splashed across the wood floor. “No. You belong in my nightmares. You are not real.”
“Oh, aye. I’m real enough.” The man shifted his gaze toward Aidan. “We need to talk. About what happened between us at that damned house party.”
Aidan visibly paled, becoming almost ghost-like in appearance. “I don’t wish to discuss it.”
“I had to see for myself you’re all right. That it wasn’t because of me that you’re here.”
Abbie looked back and forth between the two men. The conversation had her riveted. And curious.
“Do not flatter yourself,” Aidan replied in a disinterested tone. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Missus, get out. Aidan and me need privacy to talk,” Delaney barked, giving her a cursory but menacing glace.
“I will not,” Abbie replied defiantly. “He wants you to go, and I would suggest, sir, you do exactly that.”
He slipped a knife with a jagged blade from his coat pocket. “I didn’t come here to hurt anyone, but I will, if pushed and provoked.”
Abbie gasped at the sight of the blade. A thought struck her. Was this Delaney, the Marquess of Sutherhorne’s ‘bullyboy,’ as Riordan had called him? What did he mean about a house party? What had happened between the two men? “Your name is Delaney, isn’t it? Haven’t you done enough to this family? You shot at my daughter and me. Injured Garrett. How dare you come here and threaten a sick man?”
“I didn’t shoot at anyone. It was the bloody marquess and his quest for revenge. Nothing to do with me. I’m just his hired muscle.” He looked Abbie over. “Mrs. Hughes. I recognize you now. I thought that you were still in Kent. No matter, I—”
The door gave way from its hinges, and Samuel entered, with Garrett right on his heels. Hovering in the doorway was a shocked Gethin and Cristyn.
Abbie’s breath seized at seeing Garrett. He was not fully recovered, judging by the sling and his pale and drawn features. Before she could muster another thought, Delaney lifted Aidan from his wheeled chair, as if he weighed nothing at all, and held him close, one large arm across Aidan’s chest. The tip of the knife touched Aidan’s throat.
“Mrs. Hughes, come stand next to us,” Delaney barked. “Now.”
Abbie looked to Garrett and Samuel, unsure of what to do.
“Delaney, drop the knife,” Garrett urged.
“I think not. Come here, missus, or blood will be spilled,” Delaney demanded.
Abbie, with shaking legs, stumbled over and stood next to Delaney and Aidan. Delaney nuzzled Aidan’s neck as he stood behind him, as a lover might do. How shocking!
“I only came here to talk to Aidan. Nothing more. This is being blown out of all proportion. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I didn’t shoot at you and missus and the girl. That was all Sutherhorne.”
“I know. The marquess admitted it to Prince Albert. Your employer is about to be banished from the country,” Garrett stated, his voice dripping with anger. “So there is no need to carry out any further retribution. Not hurt anyone? You say that with a knife at my nephew’s neck?”
Delaney snorted, but he pulled the knife away from Aidan and kept it at his side. “I’m not here to exact revenge. To hell with Sutherhorne and his feckin’ stupid plans.” He rubbed his nose against Aidan’s neck and whispered in his ear, low enough only Abbie could hear, “Remember me now? Come away with me, let me nurse you back to health. Give you whatever you need. I promise I won’t hurt you.” Delaney’s voice dropped another octave. “Not ever.”
“You were a means to an end,” Aidan murmured. “It meant nothing. Leave me alone.”
A pained look crossed Delaney’s features, as if Aidan’s words hurt. Grunting, he released Aidan, who slumped to the floor. With a swift move, Delaney brought Abbie against him, holding her tight. He still held the knife menacingly, but did not threaten her with it. “I’ll be leaving. The missus here will allow me to get to my horse. Do not follow us, or I will be forced to use violence. Christ almighty, I just wanted to feckin’ talk to…”
Abbie wriggled, trying to escape, but he held her with an iron grip. In turning her head, she saw Delaney glance at Aidan, still lying on the floor. Concern knotted the man’s brows and he seemed to hesitate. But his moment of disquietude passed, and he pulled Abbie with him as he backed up toward the door. “Be gone!” he bellowed to Gethin and Cristyn. They scurried away. “Hear me. Neither you nor your man will follow me. If you chase me, I’ll cut her.” He pressed the tip of the blade against her side to emphasize his point. “Allow me to leave, and no one will be hurt, now, or in the future. I will let Mrs. Hughes go.”
“You miserable bastard. Hear this: if you have any contact with any member of my family or anyone I care about ever again, it will be me cutting you.” Abbie had never seen Garrett this dangerous and intimidating.
Before Abbie knew it, she and Delaney were moving toward the rear entrance. Then they were outside, the cold air causing her breath to catch. The man was swift; his long-legged stride pulled her along toward the thickest part of the woods. She struggled, even kicked at his leg, but it was futile. Delaney was as strong as an ox, and he carried her under his arm as if she were a wrapped package. Her feet were not even touching the ground.
Through the cluster of pines, Abbie spotted a horse tethered to a large tree. Good Lord, the horse was as much of a beast as the man who held her. The horse, which must be a dray crossbreed, had to be seventeen hands tall. Delaney pushed her away and vaulted onto the back of the animal. He slipped his knife in his pocket, then gathered up the reins. “You’re free to go, missus.” He stared at her, and his expression turned melancholy. “Look after Aidan. Tell him…I’ll see him soon.”
“Leave Aidan alone. He’s suffered enough,” she cried, still shaking from the cold and from fright. Her hands were turning red and numb.
Garrett’s deep voice carried through the winter air. He was frantically calling her name.
“Go to your man. Do it, or I’ll run you down. This horse will trample you good and proper.” The words were plainly spoken, but this time there was no menace behind the threat.
Abbie lifted her wool skirt and broke into a run. Delaney may well run her down regardless. She chanced a glance, but the man had already disappeared into the forest, the booming sound of horses’ hooves growing fainter.
“Abbie!”
Ascertaining the direction of Garrett’s worried voice, she ran toward the sound, tears streaming from her eyes. A leafless branch scraped against her cheek, but she kept going. Abbie emerged from the thickest part of the forest to find Garrett running toward her. Her heart leapt at the sight of him. “Garrett!”
They met, and with his free arm, Garrett pulled her against him, lifting her from the ground and hugging her fiercely. “Damn it all, if anything had happened to you,” he rasped huskily while laying multiple kisses along her neck.
Abbie felt safe. Warm. Protected. Despite it all, regardless of everything that stood in their way, all the complications, the curse, and whatever else, all that mattered was being in his arms.
He lowered her, then frowned, his gloved finger brushing across her cheek. Blood was on the tip. “He hurt you.”
“No, it was a tree branch. He didn’t hurt me.”
“Samuel is fetching the horses. Not sure I can ride, but I’ll hunt the bastard down and I will—”
Abbie clutched Garrett’s arm. “Let him go. It is not worth your health or your safety. I truly believe he only wished to talk to Aidan. Besides, he had nothing to do with the shooting.”
Garrett’s mouth dropped open. “The brute threatened you and Aidan, held a knife on you both! He deserves a sound thrashing, if nothing else.”
“I agree. But you’re not fully recovered, and I will not allow you to be injured further. Nor will I allow you to send Samuel after the man. He could well handle himself, but…I do not wish to see him harmed.”
Garrett slipped his right arm about her waist and together they slowly walked toward the sanatorium. “I am sorry you were pulled into this never-ending drama.”
“There…there is…or was…something between Aidan and Delaney.”
“Yes. As you’ve heard, Sutherhorne has been banished. But he did fire off a final volley. Gossip about Aidan is making its way about London, concerning his behavior at one of those debauched affairs certain peers like to attend. I will tell you more later. You are shivering, and the cut on your cheek needs attention.”
“Why did you come to Standon? Because of Aidan?”
“In part.” Samuel rode up, holding the reins to the other horse. Garrett halted the young man. “I imagine he is long gone, Samuel.”
“Shouldn’t we try, sir?”
“We live to fight another day. Return the horses to Mrs. Hughes’s residence. We will follow you there directly.”