Chemistry of Magic: Unexpected Magic Book Five (Unexpected Magic #5)(70)
Dare had to fight back a grin but gave her a look of appreciation he didn’t think she noticed. She was too busy glaring at the men glaring back at her. His lady might not be charming but she didn’t mince words.
Several of the unknown men continued to declare they knew nothing, but Dare noted Crenshaw and Weathersby remained silent. He considered taking the stick to someone’s head, but with Emilia present, he’d have to make violence the last resort.
Before Dare could do so, Emilia turned to the young culprit looming over them. Dare was madly relieved that he’d decided to deviate from his plans to come here first. Brutes like young Charles weren’t restrained by gentlemanly impulses toward ladies.
“I was there when you slapped Tess and stole my book,” Emilia informed him in no uncertain terms, lifting her delicate chin. “You saw me. Just hand over my property, and I will not press charges. Tess will have to make her own decision.”
“I dare the whore to press charges!” the younger Crenshaw said in an angry rumble. “I don’t have your damned box of papers.” With a ferocious grin of triumph he declared, “I burned your Satan’s bible!”
“I don’t believe you, sir,” she retorted. “The box would not burn. Show it to me.”
“You’re calling me a liar?” The bully tried to shove past Dare.
Very Big Mistake, Dare decided. He was more than ready for a good brawl. Without a second thought, he braced his legs and plowed his fist straight at the larger man’s genitals.
Even when he’d been stronger, he’d known better than to break his knuckles on a muscular breadbasket. Aiming low was dirty, but effective. His blow was not light and it was deadly accurate. Soft tissues crunched.
Crenshaw curled over with a howl of pain. A few members of their audience jumped to their feet, but mostly, they were either already standing or refused to relinquish their comfortable chairs. The elder Crenshaw shouted uselessly and waved his cane.
“That’s for pushing my wife around,” Dare said, stepping back. “The next blow will be for stealing her property if you don’t return it.”
“Fisticuffs is no way of carrying on civil discourse,” one of the merchants said nervously.
“Stealing books and forging papers is not a civilized manner of doing business,” Dare retorted, gripping the heavy staff and backing Emilia out of the study so he had room to fight back.
Behind them, the maid scurried to answer another knock on the door. Dare hoped this wasn’t a younger contingent. For now, he thought the odds were pretty equal. The old men wouldn’t lift a hand.
“My son is no thief,” Crenshaw protested loudly. “He is only protecting his home and family from criminals like your wife who would practice medicine without a license. And from yourself, sir, who would steal land from the hands of honest merchants with your sharp city lawyers.”
Young Crenshaw uncurled and came up roaring, aiming his massive fist at Dare’s jaw. The brute had the advantage of several stone over him, and a healthy constitution. Prepared for the bully’s reaction, Dare stepped aside. Using the young man’s momentum against him, Dare bashed the sturdy staff against the back of his attacker’s head, driving him to the floor.
Being quick on one’s feet was useful when outweighed and outmatched. Had Crenshaw’s fist connected, he most likely would have broken bones. Instead, the bully sprawled on the floor, knocked stupid but not senseless.
“Emilia, return to the carriage, please,” Dare commanded, standing over the brute while he shook his head and regained his senses. “We cannot reason with animals. We’ll find the magistrate and press charges.”
She sensibly stepped into the corridor, leaving him an exit. The men he faced were either muttering to each other in dismay or staring helplessly. Not one offered to come to Crenshaw’s aid, or his own. In disgust, Dare refrained from kicking the rogue at his feet. “Gentlemen, you are a disgrace to King and country. You’ll be hearing from my lawyers.”
As he turned to leave, Emilia screamed. Dare only had a moment to follow her gaze before the flash of silver from the floor slashed his thigh to the bone. Young Crenshaw’s massive fist yanked the blade out, prepared to strike again. Thinking only that he couldn’t die and leave Emilia unprotected, Dare gripped the pistol in his pocket.
As he crumpled, he pulled the trigger without even taking aim. His attacker was close enough that the bullet couldn’t miss as Dare fell across him with a groan. This wasn’t how he’d planned on dying.
Chapter 20
Emilia couldn’t stop screaming. Dropping to her knees, she tried to tug her husband off the murdering thief, but he was too large and heavy. Blood was everywhere, and her eyes blurred with tears. “Dare, Dare, damn you, you cannot die on me now! Someone give me bandages. You’re doctors, curse you, help, please!”
She wasn’t a physician, but she was pretty certain the blood gushing from Dare’s leg was a death sentence.
Big hands reached from behind her, hauling Dare off Crenshaw and dragging him into the hallway. Dare groaned and tried to grab his leg.
Weeping at this sign that he lived, Emilia deliberately shut out the young brute on the floor with a raw gunshot wound in his gut. The sight made the contents of her stomach rise in her throat, but his thieving companions could deal with him. It was Dare who concerned her now. . . Dare wasn’t even supposed to be here.