The Leopard Prince (Princes #2)(82)

Nearer the floor, the air was a little better. Harry gasped, taking in a lungful, and grabbed one of the unconscious man’s arms. He heaved. His chest burned and his back ached as if the muscles were tearing. Bennet had the man’s other arm, but he’d obviously reached the end of his rope. He pulled only feebly. Harry hoped, prayed, that they moved in the direction of the stable door, that he’d not gotten turned around in the smoke and screaming and ashes and death. If they went in the wrong direction, they would die here. Their bodies would be so thoroughly burned that no one would know which man was which.

My lady needs me. He grit his teeth and pulled against the agony in his arms.

I will be a father soon. His foot caught and he staggered, but kept himself upright.

My child will need me. He could hear Bennet sobbing behind him, whether from the smoke or from fear, he didn’t know.

Please, God, they both need me. Let me live.

And Harry saw it: the stable door. He gave an inarticulate shout and coughed convulsively. One last, terrible heave and they were through the stable doors. The cool night air embraced them like the kiss of a mother. Harry staggered, still clutching the unconscious man. Then other men were there, shouting and helping them away from the flames. He fell to the cobblestones, Bennet beside him. He felt small fingers on his face.

He opened his eyes to see Will in front of him. “Harry, you came back.”

“Aye, I did.” He laughed and then started coughing, hugging the wiggling boy to himself. Someone brought a cup of water, and he sipped at it gratefully. He turned to Bennet, a smile on his face.

Bennet still wept. He coughed convulsively and clutched the unconscious man in his arms.

Harry frowned. “Who—?” “It’s Mr. Thomas,” Will said in his ear. “He went into the stables when he saw the fire. Because of the horses. But he didn’t come out, and Bennet ran in after him.” The boy patted Harry’s face again. “He made me stay with that man. I thought he’d never come out again. And then you went in, too.” Will wrapped his thin arms around Harry’s neck, nearly throttling him.

Harry gently pried loose the boy’s arms and looked at the man they’d pulled from the stable. Half his face was blistered and red, the hair singed black and short on that side. But the other half was recognizable as Bennet’s older brother. Harry held the side of his hand beneath Thomas’s nose. Then he moved his fingers to the man’s neck.

Nothing.

He touched Bennet’s shoulder. “He’s dead.” “No,” Bennet rasped in an awful voice. “No. He grasped my hand inside. He was alive then.” He raised red-rimmed eyes. “We pulled him out, Harry. We saved him.”

“I’m sorry.” Harry felt helpless. “You!” Granville’s roar came from behind them. Harry jumped to his feet, fists clenched. “Harry Pye, you goddamn criminal, you started this fire! Arrest him! I’ll see you—”

“He saved my life, Father,” Bennet choked out. “Leave Harry alone. You know as well as I that he didn’t set the fire.”

“I know nothing of the sort.” Granville advanced menacingly.

Harry took out his knife and sank into a fighting crouch.

“Oh, for God’s sake. Thomas is dead,” Bennet said. “What?” Granville looked for the first time at his eldest son, lying by his feet. “Dead?”

“Yes,” Bennet said bitterly. “He went in after your damn horses and died.”

Granville scowled. “I never told him to go in there. Stupid thing to do, just like everything else he’s ever done. Foolish and pointless.”

“Jesus Christ,” Bennet whispered. “He’s still warm. He breathed his last only minutes ago, and you’re already demeaning him.” He glared up at his father. “They were your horses. He probably ran in there to win your approval, and you can’t even give him that after death.” Bennet laid Thomas’s head down on the hard cobblestones and rose to his feet.

“You’re a fool, too, for going in after him,” Granville sputtered.

For a moment Harry thought Bennet would hit his father. “You’re not even human, are you?” Bennet said.

Granville frowned as if he hadn’t heard, and maybe he hadn’t. His son’s voice was nearly ruined.

Bennet turned away nevertheless. “Did you talk to Dick Crumb?” he asked Harry in a voice so low no one else could hear. “I don’t think Thomas set this fire and then ran into it.”

“No,” Harry replied. “I went to the Cock and Worm earlier, but he never showed.”

Bennet’s face was grim. “Then let’s go find him now.” Harry nodded. There was no longer any way to put it off. If Dick Crumb had set this fire, he would hang for it.

GEORGE WATCHED THE DAWN BREAK with resignation. Harry had said he didn’t need her, and he had not returned last night.

The message was quite clear.

Oh, she knew he’d spoken in haste, that when Harry had said, I don’t need you, he’d feared Lord Granville might harm her. But she couldn’t help feeling that he had spoken a hidden truth in that moment of frantic hurry. Harry guarded his words so well, was always so careful not to offend her. Would he ever have told her that he just didn’t want to be with her had he not been driven to it?