Truce (Neighbor from Hell #4)(32)

“Get them in the study and place a man at the door!” Lord Blackward ordered. "Get every man armed and call the magistrate. Someone go to Whites and get Lord Norwood immediately!”

“Get a surgeon!” a man yelled from the study.

Dread filled him. He ran past the footmen and a stunned Lord Blackward and followed the trail of blood soaking the expensive rug into the study. He saw her bloodied light green skirts almost immediately.

“Oh please, God, no,” he mumbled as he rushed inside

* * *
“Henry, relax!” he heard Elizabeth say.

“Are you okay, my Lady?” Henry asked, trying to sit up on the dainty couch.

“Yes, you did a very good job,” Elizabeth said, giving the servant a warm reassuring smile as she fussed over him.

As soon as he was close enough, Robert grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her to her feet so that he could look her over. The front of her dress was covered in blood, but he couldn’t see any obvious wounds.

“Where are you hurt?” he demanded. When she didn’t answer him fast enough he shook her and yelled it. He hadn't realized his hands were trembling until he saw her shaking.

“M-my hand hurts, that’s all,” she promised. She showed him the back of her hand. It was already swollen. His eyes moved to her messy hair, a few cuts on her bare shoulder and to where her dress was ripped, exposing too much cle**age for his sanity. He removed his jacket and placed it on her shoulders.

“What happened?” he demanded.

She dropped back to her knees, pushing her arms through the sleeves so she could tend to Henry. “I’m so sorry, Lady Elizabeth. I didn’t know what they was about until it was too late.”

“ Shh , nonsense. You did a fine job, Henry. A fine job. Now you just relax and let us help you.”

He closed his eyes and nodded. Robert could tell the man was in a great deal of pain, but didn't want to distress Elizabeth any further. “Get him some brandy,” he barked out at a footman. He looked back at Elizabeth. “I. Want. A. Name,” he bit out each word evenly.

“Edward Thompson, he’s been after m’lady for a while he has. Tried to take her tonight. She put up a fight, she did,” Henry said proudly, answering him before Elizabeth got a chance.

He knew the bastard. They'd attended school together. He was also a dead man. No one touched his minx and lived. He grabbed a gun from a passing footman and extra shot. “Lord Blackward, would you happen to have a good horse that I could borrow?”

“Robert, what are you doing?” Elizabeth asked.

“I’m going to kill Edward Thompson, of course.”

* * *
“Are you sure this is where he is?” Lord Blackward whispered over his shoulder.

Robert nodded to the older man. “You heard the landlady. He’s here.”

“How do you want to handle this?” Lord Blackward asked. He was practically on top of Robert. He had to shift again and step aside just for some breathing room.

“Have your men block the front and back doors.  We’ll go in with a few men and grab him.”

“You weren’t serious about killing him, were you?” Lord Blackward asked, shifting nervously.

Robert double-checked his gun, making sure that it was loaded and ready. “If he tries to flee, I’ll shoot him dead before he can so much as take a step outside. Otherwise, I’m sure Lord Norwood would like to handle the matter personally. The man did try to abduct his daughter after all.”

“Right, right. Let’s go.” Lord Blackward nudged him. Robert led the way into the small rooming house.

“This way, sir,” the landlady said, gesturing for the men to follow her to the second floor.

“Knock on the door,” Robert ordered softly.

A loud whimper was the answer. After a slight pause, Robert opened the door. Holding his candle high along with his pistol, he walked into the room. The smell of fresh vomit and sweat reached his nose, nearly making him gag.

The whimpering continued. He looked at the cot only to find it empty. More light filled the room as men entered behind him, making the room nearly as bright as day.

“Good lord!” Lord Blackward gasped.

Edward Thompson lay on the floor, curled up into a ball with both hands clutching his groin. “She…wouldn’t…stop…..kicking…..” He vomited again. Every man in the room shifted and absently covered his own groin at the announcement.

Robert couldn’t believe his minx had taken this large man out. Worse, he couldn’t believe she was capable of this type of retaliation. Even after all the years of bullshit that he’d put her through, she’d never once went to kick him in the bullocks. Thank God for that!

The man was openly weeping now.

“What should we do?” Lord Blackward asked, shifting anxiously.

“Haul him in. Normally I would say that he’s suffered enough, but if she’s made him into a eunuch he’s going to want to kill her. Better leave this to her father and the magistrate to handle.”

“He’s crying,” Lord Blackward said in disgust.

“I know.” Robert bent over Edward, keeping his back to the rest of the men. “Edward, you tried to kidnap Lady Elizabeth?” he asked with barely restrained fury.

Edward nodded frantically. “I’ll admit it! Please just get a surgeon. I don’t want to lose my balls!”