Natalia's Secret Spinster's Society (The Spinster's Society) (A Regency Romance Book)(11)

“Where are you going?” Zed narrowed his eyes.

“To get a weapon,” she told him.

He put a hand on her shoulder. “No, you’re not. That is her husband. He has a right to her.”

She jerked out of his hold and stared at him. Switching to French came easily, and she knew that Hortense didn’t know it. “Did you leave your sense of honor back in France? Think of our mother.”

He took back his hand as though her words had stung him.

Leah moved past him and went into the sitting room. Looking around, she grabbed a fire poker and started from the house.

She was sure she looked mad, but with her blond wig in place, she felt free from herself and free to do as she pleased. She hoped she’d not have to use the heavy iron tool that hung by her side, but she was not afraid to do so.

Their life in France had not been easy. Her mother’s job as a housekeeper had paid well but her beauty had attracted men who wished for her to serve them her body as well as their meals. Romina had been struck down by one French lord. The laws allowed such punishment for theft and the like. All he’d had to do was claim her mother was in the wrong.

Yet still, Romina had not yielded, and neither would Leah.

“Leah, don’t do this.” Her brother was at her side. She was not surprised he’d come out to stop her. “Wig or not, you could be arrested.”

“I’ll disappear before that happens and come back as someone else.” She didn’t bother to look and see his reaction, because she was already upon the couple by then.

Mr. James was shoving his wife into the wagon, but she was fighting. Her face was stained with tears, and she froze when she saw Leah.

“Why must you do this?” her husband asked right before his hand went up.

“Pardon me, sir!” Leah called.

Mr. James lowered his hand and turned to look at Leah. His gaze then went to Zed. “What do you want?” he asked her brother, as though it hadn’t been Leah who’d spoken.

Zed cleared his throat. “This is Grosvenor Square, sir. Perhaps, it would be best if we settled this matter at a later time. I could take Mrs. James back to the house and return her to you when there are not so many eyes watching.”

Leah thought that a good ploy and knew her brother would likely never give Clara back to her husband.

Mr. James, however, seemed to think the same. “I’m taking my wife home right now. You’ll do well to keep mind of your own business.”

Clara whimpered. There was already a red mark on her chin, evidence he’d struck her. Had he hit her anywhere else?

Leah stepped forward… only to have Zed drag her back. That didn’t stop her from speaking though. “Mr. James, I can’t allow you to take Clara.”

The man ignored her and began to gather his wife so he could place her in the wagon. By this point, Clara had stopped fighting, and Leah took note of the defeat in her eyes.

No!

Leah went around the back of the wagon, and as soon as Mr. James moved to climb in after his wife, Leah caught Clara’s hand and pulled her down.

Clara was surprised but went with Leah anyway.

“How dare you!” Mr. James shouted as he tried to reach for Clara, but Leah had already pushed the girl behind her.

Mr. James jumped from the wagon and came after her, moving them into the middle of the street. “You bitch!” His hand went up, and Leah lifted the fire poker with two hands to block him.

It worked. His hand struck the metal, and he howled in pain.

“Go to Zed!” Leah shouted at Clara.

The girl moved and, in a blink, so did her husband.

But he was not after Clara.

His next hit landed on Leah’s stomach. All the air in her lungs left her and the pain spread from where he struck like a wildfire that made her limbs give out. The poker hit the ground before she did.

“This will teach you to keep me from my property!” Mr. James lifted his foot but was swept away before even the heel could brush Leah’s cheek.

Then she heard the sound of a beating, one powerful blow landing after another.

It stopped before she was lifted into strong arms, and she rolled over to find Zed carrying her.

“Have you lost your mind?” Zed hissed close to her ear.

Leah could barely breathe but managed to say, “You didn’t ask if I was all right.”

“That’s because I hope you are not,” her brother declared. “If would serve you right to feel this pain for an entire week. It would help you think before you acted in this manner ever again.”



Leah smiled. “No. I’d do it again, Zed.”








CHAPTER SIX





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William glared down at the damage he’d done to the man who laid motionless on the street. Blood marred the man’s dirty white shirt and the stone underneath. His face was hidden by his hand. William didn’t even know what the man looked like. He’d only caught a glimpse of his face when he’d hauled him away from the broken woman underneath his boot. Surprise had been alive in those blue eyes right before William’s fist connected. He’d beat a man, but what lay before him now seemed like little more than a child. The man had been large but not trained to fight. He’d never had a chance against William, though he’d lost his chance to a fair fight when he’d readied himself to go beyond the laws of punishment and nearly end a life.