Page 85 of The Moonstone Marquess
“Put down your pistol, Seldon. It will be the gallows for you if you shoot me. You are not a peer. No one will protect you, least of all Lady Whitford.”
“You humiliated me. We’ll see who gets the last laugh.” Seldon raised his weapon and was about to fire when it was suddenly ripped from his hand.
What the…?
The pistol fell to the ground with a clatter, thankfully not going off and injuring any innocent witnesses. Well, the street was deserted at the moment, for everyone had scrambled to take cover in the nearby shops until the incident was over.
Everyone but Phoebe, who had grabbed a rope attached to a grappling hook from the nearby mercantile and apparently knew how to handle it as capably as she knew how to draw. She’d swung that grappling hook and caught Seldon’s arm with it. She now gave it a firm tug and dragged him to the ground.
Seldon growled as she stepped forward to unwind it from his arm. “Do not move, you idiot,” she said. “The hook will cut your hand.”
He ignored Phoebe’s warning and angrily stormed to his feet. “Why you bi—”
Cormac punched him solidly in the jaw.
Seldon crumpled beside his friends.
“No one insults Lady Phoebe,” Cormac muttered, retrieving the pistol before Seldon could get his hands on it again. He was relieved there were no more men left to hit, because his fist was sore and he’d probably break a bone in his hand if he needed to throw another punch.
Seline, realizing her sport had come to an end, began to sidle away.
“Oh no you don’t.” Phoebe had just freed her grappling hook and now swung it again with flawless aim, wrapping it around Seline’s ankles and tripping her. She landed with a grunt in a muddy puddle beside her toady friends.
With another expert flick of the wrist, Phoebe unwound it and handed it over to the mercantile owner who had worriedly followed after her. “Thank you, Mr. Bedwell. I do hope you don’t mind my borrowing the implement.”
“Not at all.” The man laughed. “Always a pleasure, Lady Phoebe.”
She now looked every bit the lioness as she stalked toward the foursome with fists clenched and a fierce expression on her lovely face.
Cormac was never one to allow a lady to fight his battles, but Phoebe… Lord, she was magnificent as she drew in a breath to fill her lungs. “You despicable vermin…wonk, wonk, wonk…loathsome, slime of the earth…wonk, wonk, wonk. If you are not out of here within the hour, I will personally come after you…wonk, wonk, wonk. Believe me, you’ll be sorry when I kick the living daylights…wonk, wonk, wonk…shoot you right between the eyes.”
He loved this girl with all his heart.
He did not think it was possible to love her more deeply than he already did, but watching her in all her magnificent fury made his heart open up to her even more.
He slipped his arm around her waist and held her back as Seline and her companions were hauled away by Constable Angel, who’d arrived on the scene with several of his men. “Do not go after them, Phoebe,” Cormac warned.
“Why not? They tried to hurt you. They spread despicable lies about you.”
He grinned at her. “But it is over, my beautiful lioness. Constable Angel and his men will take care of tossing them out of town within the hour.”
Thaddius Angel followed close on his uncle’s heels. “Are you all right, my lord? And you, Lady Phoebe? I hope they did not distress you.” He turned to Cormac, noticing he had his arm around Phoebe’s waist. “Did she faint? Does she need smelling salts?”
Cormac laughed. “She is fine. She thinks she saved my life.”
Phoebe gasped. “Thinks? Why, you arrogant dolt, I did save you. Lord Seldon had that pistol pointed straight at your heart.”
“And would have done little damage at that distance, assuming he was even able to properly aim his shot. I assure you, his hand was shaking too much. Despite his bravado, I don’t think he had it in him to actually try to kill me. But that does not diminish your bravery in coming to my rescue. I am so proud of you, Phoebe. This arrogant dolt very much wishes to kiss you.”
She frowned at him. “You may kiss me, but not before you admit I saved your life. Admit it, you wretched man, or next time I shall let that miserable Lord Seldon fill you with holes.”
“All right, you win. You saved my life.” He was not going to belabor the point. After all, it was always possible the man might have gotten off a lucky shot. However, Cormac was never going to just stand there and wait to be taken down. He’d grown fairly adept at dodging lethal weapons aimed at him in battle—until one mistake after a truce had been called cost him his arm. “I love you, Phoebe.”
He kissed her gently on the lips.
“That’s better,” she grumbled, giving him a tender smile as a crowd began to gather around them. “Where are the cakes? I’ll really be angry if they destroyed them.”
“No, love. Mrs. Halsey has them safely tucked away for us.”
