Page 10 of Marigold and the Marquess
“Yes, indeed. I am still breathless over it. However, much as I would love to discuss this trove in greater detail, I cannot right now. The Marquess of Muir escorted me here and is now waiting beside his carriage with our crate of treasures. He has been very kind and most helpful. I dare not leave him alone for too long considering the value of this property. Have you had any trouble with those relic-hunting knaves lately?”
“Yes. They are getting more brazen by the day,” he said quite seriously. “Word has gotten around and we must not underestimate the jealousy rampant over these astounding fossil discoveries.” He motioned to two of the Huntsford guards. “Mr. Carver. Mr. Finn. Follow me and Miss Farthingale. We must be quick about it.”
They marched out just as the marquess was set upon by three unpleasant looking men.
Before Marigold had the chance to cry out a warning, she heard the marquess bellow swift orders for his coachman to drive away.
She gasped. “No! Wait! Come back!”
“Miss Marigoooolllddd!” Bessie, her poor maid, was still perched on the driver’s bench, quite terrified and screaming as she held on for dear life.
Marigold could only watch helplessly as the carriage careened around the corner and out of sight.
No! No!
But she could not forget the marquess was in danger.
She ran toward him.
Dear heaven!
She had to rescue him, of course.
But her crate!
Would she ever see her precious skull again?
CHAPTER 3
LEO COULD NOTbelieve what was happening.
Marigold had not been exaggerating when she commented on the treachery of these relic hunters. They were explorers and naturalists, supposed pillars of scientific learning. He would have thought these men coming at him were mere ruffians hired out of a dockside tavern were it not for their reference to some incomprehensible Latin name given to this unique skull he had first seen skittering across his garden.
Sending his carriage off had enraged these men and they now came at him with knives and fists. There were three of them, quite big and brawny, but clearly not disciplined fighters. He kicked the first one in his privates knowing it would incapacitate him for some time, then spun around and smashed his fist into the face of the second man with enough force to drop the villain to his knees.
He managed to dodge the third man’s attempt to slash him with a rather long knife. It had nothing to do with his prowess and all to do with Marigold hurling her reticule at the fiend with remarkable precision and striking him squarely in the face.
Lord, he should be angry with her.
Was she now running toward him?
Bloody blazes, did she think to rescue him?
Hurling her reticule at the bounder gave Leo those precious few seconds he needed to subdue this bounder. Having taken down the first two men, he now whirled behind the third, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him to the ground. He then placed his booted foot atop the man’s hand, crushing it until he heard a crunch of bone.
The man screamed in pain.
Leo bent to take the knife out of his now useless hand.
His companions were still writhing on the ground.
“Oh, thank goodness!” Marigold retrieved her reticule and warned back the men who had run out of the museum behind her. No doubt, she wanted to make certain Leo knew they were friendly and would not harm him.
She was right to be cautious, for he was in a rage and still up for a fight.
He took several deep breaths, knowing he needed to calm down.
Marigold had remarked upon his name…Leonides, going on about animal societies and their dominant predators. Apparently, he reminded her of a lion. Well, he felt like a wild beast at the moment, a seething, angry beast with a frighteningly lethal look in his eyes. “I won’t hurt you, Marigold. But you should not have run forward to help me. You might have been injured in the fray.”
