Clockwork Blue (71 page)

"
I
'
m so glad to see you!
"
Nicola
cried. She ran to him.

Malcolm
pushed her behind him in a protective manner, but she immediately shifted to his side.

"
No need for a weapon, eh, Falcon?
"

"
As long as you relinquish the pistol you like to keep in your waistcoat. Two fingers, please.
"

Grimacing, Hill did as he bade, dangling the weapon between his thumb and forefinger before handing it over.

Pocketing the gun,
Malcolm
motioned to his waist.
"
And the knife.
"

Scowling, Hill unsheathed a six-inch blade and passed it over, handle first.
"
Aren
'
t you going to put that thing away?
"

Malcolm
looked at his gun
, tilting his head as if consid
ering.
"
It was just polished and hasn
'
t been brandished for a fortnight or so. I think I
'
ll just play with it awhile. Also, if I
'
m not mistaken, it sounded as if you were threatening my wife.
"
Dangerous anger tightened his jaw.

Hill ran a nervous hand through his thinning hair.
"
No, Falcon, it was bluster to put her off. Didn
'
t want her ruining a good business deal. No harm done. Escort her away, and we
'
ll forget the whole episode, eh, my good man?
"

"
Good man? You know I
'
m not good—as a matter of
fact, perhaps I should add a little more to my black reputation. Perhaps challenge you to a duel.
"

Hill shuffled his feet, clearly uneasy.
"
Ah, there
'
s no need for that, Falcon.
"
Sweat gleamed on his forehead.

Nicola
said,
"
No,
Malcolm
, he isn
'
t worth shooting.
"

"
Ah, there you have it. My wife doesn
'
t want violence, and I don
'
t wish to upset her.
"

Rubbing his hands on the front of his waistcoat, Hill harrumphed.
"
I
'
ll just claim you stole Busby
'
s cargo—you won
'
t have to lift a finger or exert yourself in any manner. That should help your reputation.
"
A nervous laugh emitted from him.

"
No, I don
'
t believe I
'
ll take you up on your offer. You see, things have changed now that I have a wife. You made a mistake—a very bad mistake when you threatened her.
"

The steel in his tone surprised
Nicola
. The thief must have heard the threat, too, because he was suddenly looking at the ground.
"
No harm done. Is that not correct, Lady
Nicola
?
"

His question infuriated her.
"
You are attempting to steal, ruining young Mr. Busby, and your actions are punishable by death, sirrah. My husband doesn
'
t like it, and neither do I.
"
She knew she was pushing, forcing
Malcolm
to act honorably. Would he take offense?

Hill glanced nervously around.
"
Falcon? What is happening here? You have never cared about anyone but yourself.
"

He shifted the pistol to his other hand.
"
Now there is my dear wife, and I do care about her.
"

Could he mean what he said, or was he merely playing a game with his old adversary? She could never tell when he meant what he said. Perhaps he felt affection for her, and it took drastic circumstances to reveal those feelings.

She said to Hill,
"
Yes
, and the fact that you malign my husband
'
s honor disturbs me.
"

Malcolm
shrugged.
"
There you have it.
"

She threw him an appreciative glance, her heart full of love. What an imposing figure he was—the fierce warrior, her stalwart! If she hadn
'
t glanced down at the pistol, she would have forgotten
Malcolm
even held the weapon, so at ease was he.

Lips thinning, Hill stared.
"
Are you going to allow her to lead you about by the nose?
"

Malcolm
scratched his chin with his pistol
'
s muzzle.
"
Yes
, I believe I am.
"

Hill glanced once more into the shadows.

Nicola
suddenly remembered Hill
'
s cohorts.
"
Uh,
Malcolm
, Mr. Hill is not alone.
"

"
Don
'
t fret, my sweet. I believe Gaspar is taking care of them.
"

An abrupt
ye
lp was followed by crashing crates.

Hill had retrieved a handkerchief from his waistcoat and was mopping his forehead.
"
See here, we called ourselves even
ye
ars ago. Let us consider all this water under the bridge and go home.
"

"
What do you have in this warehouse, Hill?
"

"
My business doesn
'
t concern you.
"

"
Nicola
says it does.
"

"
He has stolen Busby
'
s silks and musk,
Malcolm
.
"

"
Yes
. I believe we talked about this.
"
He gave her a look,
and then
motioned toward the door.
"
After you, Hill.
"
With creases marring his high forehead, the thief led the way outside.
"
This will be your last theft upon English soil, at least for a while,
"
Malcolm
said.

"
What do you mean?
"

Just then, Gaspar came out holding the two thugs by the backs of their collars, like pups by their scruffs.

Sweat glistened on Hill
'
s balding head.
"
There
'
s no need to treat my servants this way.
"

"
When they try to jump me, there is,
"
Gaspar replied.
"
Falcon?"

Worrying his hands, Hill looked at
Malcolm
.
"
Your keys, if you please. Really, Hill
,
you must take care to padlock your goods better.
"

"
Why do you want my keys?
"

"
I cannot allow you to steal from your young partner.
"
"
I thought you were jesting. Falcon, it isn
'
t like you to put yourself to so much effort on the behalf of someone you don
'
t even know.
"

"
Yes
, I
'
m acting totally out of character. Blame it on my newlywed state.
"

"
Do not listen to
Malcolm
, Mr. Hill,
"
Nicola
said, her heart in her throat.
"
Sooner or later, he would have risen to the occasion. Goodness is in his blood.
"

"
Unfortunately for me, it has been sooner rather than later,
"
Hill said. The comers of his lips twisted downward. Reaching in his pocket, he casually withdrew a key ring.
"
What are you going to do after you
return
the goods?
"

"
Let
'
s just say I
'
m casting you out to sea for a while. Gaspar will escort you to one of my ships.
"