The Lady Plays Her Ace (The Langley Sisters) (29 page)

He took her hand as they walked out the front door and towards the road. It was cold, but both had dressed for the conditions as the air had the feel of more snow.

"Walk carefully, love, there is ice about," Ace said, wrapping an arm around her waist.

He’d never been the kind to stop and smell flowers or admire scenery, as he usually had no time. However, this morning everything seemed clearer and he could think of no place he would rather be than walking down this country road, watching the day come to life around them with the woman he loved at his side.

"If I start humming will you slap me, wife?"

"Why would I slap you for humming?"

"Because I don’t take walks, nor can I remember a time when I was really at peace. Yet here with you I am and I would hate to think I lost all my hard edges."

Thea scoffed. "Your hard edges are a façade to scare people away, Oliver Dillinger, but I know you better."

She did, he realized, and that made him feel warm. He would never be able to hide from his wife.

"But that shall be our little secret, my sweet, or people will think I am soft and that would never do."

"There is nothing soft about you, Oliver Dillinger, but you can be sweet upon occasion."

He groaned. "Men do not like to wear the label
sweet
, Thea, so that is another one I shall refute loudly should it ever raise its head in public."

"I will keep your secrets safe, my love."

As they were rounding the bend and now out of sight of the Inn, Oliver pulled her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly.

"I love you, Lady Althea, so very much," he whispered against her lips, "and knowing that it's you that holds my secrets makes me feel freer."

"You hold mine, also," she said, standing on her toes to kiss him once more.

"Such a touching scene. Shame I have to kill you now."

"Ace turned slowly, putting Thea behind him."

"And there was me hoping you'd drowned, Blackheath," Oliver said, looking at the five men before him.

"You need to run when I say, love," he whispered to Thea.

She didn't speak, just clenched his fingers hard, briefly.

"I said I'd kill you for taking Jacob's life, and I always follow through with my promises."

Blackheath looked at him through narrowed, dark eyes. He was older now, his hair gray, but there was still the meanness that had always seeped from every pore of the man.

"I'm going to kill you slowly and she's going to watch. Then we'll have a bit of fun with her, too."

"She's a duke's daughter, Blackheath. Hurt her and you'll end up hanging from a noose."

Ace watched as Blackheath's men spread out across the road, blocking off Thea's escape route.

"I’m not going to kill her, just return her to the duke a bit damaged…ain’t that right, boys?"

"You won’t get near her," Ace said calmly. He had no weapons on him, only his fists, but those he would use to ensure his love stayed safe. He would fight with everything at his disposal against these men. She would not know fear at their hands, he vowed.

"Stay close to me, Thea."

"I’m going to have my men beat you to death like you did to Jacob!" Blackheath bellowed.

"He didn’t kill your brother intentionally, Mr. Blackheath, as you very well know. And this vendetta you have carried for many years seems a waste of your life."

"Be quiet, Thea." Ace grabbed her arm as she moved to his side. "He is not rational where I am concerned, so save your breath."

"Did he use a knife or gun, Mr. Blackheath?" Ace wanted to place a hand over her mouth but he didn’t want the men to run at him while he was distracted. He needed to stay alert; the odds were not in his favor, and while before Thea came into his life, he had thought he would come to a violent end, he now did not want to. He wanted a future with her. He wanted children, and a house in the country.

"He killed my Jacob!" Blackheath roared.

"Not deliberately, he didn’t."

"Shut up, Thea," Ace whispered. The men were starting to move closer and he quickly threw off his coat.

"You're a coward, Mr. Blackheath," Thea hissed. "The fight your brother and my husband had was a fair one, yet you seek revenge with five men against one."

"Dear Christ, woman, shut up," Ace growled.

"I am attempting to buy us some time," she whispered, and Oliver realized that panic had robbed him off his wits. He should have seen what she was about.

"Keep trying," he said softly.

"I will be in the front row when the noose is slipped over your head, Mr. Blackheath, and I shall applaud loudly as your neck snaps."

"Shut up, you stupid bitch!"

Ace didn't react to Blackheath's insult to Thea, but he wanted to. Lord, how he wanted smash his fist into the man's face; instead, he watched as Blackheath raged at Thea. His anger was distracting him and Ace hoped that would play into his hands.

"My husband is a good man, Mr. Blackheath, and your brother's death was an accident. It is a shame that your misplaced need for revenge has dictated the path your life has taken."

"You know nothing of me!"

"I know you have no wife or children. I know you were sent to the colonies for your crimes," Thea continued calmly and Ace wanted to tell her how brave she was when inside she must be terrified.

"Enough!" Blackheath roared. "Shut the bitch up!"

"Stay at my back, Thea," Ace said, pushing her behind him. "And run when you get the chance!"

Ace charged at the men, fists swinging, feet kicking. He'd fight as mean and dirty as he had to to keep Thea safe.

He fought like a man possessed with a thousand demons, and when he received a blow to the jaw and his head snapped sideways, he saw her…his wife, with her fists raised, swinging wildly beside him.

"Run, damn you!" he roared, but instead she lashed out with her foot and knocked the man challenging her backwards.

Ace had to turn as another blow glanced his head. He had three on him, which left one with Thea and Blackheath.

"Keep your feet moving!" he roared as he knocked one of the men out. "Fists in front of your face!"

He heard her hiss of breath but could not turn as he had his back to her now. He heard a noise then, shouting coming towards them and knew only relief.

"Hold on, Thea. Help is coming!"

Will arrived first, his roar blood-curdling as he launched himself at the man Thea was fighting. Turning in mid-air, he then put out both feet and kicked the man to the ground. Luke started on one of the men fighting Ace. Ted arrived seconds later, fists raised, and waded in.

"Stop or she dies!"

Ace spun on his heel and found Blackheath holding a knife to Thea's throat. Her lip was bloodied, hair falling around her face and a bruise was forming on her cheek.

"Stay still, love." She blinked in answer, but Ace wasn't reassured; she was likely to do something rash any second. "It's me you want, Blackheath. If I walk towards you, release her and take me as your pass out of here."

"I want to kill her in front of you, like you did my brother."

Her eyes were wide and he saw the fear she was trying to hide. Blackheath held Ace's future in his hands, the reason for his happiness, the soul mate he had sought his entire life, and he could not allow him to hurt her, would not allow him to take her from him. Behind him the fight still raged on, but Ace focused solely on Thea and the man who held a knife at her throat.

"You know you're a dead man if you hurt her, Blackheath, but if you take me then you may be able to escape," Ace said as calmly as his galloping pulse allowed him to.

Look at me, Thea. That's right, love.
Ace held her eyes.

"I'm dead anyway, but now I'm taking her with me."

Blackheath was slowly walking backwards, dragging Thea with him and Ace followed, stalking the man, intimidating him in any way he could, trying to unsettle him into making a mistake.

"I won't let you hurt her, Blackheath," Ace said, looking at Thea. She was watching him carefully now. Ace lifted his arm slightly and lowered it, letting his fist come to rest on his groin.

"You took Jacob from me so I'm taking her from you." Blackheath was desperate now, his eyes looking everywhere, knowing he was cornered and that no matter what he did, his days on this earth were close to an end, either by a hangman's noose or Ace's hand.

This time when Blackheath looked to the fight that still raged on, Ace fisted his hand again but swung it backwards. Her eyes followed his movements. It was a risk, but if he rushed the man he could push the knife into her neck before Ace reached her—but if she could take him by surprise…

God, he felt helpless.

He saw her blink and braced himself to spring as he saw her hand move. It was quick and executed perfectly, and in seconds, Blackheath had dropped the knife and doubled over. Thea had punched him in the groin. He was on the man before she had taken two steps, pummeling with his fists.

"Stop, Oliver!"

He heard her but he couldn't stop. This man had threatened her, his love, his life, and he would pay.

"Oliver, please stop!"

The please penetrated the fog of rage that had filled his head. Lowering his fist, he stood and took a step backwards, and then another. Turning, he then caught Thea as she ran at him.

"My love," he rasped, holding her in a fierce hug. "Dear God, Thea, my brave girl."

Her body was shaking, great wracking sobs into his chest. He held her as she cried, and looked over her head at the men who had come to their aid—his brother-in-law, his friend and the footman who was so much more than that, and would always be a treasured member of their household for as long as he should wish it.

"Go and get more men from the inn, Ted, and we shall bind and gag them. Someone will guard them in one of the stables until transportation can be arranged, and a magistrate called," Will said as he came to where Ace held Thea.

"Sweet Christ, Thea," he whispered, laying a hand on her head. "You scared me, little sister." He brushed a kiss on top of her head and she lifted her face to look at him. "That's got to hurt." Will tried to smile as he touched her lip, but Ace was sure that, like him, he felt only rage at the bruises on Thea's face.

"Thank you for c-coming, brother." Her smile was more of a wince as it pulled at her lip.

"I'm only grateful this man kept you safe until we arrived." Ace shook the hand that Will held out to him. "It seems you did indeed marry well, sister."

"She was in danger because of me." Ace felt he needed to make that point.

"We have all made enemies, Ace. Some are just more persistent than others," Luke said, arriving now all the men were bound and gagged.

They walked back to the inn slowly and Thea stayed pressed to his side, needing the contact as much as he.

"Take her to your room. I shall have a bath brought up and something to put on her bruises," Will said when they entered. Ace nodded, then picking her up, he carried her up the stairs. She didn't protest; all the fight had gone from her body now they were safe

Closing the door, he then lowered her to the bed.

"Sit there, sweetheart."

She didn't speak as he unlaced her boots. The bath was brought and filled, and a tray of food and drink, plus some salve for her face.

"I was so scared, Oliver. I thought those men would kill you and I could do nothing to stop it happening."

He was removing her dress when she spoke. Throwing it on the bed, he stripped the rest of her clothing. Thank God her body bore no marks from their battle.

"When I turned and saw you fighting at my side, I was sure my heart would give out, Thea." Picking her up, he lowered her into the steaming water. "I wanted you to run like any sane woman would have, but not you, my strong, brave wife."

"I should be tending you," she whispered as he took the cloth and soap and began to wash her. "It is you that must be hurting."

"I have had years of practice, sweetheart. You have not."

"You were magnificent, Oliver."

Her words surprised him, Ace had thought she would be horrified at the way he fought—no holds barred, he had just done what needed to be done to keep them safe. Only this woman would think he was magnificent, his beautiful girl.

"Thea, most women would have swooned to be confronted with so much violence, but not you." He ran the cloth gently over her face, and like a child, she simply closed her eyes trustingly and let him. It humbled him that she had so much faith in him, believed in him more than he ever had.

"I believe I have told you several times, Oliver, that I am not like most women."

"That you did," he said, "and you're perfect."

She snorted but said nothing further as he finished washing her and lifted her from the water.

"You'll be stiff and sore tomorrow," Ace said as he smoothed some of the paste over her face.

"Then I shall need to use you as a pillow," she said, lifting her arms as he threw the nightdress over her head.