it added im petus and it caught him on the nose. H e gave a startled howl of pain and relaxed his hold, allowing Sophie to twist out of his grasp. In fo ur quick steps, she was by the door with her hand on the handle, her breathing quick and shallow .
“S ir, ” she began, in an admirably even voice, “ I do not appreciat e being mauled in this fashion— ”
She was interrupted by Theo, who opened the door from the other side in time to hear her words.
He pulled up short, his swift glance taking in the scene. A crease formed between his brows. He did no t speak, but walked over to Melville who was ginger ly trying to put his weight on his injured foot, pul l himself up to his full height , ru b the swelling on his nose and stem the blood flowing from his nostrils all at the same time.
There was a tension-filled pause until Theo said with cool civility, “ It seems I have returned at an opportune moment. Have you been bothering Miss Devereux ? ”
“ I didn ’t mean…I didn ’t realiz e— ” said Melville.
“ Oh, I’m sure you did, ” interjected Theo, in a voice replete with menace. “S tep outside, if you please. ”
“ Why should I? ”
“ Because I prefer not to make a mess of the coffee room. ”
S weat gathered on Melville ’s brow. His truculent gaze met Theo ’s , t hen fell in the face of the wrath he saw there. Rapidly sobering, he did not move but shrugged in response and indicated Sophie with a wave of his hand. “ T his lady interfered in something that was none of her business. ”
“ Mr Melville assaulted the post boy , ” explained Sophie. “ He then behaved in a contemptible manner toward me. ”
Fury blazed in Theo ’s eyes . “ Are you hurt? ”
“ No . Y ou came back in time. ”
Some of the tension seemed to leave Theo ’s body. Acknowled ging Sophie ’s reply with a nod, he looked at the post boy who had now st ruggled to his feet , swaying and looking groggy. Then Theo ’s kindling gaze swung back to Melville.
“ Y o u snivelling coward , ” he said softly through shut teeth . “ You accost boys and defenceless women, but refuse to answ er to someone who is your equal. Miss Devereux , take the boy to the landlord while I deal with Mr Melville. ”
“ I ’ ll stay a moment— ”
“ Go . N ow . ”
There was a note in Theo ’s voice Sophie had not heard before. Her glance flicked uncertainly between the two men. She did not want to leave, but thought it wiser to do as Theo demanded.
Taking the post boy by the arm , she hurried away to find the landlord. When sh e had done so , she gave the lad over to the bemused— looking innkeeper with a brief , disjointed explanation. Then she hurried back through the hallway and down t he oak panelled corridor leading to the coffee room. Sophie stood still, listening . T he sound s of a fracas and splintering wood w ere coming from within. Pushing open the door a little , she peeped inside.
The room was in disarray. The shattered remnants of the table were strewn around the floor, along with broken tea cups, glasses, plates and a smashed earthenwa re jug. A pewter tankard was rolling noisily back and forth across the floor and several cha irs had been overturned .
Theo was standing on one side of the room with fists clenched, breathing heavily. Sophie watched as Melville, his face bloodied, his expression murderous, rose from his sprawled position among the wreckage. He bored in on his opponent, holding aloft the table leg he intended to use as a makeshift c lub.
Helple ss, she watched in horror . T here was no difference in height between the combatants, but a considerable one in we ight and it seemed Theo must be badly hurt. Instinct urged her to close her eyes, but she willed them to stay open and was glad she did when she had the pleasure of seeing Melville ’s progress halted by a perfectly executed right hook.
He teet ered on his heels for a moment before his eyes rolled up upwards and he col lapsed in a
“S ir, ” she began, in an admirably even voice, “ I do not appreciat e being mauled in this fashion— ”
She was interrupted by Theo, who opened the door from the other side in time to hear her words.
He pulled up short, his swift glance taking in the scene. A crease formed between his brows. He did no t speak, but walked over to Melville who was ginger ly trying to put his weight on his injured foot, pul l himself up to his full height , ru b the swelling on his nose and stem the blood flowing from his nostrils all at the same time.
There was a tension-filled pause until Theo said with cool civility, “ It seems I have returned at an opportune moment. Have you been bothering Miss Devereux ? ”
“ I didn ’t mean…I didn ’t realiz e— ” said Melville.
“ Oh, I’m sure you did, ” interjected Theo, in a voice replete with menace. “S tep outside, if you please. ”
“ Why should I? ”
“ Because I prefer not to make a mess of the coffee room. ”
S weat gathered on Melville ’s brow. His truculent gaze met Theo ’s , t hen fell in the face of the wrath he saw there. Rapidly sobering, he did not move but shrugged in response and indicated Sophie with a wave of his hand. “ T his lady interfered in something that was none of her business. ”
“ Mr Melville assaulted the post boy , ” explained Sophie. “ He then behaved in a contemptible manner toward me. ”
Fury blazed in Theo ’s eyes . “ Are you hurt? ”
“ No . Y ou came back in time. ”
Some of the tension seemed to leave Theo ’s body. Acknowled ging Sophie ’s reply with a nod, he looked at the post boy who had now st ruggled to his feet , swaying and looking groggy. Then Theo ’s kindling gaze swung back to Melville.
“ Y o u snivelling coward , ” he said softly through shut teeth . “ You accost boys and defenceless women, but refuse to answ er to someone who is your equal. Miss Devereux , take the boy to the landlord while I deal with Mr Melville. ”
“ I ’ ll stay a moment— ”
“ Go . N ow . ”
There was a note in Theo ’s voice Sophie had not heard before. Her glance flicked uncertainly between the two men. She did not want to leave, but thought it wiser to do as Theo demanded.
Taking the post boy by the arm , she hurried away to find the landlord. When sh e had done so , she gave the lad over to the bemused— looking innkeeper with a brief , disjointed explanation. Then she hurried back through the hallway and down t he oak panelled corridor leading to the coffee room. Sophie stood still, listening . T he sound s of a fracas and splintering wood w ere coming from within. Pushing open the door a little , she peeped inside.
The room was in disarray. The shattered remnants of the table were strewn around the floor, along with broken tea cups, glasses, plates and a smashed earthenwa re jug. A pewter tankard was rolling noisily back and forth across the floor and several cha irs had been overturned .
Theo was standing on one side of the room with fists clenched, breathing heavily. Sophie watched as Melville, his face bloodied, his expression murderous, rose from his sprawled position among the wreckage. He bored in on his opponent, holding aloft the table leg he intended to use as a makeshift c lub.
Helple ss, she watched in horror . T here was no difference in height between the combatants, but a considerable one in we ight and it seemed Theo must be badly hurt. Instinct urged her to close her eyes, but she willed them to stay open and was glad she did when she had the pleasure of seeing Melville ’s progress halted by a perfectly executed right hook.
He teet ered on his heels for a moment before his eyes rolled up upwards and he col lapsed in a
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