“I don’t let women interfere in my business.”
“I do not let men hit women.” She made herself as large as possible, the better to protect the delicate Mrs. Smith behind her. Thank God the brute had not hit her. He’d been about to, though.
Mr. Smith’s hold on Caroline’s wrist tightened. He squeezed so hard she could not keep the pain from her face, the yelp from her tongue.
She heard the footsteps before she saw who they belonged to. Heard, too, the slice of metal against metal and the whoosh of steel through the air.
“Unhand my wife or I’ll run this sword through your gullet.”
Felix!He stood behind Mr. Smith, a sword purloined from the front window of the forge held expertly in one hand, its tip digging into Mr. Smith’s back. Caroline’s heart accelerated, joy banishing fear until she could no longer feel the pain in her wrist. Or she simply could no longer feel her wrist.
Hopefully not that.
Behind her, Mrs. Smith quivered. “Listen to him, John.”
“The woman is wise,” Felix ground out, twisting the sword. Caroline had never seen him so fierce, blue eyes glittering yet cool, muscles bunched and dangerous. “Release. My. Wife.”
One moment Caroline was standing, admiring Felix, a surge of victory bursting in her chest, the next she was on the ground, her body thudding against the wall, her skirts, soaked and muddy.
She cried out and lifted her head quickly enough to see Felix spin Mr. Smith around and throw a punch so hard the other man’s head shot back with his guttural curse.
The sword tip hit Mr. Smith’s gut, and Felix walked him backward as Mrs. Smith helped Caroline to her feet.
“Now, Mr. Smith.” Felix’s voice calm and cold. “Youwillapologize to my wife.”
The other man snarled.
Felix pressed the sword tip into his belly until Mr. Smith yelped.
“Please don’t,” his wife cried. “Please just leave him alone.”
Caroline wrapped her arm around Mrs. Smith’s shoulders. “Will you come back with me?”
Mrs. Smith nodded.
“You”—Felix drew the sword up Mr. Smith’s torso until it rested just below his chin—“are coming with me.”
“I’m not.”
“Unless you’d prefer your insides to become better acquainted with this blade, youare. Now.” Felix relaxed his arm somewhat and ticked the sword point toward the end of the alley. “Walk.” As he nudged the man at sword point toward the busy street beyond the alley, he said, “Caro, Troy is across the street. Meet me there with Mrs. Smith. I’m taking this bit of refuse to the constable.”
Mr. Smith growled, earning the prick of steel just below his ear. He yelped and picked up his pace until both men disappeared around the corner.
“Do you have your belongings yet?” Caroline asked Mrs. Smith.
“The constable won’t care about my…husband. He can… can do to me what he pleases.”
Caroline wrapped at arm around the other woman’s shoulders. “Not any longer.”
The woman hesitated but then nodded and looked toward the end of the alley. A bag sat there in the dim light, fat and squat and threadbare.
“Yours?” Caroline asked.
“Yes.” But she hesitated to go to it, seemed only to take comfort in Caroline’s presence.
“We shall gather it together.” Keeping her arm around the other woman, Caroline guided them into the sun. She grabbed up the bag and found Troy across the street. They didn’t have to wait long to spy Felix striding toward them.
“Well?” Caroline asked.
