The Earl of Morrey (The League of Rogues #13) - Lauren Smith Page 0,62

. . . my husband . . . captured . . .” She was breathing faster now, and her head felt lighter. “Said to . . . find Tyburn . . .”

“Adam Beaumont is yer husband?” the man asked.

“Y—yes.” She wobbled, and the man caught her by the arm to steady her, causing her to screech as pain blossomed in her left arm.

“Christ, lass, ye are bleeding.” The man held up one of his hands. It was soaked in blood.

“Oh . . .” She slumped to the ground and lost consciousness.

Some time later, Letty became aware of voices arguing. She opened her eyes, finding three brooding Scotsmen peering down at her. The face in the middle had hair streaked with silver and more lines around his eyes and mouth.

“Uncle Tyburn?” she asked, her voice cracking.

“Aye, I’m Tyburn. Who are ye, lassie? Angus said ye mentioned my nephew, Adam.”

“He’s my husband.” She tried to sit up on the couch she lay on, and Tyburn pushed her back down.

“Husband?” Tyburn exchanged looks with his two sons. “What happened to ye? Ye are bleeding. Looks like a scratch, thank God.” He nodded at her arm. She glanced down in a daze to see that her gown’s sleeve had been cut off and her upper arm had been lightly bandaged.

“We were coming to you. Adam thought it would be safe, but they found us. Attacked us at the inn . . . Adam told me to escape. Dear God, we don’t have any time. They’ll kill him!”

“Who?” Tyburn demanded, a dark gleam in his silver eyes.

“We haven’t the time. We must go back and rescue him.” She started to rise.

“Ye are no’ going anywhere, lass,” Tyburn said. “Ye lost a bit of blood, and ye canna even stand on your feet.”

Something inside Letty began to burn, an inner fire that was too hot to control. “I’m going back, and you all are coming with me. Now get me my bloody horse!” she shouted.

The three men stared at her for the span of a heartbeat before they leapt into action. The one named Angus rushed from the room, and the other two helped her to her feet.

“Which inn was it, now?” Tyburn asked as they walked toward the entryway.

“The Crown and Thistle. The men who took him were English. There were at least six of them, maybe more.”

The younger man, Baird, grinned. “It’s been a while since I’ve crushed a few Sassenach skulls—no offense intended, milady.” He offered her a charming, bashful smile after his rather bloody statement.

“None taken. That is precisely what I expect you to do.” She winced as they stopped on the stairs. Angus came riding into view with three horses behind him.

“Ye are certain ye can keep up?” Tyburn asked her. “There is no shame in staying here. Ye are injured. That was no mere scratch you took getting here. It looks like ye were shot, but the bullet grazed ye.”

She looked up into the older Scotsman’s face. “Adam sacrificed himself for me. When I left, he was still alive, and I will not leave him. Not after . . .” The most important words she had ever wanted to say turned into a sob, which she choked down. She straightened her shoulders. “We must ride—now.”

“I dinna know who ye are, lass, but I already like ye.” Tyburn gave her uninjured arm a gentle squeeze and helped her mount her horse. He was a large, fierce creature with a dusting of feathered hairs on his hooves.

“Is he fast?” she asked Angus.

“Aye, milady, fast and mean. Ye’ll be safe atop him. He’ll hold up a mite better than the one ye rode in on. That poor beast is resting in the stables.”

She didn’t care about being safe, only that he could rival the wind in speed. Tyburn and his sons leapt into motion, and she followed behind.

Please hold on, Adam. We’re coming.

Adam held the door as long as he could, but the moment Letty vanished over the windowsill, the intruders crashed through the door, busting the latch right off. He leapt for the window, but he was dragged back into the room. He allowed his body to go limp, and the men who held him stumbled with his sudden weight. For a brief second, he was free. He rolled up onto his feet and struck out at the nearest man with a punch that would have felled even the fearsome Lord Lonsdale. Adam spun to deal with the other man in a