Fire!”
Then he rushed back down the stairs as shouts and cries filled the air. He reached Mary’s chamber and opened the door. “Time to call on Beatrice.”
He took her hand and hurried down the rear stairs once more, pulling her along with him.
The men on the floor were stirring but he paid them no mind. He opened the back door and rushed out as shouts of fire continued to fill the brothel. He grabbed a loose brick from the walkway and wedged it between the doorknob and jamb, hoping it would delay his pursuers, then climbed the steps to the street.
“Where do ye think ye’re goin’?” a deep voice demanded.
He turned to see a beast of a man to his left. Daniel felt ridiculously small in comparison. Doubt wound through him as he considered the unfavorable odds of defeating him. He’d have preferred to face Finch instead. What had he been thinking to come alone?
“Mary, get inside,” the large man ordered.
Daniel held tight to her hand. “She’ll be leaving with me.”
“Is that right?” He smiled but it was anything but pleasant. “I don’t think so.” He reached for Daniel, but Daniel slapped away his hand.
Before Daniel had time to duck, the man’s fist came barreling toward him, clipping him on the jaw.
Blackness narrowed his vision. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts even as he pushed Mary behind him. Then he eased back and kicked his opponent’s knee followed by a kick to his stomach.
The man grunted but otherwise seemed unhurt. Daniel struck him again, managing to force him back a step. Hoping he was gaining the upper hand, he sent a second kick to the man’s knee then another to his torso, and this time, his opponent howled in pain.
But when Daniel regained his balance, the man withdrew a knife, its silver blade glinting dully in the dim light coming from the brothel windows.
“Sir?” Mary gasped.
Daniel waited for the man to jab at him, then grabbed his wrist, squeezing with the hope of forcing him to release the knife.
His opponent struck out with his free hand, managing to hit Daniel on the shoulder and forcing him to let go.
It felt as if the man hit with the force of a hammer, and fear slid down Daniel’s spine. If only Pierre were with him, the two of them could easily defeat the giant of a man. But Daniel had Mary to protect and Beatrice to return to, so he gathered his resolve, and waited for his challenger to make a move.
The man lunged forward with the knife. Daniel didn’t move quickly enough, and the blade sliced his tailcoat. A sharp sting on Daniel’s side suggested it caught more than clothing.
Daniel focused on the blade and spun to land a kick on the man’s outstretched hand. The knife clattered to the cobblestones and Daniel quickly pressed his advantage, not allowing the man to recover. He landed blow after blow along with several kicks until the large man toppled backward.
Then he took Mary’s hand once again. “We must run, Mary.” Daniel picked up his pace, heart pounding at the close call. “Hurry.”
“To Beatrice?”
“Yes.”
She ran faster than he would’ve guessed possible. But with each stride, Daniel’s side hurt all the more. He was already winded from the fight but as they ran, he quickly realized the knife had done more damage than he’d realized.
“Wait, Mary.” He held a hand to his side, grimacing at the feel of dampness there as he glanced over his shoulder.
Already he could hear shouts behind them, suggesting pursuit was underway.
“You’re bleeding.” Mary stared at the sight of his hand just visible in the nearby streetlight.
“It seems I am. Let us hurry to the hackney coach stand.” He should’ve had a hackney waiting near the brothel. Why hadn’t he thought of that detail?
He kept moving, holding his side, surprised at the pain and blood. But he didn’t dare stop to tend the wound.
A carriage rumbled toward them and though tempted to request aid from whoever was passing by, it could easily be Finch or someone else associated with the brothel. The risk was too great.
Yet as he studied the horses, he realized they looked familiar.
The carriage drew to a halt and the door opened, revealing Richard.
“Daniel? What the hell?”
Daniel stilled, unable to understand how his brother could possibly be there. That was, until Beatrice’s face appeared over his brother’s shoulder, clearly visible in the carriage light.
“Daniel!” Relief was clear in her tone.
Shouts echoed in the night, and