What Happens in Piccadilly - Chasity Bowlin Page 0,81

house, the door slamming closed behind them.

“You and the children to the library,” he said. “Keep the curtains drawn. Foster, I want bolts on the windows in there.”

“Certainly, my lord,” the butler said, springing into motion almost instantly.

“You’re hurt,” Callie said, noting the spreading red stain on Winn’s waistcoat. “You’ve been shot.”

“It’s but a graze,” he insisted. “Take care of the children!”

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“To the roof,” he replied. “It’s the best chance of catching the bas—brigands.”

Callie didn’t even have time to protest. She was too stunned by it all. Then William was whooping with excitement.

“I want to go with Uncle Winn!”

That brought Callie crashing back to reality. “Absolutely not. You will march directly to the library and while we are there, you shall practice writing your letters and being quiet.”

His little face fell. “I want to chase the bad men.”

Callie sighed. “When you are older, you may chase all the bad men away… but right now, you are still too little. And I cannot bear the thought of your being hurt. So come to the library with us and spare my mind anymore worry.”

Ushering the children ahead of her, Callie followed behind them. But her gaze was fixed on the last point on the stairs where she’d seen Winn. Please let him be well , she prayed. Even as she battled back the panic that erupted at the thought of him getting hurt, she put on a calm face for the children and tried to soothe their fears. And the best antidote for fear was to stay busy.

With William settled at the desk working on his letters and Claudia ensconced before the fireplace, flipping through a book about exotic animals, Callie seated herself near the door to wait.

Claudia approached her then, carrying the book she’d selected to read. Softly, she asked, “Is this about the note?”

Callie met the girl’s too-wise and knowing gaze. “Yes. I believe that it is.”

Claudia sighed. “I don’t want anything to happen to Uncle Winn. I like him. I really do.”

“And he likes you,” Callie replied reassuringly.

“But what will happen to us if something happens to him?” Claudia asked, biting her lip worriedly as she glanced at her brother and sister.

Callie reached out for the girl, pulling her close and hugging her tightly. “Your uncle will be fine. Even if something unthinkable happened, he will have made provisions for you. It’s simply the way he is. When he returns, you may ask him about them so that you never have to wonder.”

*

Winn eased himself out onto the ledge through the attic windows. He ignored the twinge in his side where the bullet had grazed his flesh. It wasn’t terribly painful, but he was sweating and it burned like the devil. Climbing up onto the slate tiles, he stayed low and looked at the rooflines. Three houses away, he caught sight of movement. Looking back at the footmen who’d followed him out, he said, “Get some men on the ground in the back of the mews. They’re unlikely to climb down the front of the houses where they’d be seen.”

“Aye, m’lord.”

The servants moved away, and Winn moved forward. He clambered over the roof and managed to leap down to the lower roof of the house next door. There, concealed form sight, he ran, closing the distance between him and the gunman. Hoisting himself up onto the roof of the next house, he used the many chimneys and the ornate cupola to provide shelter. The fourth house, he was jumping down once more. As he landed in a crouch, another pistol ball whizzed past him, imbedding itself into the brick of the house behind him. The man raised a second pistol. As he fired, Winn threw himself onto the tiled roof. The pain in his side exploded until he literally saw stars dancing before his eyes. Still, he forced himself back up to standing and charged toward the man before he could get the brace of pistols reloaded. He reached him just as the man raised the pistol once more. The shot went wide as Winn rushed him, taking him down to the tiles. They rolled toward the edge, and only Winn’s boots catching against the lip of the gutter kept them both from going over.

“Why were you trying to kill her?” Winn demanded.

“Money! Why else?” the man snapped. “Let me go.”

“Tell me who hired you!”

“Don’t know his name. Didn’t ask. He said she paid him to pay us and we was to see the