A Matter of Choice by Laura Landon Page B

and squeezed ever so gently. And stopped.
    A feminine voice echoed in his ears. A voice filled with terror and panic.
    Blood thundered in his head.
    She screamed again.
    Joshua’s heart gave a lurch inside his chest. That voice. Her voice.
    Bloody hell!
    “No!”
    He heard her scream again, and this time she seemed nearly on top of them.
    He turned his head to the side as she broke through the crowd. She looked like an avenging angel, wisps of her fiery hair flying around her face, her eyes filled with terror, her arms reaching out as if she could prevent what was going to happen.
    His heart lodged in his throat. “Stop!”
    He prayed Allison would heed his warning, but knew she wouldn’t.
    She ran forward until she was directly in the line of fire.
    He reached out and pulled her to him just as Archbite’s finger moved on the trigger. He turned with her in his arms, to shield her from danger. A loud explosion rent the air and an instant later a burning, stinging sensation gripped his arm.
    Shouts and jeers erupted. “Foul! Foul, Archbite!” The crowd was clearly appalled at Archbite’s disregard for fairness, as well as for the risk he took in firing when a lady could have been hit.
    Joshua looked down at Allison huddled in his arms and seethed with anger.
    She could have been shot.
    She could have died.
    He didn’t know with whom he was more furious, Allison for doing something so foolish. Or Archbite, for firing even though he knew she was running toward them. He took a deep breath and swung back with Allison still next to him, and aimed his pistol.
    Archbite’s eyes grew wide. His face paled with a dread Joshua relished seeing. He knew the coward wanted to run, but he didn’t. He faced Joshua squarely, knowing Joshua had every right to kill him.
    “Don’t, please,” her soft voice whispered against his chest. “Oh, please. I couldn’t bear it.”
    She wrapped her arms tighter around his waist and buried her face against him. Her body trembled in his arms.
    He uttered a vile oath then lowered his pistol.
    He hesitated. He contemplated the ramifications of allowing Archbite’s actions go unanswered, then he lifted his arm and aimed his pistol. Not at the ground. Not at Archbite’s chest where he wanted to bury his bullet with deadly accuracy. But at the soft, fleshy part of Archbite’s leg. And he fired.
    Her grip tightened and her muffled scream echoed against his body. Her warm, wet tears soaked into his shirt.
    Archbite clutched his leg then crumple to the ground.
    The crowd of observers rushed forward, Fitzwater and one or two more going to where Archbite lay. The rest crowding around him.
    “Are you hurt?” Chardwell was the first to reach him.
    “I’m fine.” He looked down at the deep red moisture soaking through the material of his shirt, turning it nearly black.
    “No doubt about it,” one voice hollered from behind him. “Archbite fouled.”
    “We all saw it,” another voice added. “It was a blatant act of cowardice. Archbite will never be able to show his face in Society again.”
    “If any questions arise, we’ll vouch for you.”
    “Right,” another added. “I say, Montfort. You’re bleeding. Do you need a surgeon?”
    The man’s words affected her. Her eyes locked with his. They were filled with concern. She scanned his body, searching for the wound. Her face paled when she saw the blood.
    “It’s all right,” he whispered in her ear, but he knew it wasn’t. Blood ran down his arm and dripped from his fingers.
    A heavy film of perspiration covered his forehead, the burning wetness stinging his eyes. He should at least take time to stop the bleeding but all he wanted was to get as far away from here as possible.
    His head swam and he fought to keep his feet from buckling beneath him. He would not go down with everyone watching.
    “Someone!” a voice bellowed. “Send for the surgeon.”
    “Have him look after Archbite,” Joshua said. It was a struggle to stay on his