she was in the hallway, so intent he had been on the viscount.
"What do you think you're going to do with that thing? Shoot me?"
At the undercurrent of fear running through Claremont's sarcasm, Will opened his eyes. Audrey stood just in front of him and Lisle, and to one side, the bow from his costume in her hands. Her stance was confident, bowstring drawn tight and the arrow fixed in place, her gaze narrowed on the viscount.
"Yes. If you try to run, that's exactly what I plan to do."
Claremont's lip peeled back and he started to turn away again. "Woman, you don't have the—"
With one smooth, swift motion, Audrey released the arrow. It flew straight and true, lodging itself in the viscount's calf. With a girlish scream, he dropped to the floor, clutching his leg.
"She shot me. She shot me!"
Will hauled himself to his feet, and stuck his hand out to help Lisle up. Once she had gained her feet, he stepped forward, unable to keep the grin from his face. Audrey glanced over at him as he stepped abreast of her, then they both stared down at the viscount as he shrieked and rolled on the hall floor.
Will scratched his jaw.
"Got him good."
Audrey shrugged, and handed him his bow. "I did warn him."
Laughter rolled out of him and Will threw his arm around her, hugging her close. "He should have known better than to cross a country lass, but I suppose he was more used to useless, elegant ladies that swan around Bond Street."
Audrey looked startled, then thoughtful, and finally an answering grin crept across her face.
"I suppose you are lucky you had me here then instead."
"Oh, I don't believe there's any 'suppose' about it," said Will softly, staring into her wide, velvet brown eyes.
There was a commotion on in the stairwell just then and a portly older gentleman appeared, followed closely by the innkeeper, his face pinched in distress. He darted past the fallen viscount, Will and the two women, into the room, where his outraged cry was heard.
"Your Grace. Your lady wife informed me that your sister had been assaulted and kidnapped." The magistrate arrived on the heels of the innkeeper, slightly breathless. He looked down at the viscount now whimpering at their feet, then at the bow in Will's grip with consideration. "I see the problem is well in hand, however."
"Yes," Will said dryly, keeping his arm firmly around Audrey as she tried to step away. He didn't give a fig for propriety at the moment.
"We will need this offal," he nudged Claremont with his foot and the man groaned again. "...carted off to a cell. I will pay to have his wound tended, right away. After I make a call at the offices of White Hall in the morning, I believe the King's men will come to collect him."
"Wait." Audrey stopped the magistrate before he could leave. "His grace needs to see the doctor first. He has been shot in the shoulder. Then the man may tend to the viscount."
"Very good, Your Grace."
Amusement washed over Will as Audrey blinked, then went pink, realizing the man was addressing her as such. He could not wait to make her his wife in truth. The way she had stood over him with that bow drawn taunt, her stance so strong and true, was burned in his memory, ensuring justice was to be done.
What a duchess she would be.
The magistrate gestured to the two footmen who had followed him up the stairs and they hauled the viscount to his feet, dragging him weakly protesting the whole way, behind them down the corridor. The magistrate shook his head in disgust and took his leave, descending after his men. The innkeeper followed, his voice high and irate as he listed the damages Claremont was responsible for.
As they disappeared, Lisle let out a little moan and slumped against the wall. Audrey slipped out from under Will's arm, rushing forward to help brace her. Speaking soothingly in a voice too low for Will to hear, her hand rubbed his sister's back as she steered her toward the steps. They all made it down the stairs without incident, the
"What do you think you're going to do with that thing? Shoot me?"
At the undercurrent of fear running through Claremont's sarcasm, Will opened his eyes. Audrey stood just in front of him and Lisle, and to one side, the bow from his costume in her hands. Her stance was confident, bowstring drawn tight and the arrow fixed in place, her gaze narrowed on the viscount.
"Yes. If you try to run, that's exactly what I plan to do."
Claremont's lip peeled back and he started to turn away again. "Woman, you don't have the—"
With one smooth, swift motion, Audrey released the arrow. It flew straight and true, lodging itself in the viscount's calf. With a girlish scream, he dropped to the floor, clutching his leg.
"She shot me. She shot me!"
Will hauled himself to his feet, and stuck his hand out to help Lisle up. Once she had gained her feet, he stepped forward, unable to keep the grin from his face. Audrey glanced over at him as he stepped abreast of her, then they both stared down at the viscount as he shrieked and rolled on the hall floor.
Will scratched his jaw.
"Got him good."
Audrey shrugged, and handed him his bow. "I did warn him."
Laughter rolled out of him and Will threw his arm around her, hugging her close. "He should have known better than to cross a country lass, but I suppose he was more used to useless, elegant ladies that swan around Bond Street."
Audrey looked startled, then thoughtful, and finally an answering grin crept across her face.
"I suppose you are lucky you had me here then instead."
"Oh, I don't believe there's any 'suppose' about it," said Will softly, staring into her wide, velvet brown eyes.
There was a commotion on in the stairwell just then and a portly older gentleman appeared, followed closely by the innkeeper, his face pinched in distress. He darted past the fallen viscount, Will and the two women, into the room, where his outraged cry was heard.
"Your Grace. Your lady wife informed me that your sister had been assaulted and kidnapped." The magistrate arrived on the heels of the innkeeper, slightly breathless. He looked down at the viscount now whimpering at their feet, then at the bow in Will's grip with consideration. "I see the problem is well in hand, however."
"Yes," Will said dryly, keeping his arm firmly around Audrey as she tried to step away. He didn't give a fig for propriety at the moment.
"We will need this offal," he nudged Claremont with his foot and the man groaned again. "...carted off to a cell. I will pay to have his wound tended, right away. After I make a call at the offices of White Hall in the morning, I believe the King's men will come to collect him."
"Wait." Audrey stopped the magistrate before he could leave. "His grace needs to see the doctor first. He has been shot in the shoulder. Then the man may tend to the viscount."
"Very good, Your Grace."
Amusement washed over Will as Audrey blinked, then went pink, realizing the man was addressing her as such. He could not wait to make her his wife in truth. The way she had stood over him with that bow drawn taunt, her stance so strong and true, was burned in his memory, ensuring justice was to be done.
What a duchess she would be.
The magistrate gestured to the two footmen who had followed him up the stairs and they hauled the viscount to his feet, dragging him weakly protesting the whole way, behind them down the corridor. The magistrate shook his head in disgust and took his leave, descending after his men. The innkeeper followed, his voice high and irate as he listed the damages Claremont was responsible for.
As they disappeared, Lisle let out a little moan and slumped against the wall. Audrey slipped out from under Will's arm, rushing forward to help brace her. Speaking soothingly in a voice too low for Will to hear, her hand rubbed his sister's back as she steered her toward the steps. They all made it down the stairs without incident, the
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