Page 91 of A Scandal at Stonecliffe

Nathan grabbed Hill by his arms and hauled him into the wagon bed. The two men grappled, and Shoemaker started over the back of the driver’s bench to join his partner.

Then suddenly Verity was there, clambering up to the driver’s seat and throwing herself at Shoemaker. Clasping her hands together, she swung them into his face. Stunned, he reeled back, and she gave him a hearty shove, sending Shoemaker tumbling off the wagon onto the ground.

She turned to help Nathan just as he slammed his fist into Hill’s gut and followed it up with a hard right hook. Hill’s eyes rolled up, and he collapsed. Nathan swung around, panting, and grinned at Verity.

“Glad you had my back,” he said, the elation of victory pumping all through him.

“Always,” she replied, pulling a handkerchief out of her pocket and handing it to him.

Nathan dabbed at his split lip as he took in the sight of her. The sleeve of Verity’s dress was torn and her arm and cheek were scratched. Her padding had twisted around to her hips, and her wig had slid to one side of her head, wild red strands of hair escaping from it.

“God, you’re beautiful.” He stepped forward and pulled her into a kiss, ignoring the twinge of pain in his lip.

Malcolm trotted up, his uncle and the entire party trailing him. “Nathan, are you all right? God, when I saw you’d jumped on that wagon—” He shoved his hands back through his hair. “And you, ma’am. You saved my life. You have my eternal gratitude. That driver must have been drunk or insane. It was as if they aimed—”

“Right for you?” Nathan suggested. He nodded toward Shoemaker, who had recovered his wind and was wobbling to his feet, groaning.

“Oww, me ’ead.” He looked up at Verity accusingly. “I think you broke me rib.”

“You should be glad that’s all I broke,” she retorted.

Malcolm gaped at Shoemaker. “You!”

“Now, it wasn’t me,” Shoemaker whined, backing up a step at the fire in Malcolm’s eyes and holding out his hands placatingly. “I didn’t...”

Malcolm strode forward and punched him on the point of his chin. Shoemaker slid back to the ground, unconscious, and Malcolm turned to Nathan. “The same men. But why? And how—have they been lying in wait for me?”

“Easy enough to do when they know what time you’ll be walking into your house after an unsuccessful trip to the doctor’s,” Verity said scornfully. Nathan had untied his neckcloth and she took it from him, kneeling down to bind Hill’s hands.

Malcolm stared at Nathan for a moment, then looked over at his uncle. He turned back to Nathan, saying uncertainly, “But, no, that couldn’t...maybe one of the servants...”

Nathan climbed down from the wagon and went over to him. “Malcolm. You have to face the truth or you’ll wind up dead. Your uncle sent you to the doctor even though he knew the man wouldn’t be there.”

“It was to set up the surprise party for my nephew,” Robert said indignantly and came forward to join them. “I resent your implication, Dunbridge.” He jabbed his forefinger at Nathan. “You were the one who was insisting on talking to Malcolm. You went outside to stop him and hold him there.”

“It was you who arranged for your nephew to visit London,” Nathan shot back at him. “You knew when and where Malcolm could be abducted. You had him locked up because you still had enough family feeling not to kill your nephew. But when we broke him out of his prison, when we ruined your plan, you had no choice but to do away with him so you could get to his inheritance.”

“I’ve never heard anything so preposterous,” Robert sputtered.

Nathan continued, raising his voice a tad more. “So you went back to the men you had hired and arranged for them to create an ‘accident’ for your nephew in front of the party you planned. That way you’d have multiple witnesses who would swear that you had nothing to do with Malcolm’s death. Oh, and then there was Tolliver. Did you have to kill him to keep him from revealing what you’d done? Did you hire these two for that task as well?” He swung a hand toward Shoemaker. “Or did you do it yourself?”

“This is all nonsense and lies,” Robert retorted. “If anyone wanted to do away with my nephew it would be you. Don’t listen to him, Mal. He’s merely trying to hurt you. I am your family. He’s just...”

“My brother,” Malcolm said heavily.

“Use your head,” Verity said, joining them. “Nathan has no reason to do anything to you. He’s done nothing but help you.”

Malcolm looked from Nathan to Robert, his eyes troubled. “Rude as she is, she’s right. Nathan had no reason.”

“A Dunbridge will say anything. He is just a smooth talker like his f—” Robert’s voice faltered as Malcolm’s eyes flashed and he took a step toward him. “Malcolm. I didn’t hire Hill or Shoemaker. I never saw them before today.”

The air was suddenly silent as Malcolm and the others looked at him. Nathan said quietly, “How did you know their names, then?”

“What? Why, you told me, of course.”

“No. We didn’t,” Nathan replied.

“Then Malcolm must have told me.” Robert forced a little chuckle, but his eyes took on a hunted look, and he took a step backward.