A Lover of Men by Julia Talbot Page A

on him and Lelia and Rafe.
    “If you’re too squeamish to finish him, I will,” the uncle’s voice said.
    “No! No, we need to make it look like an accident.” Richard sounded so exasperated Phineas actually found himself smiling. “Toss him in front of a carriage.”
    Ouch. Well, then, time to get moving. Phineas wiggled, testing how much noise he would make. If he could hear them, they could hear him.
    “Come inside and we’ll discuss it,” the uncle’s voice said, and the two men moved away, no doubt thinking he was still unconscious.
    “Very well. I should check on him.”
    “He’s bound hand and foot. Where can he go?”
    Once again Phineas chuckled. Ah, the gentry. They had no idea what a soldier went through during war, officer or not. This was like a summer trip to the lake compared to Spain.
    As soon as their footsteps faded, Phineas inched toward the door, intent on pushing himself up on the doorjamb and then finding a latch or something to break his bonds.
    “You leave me very little chance to save you, sweet.”
    Phineas jumped, banging his head on the wall, which made him grunt. “Shh.”
    “No, no, they went to have a port or some such.” Rafe appeared at his side and gently untied his hands. “Really not very good villains.”
    “Thank God for that. Where are we?” Pins and needles began flowing through his hands and up his arms as the blood started running once more through his veins.
    “Mattheson’s townhouse mews.”
    “Good heavens.” He laughed and rose unsteadily when Rafe pulled him upright. “Lelia?”
    “Waiting for us at her home. Her cousin is with her.”
    “Good. Good. What are we to do with the rascals trying to kill us?”
    “Set the house on fire?”
    “Rafe!” Phineas shook his head. “No, we should set the authorities on them.”
    “We should need to deliver them to the magistrate then. Do you really want the bother?”
    “What do you suggest then?”
    Rafe kissed his bruised face gently, the contact making his heart race. “It’s a standard practice to hire someone to deliver them to the jail for the accusation and to await trial. I happen to know just the man.”
    “Hmm.” Phineas nodded slowly. Even if nothing came of a trial, the humiliation and scandal would be enough to send Mattheson and his uncle running to the country and stop them bothering Phineas and his loves.
    And if it didn’t work that way, they could always burn someone’s house down.
    “Very well,” Phineas said. “Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
    “Naturally, sweet. I would never forgive myself if you were really harmed.”
    They made their way out into the night, and a figure detached itself from the shadows. “All is well, Rafe?”
    “It is. We’ll need to deliver Lord Mattheson and his… uncle? To the magistrate.”
    “Really?” The man was blond, broad shouldered, and too much like an avenging angel for Phineas’ taste. How did Rafe know this man? “I think it better to confront them now. Threaten to take them in, wave a half-cocked pistol about. Does Sir Phineas here really want to delay his wedding for a trial?”
    Rafe’s white, happy smile flashed in the gloom. “I do love a good fight. Phineas?”
    Lelia would probably kill him. This was a terrible idea. “Yes. Let’s go.”
    They made their way to the townhouse, and Phineas experienced once more the thrill of going into battle with his comrades.
    He could only hope this struggle ended far better than the last stand his company had made at Corunna.
     
    ****
     
    Rafe knew he should have taken Phineas directly back to Lelia. The man was not at his best, having been beaten unconscious, but Rafe deeply felt they needed to solve this tonight. End it now.
    They went in through the back, the kitchen door open to their entry. Nicolas faded away into the dark, and Rafe knew he would flank the men in whatever room they sat in, would find a servant’s hall.
    He and Phineas would burst in with the pistol Nic had