Hidden Desire (Regency Men in Love 2) by Carole Mortimer

Author:Carole Mortimer [Mortimer, Carole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781910597927
Publisher: Carole Mortimer

* * *

“What on earth—?” Maxim rushed forward when, having walked through to the alley at the back of the club, he saw the body of Henry slumped to the ground in the cobbled courtyard.

A quick glance on his way to check on Henry showed Maxim the lock on the storeroom was broken and the door hanging off its hinges. The chef was no longer a prisoner inside.

Maxim went down on his knees beside the fallen man, breathing a sigh of relief when he discerned a weak pulse in Henry’s neck. A quick inspection revealed the guard had probably been knocked out by the force of the blow that caused a swelling on the side of his head.

“We should carry him inside and call for the doctor,” Maxim prompted the other two men.

It took all three of them to achieve that. They were all fit gentlemen, sparring in the boxing ring often as well as honing their skills with sword and pistol. But the guard probably weighed twenty stone or more and was a deadweight in his unconscious state. Nevertheless, they finally managed to lay Henry down on one of the leather couches inside the club.

Maxim had to admit, to himself, at least, that after ascertaining that Henry was still alive, his thoughts had immediately shifted to Christopher.

What if the chef, unlike Maxim, did know where the younger man resided? The chef’s displeasure at having lost his lucrative position at the Apollo club was sure to be immense.

So much so that he would want to take out his anger on the undefended man he had so recently attacked?

That could not be allowed to happen.

It was damned frustrating not having the addresses of the young men who worked at the club. Originally, that decision had been made for their protection. This way, if the authorities ever had reason to investigate the club, there was no written proof of the names and addresses of the people who worked here.

Maxim now found that decision decidedly unhelpful. It might also have put Christopher in danger of the chef’s retribution.

“Maxim…”

Stonyhurst calling his name caused Maxim to rouse himself. He glanced over to where his two friends now stepped back to allow the now fully conscious Henry to swing his legs to the floor and lever himself into a sitting position.

The large man winced as he gingerly touched his fingertips to where a bump the size of a hen’s egg protruded on the side of his head.

“Do you have any idea who attacked you?” Stonyhurst prompted softly.

Henry scowled. “It were Archie Brown an’ a couple o’ his mates. ’E managed to ’it me in the stomach afore I knew he was there. ’E got me the second time, ’cos I was bent over in pain from the first blow.”

“You know this gentleman?” Wulferston prompted.

“Not know ’im as such,” the guard dismissed. “Archie is well-known about these parts for dealin’ in smuggled goods.”

“And why would he have ’it—hit you?” Maxim corrected himself impatiently. “Before helping the chef to escape?”

Henry gave it some thought.

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