The Elusive Earl by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788674706
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks ltd
Published: 2021-04-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

For a moment both Calista and Manzani were surprised into silence. Then as the Strong Man turned round to face the Earl, Calista said in a low voice,

“How did you find me?”

The Earl did not answer the question, but walking up to her, he said quietly,

“I have come to take you home, Calista.”

Manzani suddenly moved in front of the Earl.

“Get out of ’ere!” he shouted. “You can see you’re not wanted!”

“I have a prior claim on this lady,” the Earl asserted firmly.

“That remains to be seen,” Manzani retorted.

As he spoke, he struck out without warning at the Earl, who only just managed to avoid Manzani’s fist striking him in the face by stepping backwards.

The blow caught him on the shoulder, making him stagger. Then almost before the Earl could regain his balance Manzani struck at him again.

This time the Earl was ready and parried the blow. They were now fighting in earnest, Manzani with a violence and total disregard for fair fighting that was in itself threatening.

He was stronger, heavier and had a greater length of arm than the Earl, who was further handicapped by the fact that he was wearing Hessian boots, which slipped on the damp grass and a tightly fitting whipcord coat that restricted him.

However, he caught Manzani with a sharp blow on the side of his face, which made the foreigner lose his temper.

Those of the circus knew well that the Strong Man was easily aroused to anger and was a bully to all those who worked for him.

There was now an ugly expression on his face as he rushed at the Earl and, grabbing him round the body with both arms, tried to squeeze the breath out of him.

It was a bear-hug from a man who was used to exerting his over-developed muscles to their greatest strength and for a moment the Earl felt that he was unable to breathe and that his ribs were cracking under the strain.”

Then he fought himself free, but as he did so his foot slipped and Manzani caught him a terrific punch in the face with his right hand, followed by his left on the point of the chin.

The Earl fell backwards onto the ground.

Calista gave a little cry of sheer horror.

Then as the Earl lay unconscious she saw that Manzani was bending over him, intending in his anger to hit him again and again in the face and chest.

As the Strong Man drew back his arm to smite his prostrate rival, he received a blow on the back of the head, which made him fall over forwards, followed by another that laid him out face downwards on the grass.

Calista threw down the iron tent peg that she had hit Manzani with and then knelt beside the Earl.

His eyes were closed and there was a trickle of blood running down his chin.

She looked at him helplessly until she heard a familiar voice say,

“What has happened, chère?”

She looked up and her voice had a little sob in it as she replied,

“Help me – please help me, Coco.

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