THE BARONET'S DAUGHTER

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

                        CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

THE FIGHT AT THE PHOENIX CLUB

The bell rang to end the round and Lord Birkett sprang into the ring. Ambrose was still on his feet but tottering around as though he could not get his bearings on his corner.

    Lord Birkett took hold of him and steered him to his stool.

    ‘Jeffrey, get the bucket and sponge,’ he yelled. ‘Oh My Good Lord! Look at him!’

    Sir Hugo and Lord Birkett crowded around Ambrose as Jeffrey fetched the bucket of water. They were dismayed at what they saw.

    His nose was swollen out of shape and bloody. There was a nasty gash above his left eye and the lid was already puffy. His lower lip was bleeding profusely from a deep split.

    Jeffrey brought a sopping sponge to Ambrose’s face, and as gently as he could, tried to clean him up. Ambrose was obviously in great pain but tried not to flinch at the touch.

    ‘This fight has got to stop,’ Lord Birkett said fiercely. ‘Ambrose, I must throw in the towel now. See sense, man! Langdon will kill you if he can. There is no shame in saving yourself further pain.’

    ‘No,’ Ambrose managed to say through his swollen mouth. ‘He has brought shame to Sophie. I will not quit.’

    ‘She is not worth it, Ambrose,’ Sir Hugo exclaimed. ‘She has already finished with you.’

    Ambrose lunged forward. ‘Damn you to hell, Hugo!’

    The bell rang. Using the ropes either side, Ambrose got to his feet.

    ‘You cannot go another round with this mad man, Ambrose,’ Lord Birkett said. ‘Don’t be a fool!’

    ‘Stand back!’ Ambrose said and tottered forward to meet his opponent.

Jake practically fell out of the hansom as it arrived outside the Pig and Thistle; he was in such a hurry. He dashed toward the door of the pub.

    ‘Hoi!’ the cabbie yelled after him. ‘I ain’t been paid.’

    ‘Wait here!’ Jake commanded. ‘The fare’ll be double if you do.’

    The cabbie growled. ‘Don’t think I won’t come in after yer.’

    Although it was getting very near a quarter to midnight there were still customers sitting around imbibing. Jake hurried to the bar and spoke to the bar-keep.

    ‘This is urgent,’ he said. ‘How can I get hold of Mr Quipp?’

    The bar-keep nodded towards the back of the room. ‘Quipp is over there, in the corner.’

    ‘Oh, thank Gawd!’

    Jake rushed over to Quipp’s table, where he sat quietly sipping his beer.

    ‘Guv, you got to come with me at once,’ Jake said earnestly. ‘It’s her ladyship. That evil cove Granville catched her. Had her tied up at the Phoenix Club.' 

    ‘What?’

     'I got her out, but she's unconscious. I had to hide her body.’

     'Where, for God's sake?'

     'In the luggage box of Lord Langdon's coach. We got to get her out afore Granville comes back.’

    Quipp scrambled up. ‘Come on!’ he exclaimed. 'Langdon could move the coach any minute.'