Free Andrea Pickens - [Lessons in Love 02] by Second Chances

his feet and guiding him towards the window. The lad sagged against his father's broad chest, still not in full command of his faculties. With an exasperated sound, the earl propped Max against the wall and grabbed up a decanter of brandy from bowed sidetable. Yanking out the crystal stopper he turned and flung the contents over Max's face.
    The shock of the cold liquid had the desired effect. The lad's shoulders snapped to attention as he shook his head a few times to clear the remaining cobwebs.
    "Can you manage to climb down by yourself?" demanded the earl. "I fear the rope may not hold the weight of two of us."
    Max wiped at his face. "Yes, sir."
    "Then do so!" he ordered. "Now!"
    The clatter of feet on the stairs indicated that the servants below had heard the scuffle and were on the way. Wrexham strode to the door and kicked it shut, then grabbed the desk chair and wedged it under the knob. "That should hold them for a bit," he muttered. As he turned back towards his son, the footman felled by Allegra's blow had risen to his knees. The earl paused for a brief moment. His fist flashed forwards, landing a clean shot to the jaw that laid the fellow out cold.
    Max had hauled himself up over the window still. Only the upper part of his body was visible as he fumbled for a good grip. Wrexham leaned out and took him by both shoulders. "Be careful," he said softly, before pushing him on his way.
    The door rattled as the group of men outside tried to force it open.
    "Is that loaded?" Wrexham pointed at the pistol on the desk.
    Allegra nodded.
    His eyes narrowed as he took it up. "Kindly keep an eye on Max's progress, if you would. As soon as he is on the ground, get yourself out."
    "My lord, I should be the last to—"
    "Oh no, ladies first," he said with scathing politeness.
    "But—"
    A shoulder slammed into the door, nearly knocking the chair from its position.
    "I am in no mood to argue! Go!"
    She ceased her protests and rushed to the window. "He's made it," she called after a moment. The relief was evident in her voice.
    This time two men took a run at the door, nearly springing it from its hinges.
    "Go!"
    She disappeared into the blackness. The earl then aimed at the very top of the door and squeezed off a shot. A grim smile passed over his lips at the scrambling sound of the hasty retreat. With any luck, that should hold them off long enough. He tucked the pistol in the pocket of his coat and swung himself out onto the ledge. Allegra had just reached the ground. Without looking up, she pushed Max into a dead run and headed off in the direction of the gate.
    "But Father..." gasped Max as his boots crunched over the graveled path.
    "Don't worry about your father—he is doing quite well on his own," she answered without breaking stride.
    Indeed, the earl was halfway down the rope, pleased that Allegra had at least shown enough good sense to get his son moving. It was looking as if they might yet extract themselves from this coil without further mishap since he doubted that a pursuit could be mounted before they were well away from Westwood Manor.
    Shouts from above alerted him to the fact that Lord Sandhill's servants had more daring than he had reckoned with. They were back in force and as Wrexham looked up, one of them was bold enough to stick his head out the open window. The barrel of a pistol appeared immediately afterwards. With a muffled oath, the earl let go of the rope just as a shot rang out. The bullet grazed the back of his hand but he was hardly aware of its impact as he dropped the remaining ten feet and hit the hit with a resounding thud.
    At the sound of the shot, Max skidded to a halt. "Father!" he cried as he made to dash back to the house.
    Allegra grabbed him by the shoulders to restrain him. She had already seen that the earl had recovered his feet and was weaving in and out of the bushes in order to present less of a target as he worked his way towards them. "Your father is unscathed," she assured him.