“No!” she screamed.
The panther flicked a look over its shoulder. Hawk took the window of opportunity and leapt on the animal, throwing his big arms around its neck, knocking it off balance. Then Jack was hauled to her feet roughly by a strong pair of hands, and she lost sight of Hawk altogether as bodies around her closed the gap in her view.
“My Lord,” said the man who’d had the knife at her throat, bowing stiffly to Leander. He kept his hand fisted in her hair as he did so. “I found this”—he gave Jack a kick—“hiding in the shrubbery. Shall I slit its throat?”
Leander shouldered past him, ignoring him, looking up at the sky as if it were about to rain diamonds.
“You bloody duffer, Weymouth!” screeched Morgan. She hauled off, made a fist, and punched the man right in the nose.
He f
