As she saw one of the teenagers tighten his grip into a stranglehold round Arthur’s neck, she was also aware of Blade striking with sudden deadly force at the youth nearest to him who went down like a stone, but events were happening so fast it was a kaleidoscope of sound and colour.
Part of her couldn’t believe it was happening. It was the sort of incident one read about in the papers, maybe describing a relatively normal occurrence in the inner cities or the depths of the Glasgow slums where drug-pushers and mindless bored hooligans were all too common, but here? In this sleepy Yorkshire village?
And then Arthur slumped forward in his seat, whether from the pressure on his windpipe or his heart she didn’t know, and as the youth who had been holding him leapt into the fray Amy realised Blade didn’t stand a chance. He was going to be badly hurt, like Charlie, and there was nothing she could do about it.
It could only have been another minute before the harsh sound of a police siren registered on her frantic senses, but in that time she had realised that Blade hadn’t learnt his fighting techniques solely in the boardroom. Marquis of Queensberry didn’t come into it. For every dirty trick the group of youths pulled he had one to match it, and as the three who were still on their feet tried to make their escape as two police cars screeched to a halt outside, the one who had been holding her giving her a vicious push against the wall as he did so, Blade moved into the doorway his eyes murderous.
‘Try it, just try it.’ He had fixed his deadly gaze on Beef’s mean little eyes and now beckoned to the huge youth, giving a snarl of a smile as he did so. ‘Come on, I’d like you to. There must be a lot of people out there who owe you one.’
‘Flick?’ As Beef reached behind him with his hand outstretched Amy realised the portent of the other lad’s nickname, as a vicious-looking flick knife appeared as though by magic in Beef’s great paw.
‘Blade!’ As she screamed his name it took his attention just long enough for Beef to seize the advantage, leaping forward and slicing through the air with the wickedly sharp knife as he did so. Blade’s reflexes were as finely honed as a big cat’s and almost certainly saved his life, and as he kicked the knife out of harm’s way she saw Beef’s eyes open very wide in desperate panic. And then Blade hit him, very hard, and he was out for the count, sprawling to the floor as the police surged through the door. It was over.
‘Amy? Sit down. Put your head between your knees.’ She had stood up to go to Blade’s side, but as the room had begun to swim and turn he was there in front of her, forcing her down in a chair as he gestured to Arthur, who seemed to have recovered, to hold on to her. ‘I’ll get some brandy.’ He was back in an instant, forcing the liquid down her throat as he held the glass to her lips, and not moving away until she had taken several helpless gulps.
‘Blade … If you hadn’t come in …’
‘But I did, didn’t I?’ he said gently, as he searched the white face and dilated eyes. ‘I’ll always be there when you need me, Amy, don’t you know that by now? I love you, I’ll always love you, nothing you can do or say will make any difference to that.’
She stared up at him, her face stricken. ‘Blade—’
‘I’m sorry, sir, but we are going to have to ask you a few questions if the lady is up to it?’ A young policeman, who couldn’t have been more than twenty-one, stood apologetically at their side, and as Blade turned irritably to face him Amy put her hand on his sleeve, noticing as she did so that it was stained with blood. His or theirs? she thought, as her stomach lurched sickeningly.
‘Yes, of course,’ she said quickly. ‘I’d rather get it over and done with now.’
It was another half hour before the police were satisfied, and by then Amy could see that Blade was in some considerable pain. ‘It’s all right.’ He had caught her gaze on him as he winced on standing up, his face immediately straightening. ‘Just a few cuts and bruises, but I think a couple of the other guys came off worse.’ She couldn’t respond to the lightness, her face whitening still more as she noticed one bronzed cheekbone was already turning blue.
‘I’d take her home, lad.’ Arthur was his normal stolid self although his voice was still croaky. No one had mentioned his passing out; Amy had an idea the blunt old Yorkshireman would rather die than acknowledge it. ‘Good night’s sleep and the world will be a different place.’
A different place? Amy had the insane feeling that she was going to shout and scream and throw herself on the floor, as a combination of shock and bitter pain swept over her in a black flood. If only Arthur knew. He thought this was the worst thing that had happened to her? She closed her eyes against the thought. How she wished it were. If she could leave this place with Blade as his wife and go back to their own home with nothing more serious than Beef’s disgusting image in her mind, how grateful she would be. A desolation too great for words filled her soul, and then she reached out beyond herself for strength and composure to get through the next few minutes.