Chapter 4 #2
Georgia put her mouth to Emsworth's fingers and bit down hard.
He yelped and released her. They stood in a darkened room, lit inadequately by a couple of candles and a fire in a stone hearth.
There were armchairs scattered around and tables containing newspapers and books.
The room was quiet—even the music from the ballroom was muffled.
Georgia turned to run for the door, but Emsworth seized her by the hair from behind and yanked her backward.
“You wench!”
She screamed at the sudden pain and found herself flung to the floor. Emsworth stood over her, rubbing his injured hand. A look of murderous rage darkened his face.
“You must yet learn your place, I see! A dog that bit me would be thrashed to learn its lesson. Thrashed so that it did not dare bite again!”
“Perhaps you need to learn that same lesson, sir,” came a grizzled voice from the shadows.
Georgia recognized it immediately. The Duke of Westvale stepped forward into the circle of light cast by the flickering flames of the fire. Emsworth turned, eyes widening in alarm. Then Georgia saw a look of contempt bleeding across his face.
“Begone, blind man. This is no concern of yours,” he snarled, turning back to Georgia.
“I beg to differ. I deduce that you are assaulting an innocent woman. I have a duty to intervene.”
“Take care lest I deal with you first!” Emsworth snapped savagely.
“I should very much like to see you try,” the Duke said quietly.
Emsworth laughed callously, advancing towards him, hands clenched into fists.
“I see I’ll have to wipe that smug tone off your face…”
He raised his fist as though to strike, but the Duke moved first, prodding him in the stomach with his cane. It was not a blow, simply placing the steel tip of the cane against the middle of Emsworth's abdomen. The Earl laughed, looking down at the cane.
“Is that the best you can manage, blind man?” he chuckled scornfully.
“No, merely gauging your position and distance. From the grip, I presume the cane is resting against your considerable gut. Which means your chin is here...”
The cane flicked upwards to strike Emsworth beneath the chin. He staggered backward. The Duke stepped forward, cane pointing like a rapier.
“And assuming you have stepped back from the blow, your temple would be about... here.”
The cane whipped out like a striking snake and clacked against the side of Emsworth's head.
“A staggered step to the side and an instinctive crouch that often follows a blow to the head. So, this should be where I will find your ribs—”
He jabbed smoothly and struck Emsworth just beneath the ribs. Then came a succession of rapid blows that had Emsworth scrambling on hands and knees across the floor towards the door.
“I will see you dead for this!” he screamed, “Do you know who I am?”
“A cad and a knave. Yes, I know who you are, Lord Peter Halstead of Emsworth. I've heard your speeches in Parliament, and your politics are as reprehensible as your attitude towards women. Get. Thee. Gone!”
Each of the Duke's last three words were emphasized by jabs from his cane that saw Emsworth propelled from the room.
As the Earl scrabbled through the open door, Georgia realized rather belatedly that she could no longer hear the music from the ballroom.
In fact, there was no sound from that direction at all, merely an expectant, appalled silence.
“What are you looking at?” Emsworth barked into the corridor, “Get out of my way. He is a madman! Assaulted me with that damned cane!”
There was someone outside in the corridor. Possibly more than someone. The Duke stood within sight of the open door, while Georgia was concealed to one side.
In a moment, someone is going to peek into the room. Several ‘someones’ by the sound of whispering I can hear... We have drawn the whole of Almack's down on us with the commotion. It will be the talk of London for weeks!
If that didn’t have her expelled from Silverton entirely, it would only be as she was shackled to the very man who tried assaulting her…
Just as the sound of approaching footsteps drew nearer, Georgia glimpsed a sudden opportunity. To escape from the Earl of Emsworth permanently, from Silverton Hall too. The opportunity to take her destiny into her own hands.
…But it would need to be at the expense of her savior.
One road led to a life trapped as the Earl of Emsworth’s wife. A trophy on his arm and his property. With everything that entailed. It sent a veritable chill through her, a shudder of utter horrified terror.
I cannot live like that! I will not spend my life in chains. I must do something to escape a terrible fate. I would die before I let myself become the Earl of Emsworth’s property!
“Oh, dash it all!”
Georgia lunged towards the handsome Duke just as Uncle Benjamin appeared in the doorway.
She took the Duke's face in her hands, stood on tiptoes, and kissed him as thoroughly as she could.
She heard the thump of a cane hitting the carpeted floor.
Felt the Duke's arms enfolding her. They were strong, sending a thrill through Georgia at the notion that she would not be able to end the embrace if he did not allow it.
Her body was pressed against rigid steel, the muscles of his chest and stomach were hard, conveying strength and resolution. His lips pressed hungrily to hers, parting slightly. She almost swooned at the feel of his tongue against her own lips and responded accordingly.
She lost all sense of where she was or how many people might now have joined her uncle in the doorway.
She didn't care who saw or what they thought.
All that mattered was the sensations that coursed through her.
The pleasure that came from being held tightly in his arms. From being kissed with fervent passion.
“Unhand my niece at once!” Uncle Benjamin screeched, his voice shrill with outrage.
The Duke released her at once, and she saw shock on his face.
I do not think he knew there was anyone watching. He did not hear them. But I did. I deliberately took advantage of his blindness. Oh Lord, forgive me, but I do not know how else I would evade that odious Earl!