Chapter 25 #2
“You were never helpless,” he whispered, stroking his thumb tenderly over her cheek. “But you do not need to do this.”
“I want to,” Bridget urged.
Affection glittered in his eyes, and he nodded.
Adrian then kissed her forehead and turned back to Mr. Conway.
“Very well, Mr. Conway. Give us two minutes, then escort the Earl into my study.”
Adrian then led Bridget to his study, where, to Bridget’s surprise, he sat her on his lap after he took his seat behind his desk.
Though shocked at first, Bridget quickly found comfort in her new seat and raised her chin high as Mr. Conway showed Victor Carter, the new Earl of Winslow, into the study.
His eyes nearly bulged from his head as he took in Adrian and Bridget’s position, no doubt a reaction her husband wanted.
“This is obscene!” Victor hissed as his face turned various shades of red.
“What is obscene is you bothering my family during a most happy time, Lord Winslow,” Adrian replied sharply, his blue eyes penetrative as he stared at the man before them. “Now speak your business so you may be shown my door. Your presence here will not be tolerated for long.”
The commanding air in Adrian’s deep voice did nothing to dissuade the rising arousal in Bridget’s veins. In fact, it turned that warmth into a raging fire that tightened her nipples and moistened her inner thighs, despite Victor’s presence.
When Victor did nothing but gape at Adrian’s response, Bridget found her own voice.
“My husband gave you a command, Lord Winslow,” she said with all the authority of a duchess. “I suggest you heed it.”
Victor’s eyes darted to her and narrowed as a sneer formed on his lips.
“You,” he hissed, shaking his head as he raised an accusatory finger at them. “Do not think you have managed to get away with anything. You two were conspiring to kill my brother.”
The accusation made Bridget still, but Adrian let out a barking laugh.
“You cannot be serious?” Adrian asked.
“Oh, I am very serious,” Victor snarled. “Why else would you marry so quickly? Why else would you refuse my hand, Bridget, even though you are aware that your guardians promised you to the Winslow title!”
Adrian opened his mouth to speak, but it was Bridget’s voice that filled the room.
“I refused to marry you because you are a foul being with no manners. My promise to the Winslow title was broken the moment my late husband passed, and I will not allow such a demand to be put on me again!”
Victor drew in a breath as if he was about to speak, but Bridget pressed on.
“As for your accusation? I was nothing but a dutiful wife to your brother. It was I, not you, who went searching for him when he went missing. It was I, not you, that covered for him as best I could when the rumors started circulating! I was not a deceitful wife, Victor, but you were a poor excuse for a brother!”
“Vile woman!” Victor snarled.
Bridget did not understand how one second she was sitting on Adrian’s lap and the next she was standing, watching her husband storm over to Victor and clutch the man’s collar, but it happened all the same.
“Her. Grace,” Adrian growled into Victor’s face. “You will address my wife as Her Grace, as she is the Duchess of Redgrave. She has nothing to do with your despicable family anymore.”
Bridget’s eyes widened as awe and satisfaction burst through her. Victor’s beet-red face paled instantly as he stood on his toes, dangling from Adrian’s grip.
“Duchess or not,” Victor choked out. “She conspired to cause my brother’s death, and I will prove it! You think you fooled me? This whole marriage was all for show, and everyone will see you both as the murderers you are!”
Bridget grimaced, knowing his words would be the true catalyst to her husband’s rage. With Warren dead, there were still so many unanswered questions revolving around Evander’s death. Questions her late husband most likely knew the answer to.
“Murderers?” Adrian grumbled, raking his eyes down Victor with disgust. “It was your brother that had blood on his hands, not us,” Adrian growled, then shoved Victor away.
Victor stumbled, but caught himself just as he was about to fall.
“You will stop these outlandish accusations,” Adrian commanded, taking a step toward him.
“You will leave my wife to the peace and happiness that she deserves, or I swear to God, and all that is holy, that I shall make you wish you never uttered her name from your lips. We may not have killed your brother, but I will end you, and the world will be better for it.”
“You threaten my life?” Victor gritted out, his face growing red.
“No, but I do threaten your livelihood,” Adrian warned, staring him down.
“I have learned much during my brother’s investigation.
So many dark secrets the men of this society hold.
And yours? Oh, will I spill yours with utter glee and determination until no one will ever want to do business with you!
You will be forced to flee like the rat you are! ”
Bridget gaped at the utter savagery in her husband’s tone. She had thought she had heard him enraged before, but she had clearly been wrong. Victor, as well, seemed to understand that, and with the bowing of his head, she knew he had lost all of the bravado he had once entered the study with.
There was a mumbling from him, a smattering of words she could not hear, but by the tone, she was sure they were an admission of defeat. Then Victor turned, not even trying to glance over Adrian’s shoulder at her, and left.