Page 44 of My Dangerous Duke

“I cannot keep doing this, Cousin,” Richard stated adamantly as soon as the two of them were alone.

“It is good to see you too, Richard,” Xander replied in a hard tone.

“Stop it,” Richard demanded, his voice strangled. “I am serious, Xander, I cannot do this anymore. I am not built for this. I hate it. Everyone somehowknowswhat I am, and I swear I am in more danger on those boats than I am on land!”

“That may be so,” Xander countered, his voice rising as he rose back to his feet. “But you are far less dangerous to people outthere than you are here, and I cannot keep cleaning up your mistakes!”

“I amnotgoing back,” Richard stated, baring his teeth. “Not for your benefit or anyone else’s! All I have ever wanted was a life of my own, Xander. If you would have just let me have it, this would have never happened!”

“You cannot be serious!” Xander boomed incredulously. “Every time you are left alone, Richard, every time, you have made a mess. Why are we having the conversation? This is a subject much over-discussed. If you want to be a man, Richard, you are going to have to prove it!”

Richard’s teeth drew back in a sneer as his eyes grew dark and he balled his fists.

“Is that what you want?” he asked, drawing his fists to his face as he took a step toward Xander. “You need me to prove to you I am a man?”

“Richard, please,” Xander drawled, shaking his head as he turned around. “Enough of-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Xander felt the weight of his cousin’s body fly into him, and the two men tumbled to the floor in a mess of swinging fists.

Both Eleanor and Margaret’s heads shot up as the sound of shouting protruded the silence.

“Oh no,” the Dowager whispered, her eyes growing wide with fear.

“What is that?” Eleanor asked, moving to her side.

“I fear it is the worst,” Margaret replied, her voice quivering as she began to pull Eleanor to the door. “Come, my dear, we must hurry! By the sound of it, Xander is about to kill him.”

Fear ran through Eleanor as she walked briskly with the Dowager Duchess, who was moving surprisingly fast with her cane.

“Kill who, Your Grace?” Eleanor asked.

“Who else?” Margaret cried as they neared the doors to the study.

Before she could ask why, Margaret pushed open Xander’s study doors, and Eleanor caught up with her just in time to stop the old woman from getting between the two quarreling men.

“Stop this at once!” Margaret shouted, slamming the butt of her cane repeatedly on the ground.

“I need to be free of this!” Richard roared, pushing away from Xander and his grandmother. “I cannot take it anymore!”

“You. Have. No. Choice.” Xander ground out.

“Why does he have no choice?” the Dowager demanded to know, taking Richard’s side. “He is a grown man! If he does not want to be in the Navy, he should not have to.”

“Grandmother, please,” Xander pleaded, “You and Eleanor need to leave. Out.Now.”

“But your grandmother is right, Xander,” Eleanor argued, trying to find the sense in it all. “If he wishes to leave the Navy, why not let him?”

A look of betrayal hovered in Xander’s eyes but before he could speak, Richard broke out of Margaret’s embrace and came striding toward Eleanor.

“You stay out of this,” he growled, his face contorted with rage. “This is all ofyourfault! You and your greedy, nosy father and his blackmail. It isyouthat has taken everything away from me!”

“Richard,” Xander warned, taking a step toward him.

“What is my fault?” Eleanor asked, urging Richard to ignore her husband’s threatening gaze. “You have said that before. Why? What does it mean?”

“Because, you little twit, your marriage to Xander is nothing but a response from blackmail from your father!” Richard exploded. “Your father has letters written by me to my lover, Marcus, and the bastard has us both by the shaft!”

“Blackmail…?”

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