Page 88 of The Duke and the Accidental Bride

Duncan and Lady St. Vincent being alone like that was worrying enough. She knew a little of their past, but not enough to come to any resolute conclusions. Perhaps the woman was following him? Perhaps Duncan was dissuading her? Or perhaps... Isabella’s stomach knotted when she considered the third option.

No... Duncan would not do that. Not to me. Not here, in public, with so many people around.

That thoughts of her husband touching another made her feel so physically ill was telling and spoke loudly to how Isabella was beginning to feel about her marriage. Not that she had time to ponder on this, as her sister chasing after them brought with it a whole host of new problems.

Louisa was distrusting of Duncan. She must have seen them leave together and decided to follow – to catch them in the act. Only, Isabella knew her sister wouldn’t find what she was looking for. And even if there was nothing to catch, Louisa was so certain of Duncan’s character that she would likely assume and then accuse and then... nothing good.

“Sorry, mother.” Isabella stepped around her mother. “I need to... I will be back.”

“Isabella!”

Isabella did not bother appeasing her mother’s shrill cry. She hurried across the garden, through the crowd, and toward the manor.

It was just as she was reaching the house, however, that she heard a shrill cry rip from inside. A cry of such anguish and suffering that it tore across the entire party and had all heads turning suddenly to see what the cause of such misery could be.

“Louisa!” Isabella cried out and rushed for the house, through the doors, and down the hallway.

She heard the commotion immediately. Screaming. Shouting. Yelling! Impossible to make out what any of it meant or who was the cause of the clamor, but that did not matter for she saw it with her own eyes soon enough.

Not that she understood what she was seeing.

Isabella came upon a scene that had her gasping in shock, as if she had stumbled into a nightmare and was failing to wake up. There was blood. There were bodies. There was confusion.

The first thing she saw was Duncan. He had his arms wrapped around Lady St. Vincent’s waist, lifting her into the air and roaring as she thrashed and kicked and shrieked for all her life was worth. There was blood on the woman, some on Duncan too, and Isabella’s mouth dropped open.

Then her eyes fell to the floor, and she saw the cause of the blood.

“Louisa!” Isabella cried out and dropped to her knees where her sister lay prone and shaking. “Louisa! What happened!” She snapped her head up and snarled at Duncan and Lady St. Vincent. “What did you do!”

There was blood everywhere. Louisa lay in a ball, holding her face, weeping as blood seeped through her fingers and pooled on the floor. A bloodied knife lay beside her, which Isabella kicked away as she tried to embrace and comfort her sister, not certain what she could do.

“Louisa! What happened? Are you – speak to me! Please!”

“Isabella!” Duncan cried out. “I am sorry!”

“No!” Juliet shrieked. “No! She doesn’t love you like I do! She does not!”

Louisa’s body trembled but she did not speak. Gently, Isabella tried to pull her hands back... “Please,” she said. “Show me what...” She gasped at what she saw.

The knife had slashed down the side of Louisa’s face, from the top of her right eye all the way down to her chin. A hideous gash which poured blood and looked so painful that Isabella could feel it as if it had happened to her own face.

“Oh no!”

“Isabella!” Duncan dropped the countess and pushed her away as he rushed for Isabella. “I can explain!”

“What happened!” Isabella cried out.

She could not believe that this was Duncan. That was madness! The reason for Isabella’s sudden verve of anger had everything to do with how she felt about herself… because this right here, she knew, was her fault.

“What on earth – Louisa!” Isabella’s mother shouted. “What has happened! What have you done!”

“Your Grace, what have you done!” another party guest accused.

“He attacked her!”

“He stabbed her!”

“Someone! Stop him! Take the knife!”

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