Page 4 of The Duke and the Hellion Bride

“I was not lost.”

“Then what were you doing? And why are you attacking me?”

“That is none of your business!” The embarrassment had passed, giving way to anger because she was certain now that whoever this man was, he was mocking her. Not only was that the height of rudeness, but it was arrogant because what could he possibly know of what she had been dealing with. “Now, if you do not mind...” She tried to pull her hands free.

“Do you promise you will not attack me again?”

“I told you...” She pulled her hands, and still he refused to let go. “I did not attack you!”

He did not respond that time. Rather, he looked at her with a sense of curiosity that made her cheeks flush red and her chest burn just as hot.

Now that the shock of the moment had passed, Diana was able to see that her initial assessment of the man was just. He was attractive, was her meaning. But not in the ways one might deem as ‘pretty’ or even presumptive, as the marquess thought of himself. No, there was a ruggedness to the man, a hardness to his features that told her he cared little for how he looked or what others thought of him. That he had lived ten lives or more, his eyes especially, an intelligence borne from lived experience.

The silence between them grew steadily. He was tall and he stood over her like a mountain bearing down on a small village. Ordinarily, a situation such as this might have made Diana uncomfortable, for it was not right to be alone with a strange man. But her safety wasn’t what concerned her.

What did concern her was what might be said if someone was to see them suddenly. So, with another mountainous effort, she yanked firmly on her arms to free herself, caught by surprise this time when the stranger let her go.

“Oh!” she cried out and fell backwards, arms flailing, body flying right into the wall of hedges behind her. “Urgh!” she then belched as the hedges consumed her, the stick falling from her hands.

“Careful now,” the stranger said without humor, even if she felt he was mocking her. “You do not want to hurt yourself.”

“You did that on purpose!” she accused him.

“Did what?”

“Made me fall!” She stood herself back up and brushed off her clothes; twigs and leaves stuck from them, and she shuddered to think how her hair must have looked.

“I believe gravity was the cause, madam. Surely, you are not suggesting that I am responsible for such a thing?”

She glared at him, quickly finding his perceived charm as nothing short of arrogant. “I think it is best if you leave.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” She fixed him in a glare, no longer besotted with his good looks. She was far too annoyed for that. “I do not know who you are – and we can thank God and all his creatures for that,” she said with a warning scowl. “But even you must know how inappropriate it is to be alone with a Lady, such as I am. If you are anything close to a gentleman, you will do the right thing and leave.” She raised an eyebrow at him, but he did not make to move. “Well?”

“Is that what you are? A Lady?”

“How dare you!”

He chuckled. “I jest, madam. I jest. And you are right...” He straightened himself up. “The truth is, I was simply walking past when you attacked me.”

“I did not --”

“And I think it will be best for both of us if I be on my way.”

“Good.”

He shook his head, smiling as if at a joke. “I wish I could say that the pleasure was all mine but --”

From down the path, Diana heard something. It was soft and were she not in such a heightened state she might have missed it entirely. But it was there, she had no doubt. Someone was calling her name. Someone was looking for her! No need to say who it was.

“Oh no!” Diana’s eyes shot open, and her heartrate spiked. She did not think. She did not consider. The marquess was looking for her and he was the last person she wished to see – even this extremely rude stranger was a step up, in her estimation. Dreading the idea of being caught by the man, having no other option, Diana did the only thing that made sense in the moment. “Quickly!” she said as she grabbed a hold of the stranger by his shirt and yanked him into the alcove with her.

“Wowa!” he yelped as she pulled him.

She fell back against the row of hedges again, and still holding the stranger by the shirt, pulled him in with her.

His large body pressed against her own. His thick legs, trying to find their balance, spread and opened around her. A stick forced its way into her back, bringing her to a halt, but she hardly noticed it because the dark stranger was upon her like a cloak in winter.

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