Page 10 of A Bride for the Wicked Duke

“Please, my brother --”

“Is busy, I am sure. No need to hurry. No need to leave.”

Aurelia would not describe herself as brave, as much as she was short tempered. She often spoke without thinking. She often acted without considering the consequences. And where many a young woman might not dream of inserting themselves into a situation that screamed danger, Aurelia was not one of them. Not when her friend needed her.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Aurelia spoke up, which had Lord Harrow jumping and spinning about. “But I am afraid I must steal my friend from you.”

“Aurelia!” Rosalind cried with relief, hurrying to step past the troublesome lord. “I --”

“Easy there.” Lord Harrow shot an arm out to block Rosalind from passing him. “This doesn’t concern you,” he sneered. “So, I suggest you do the smart thing and turn around and head back inside and forget you were ever out here.”

“The smart thing?” Aurelia said with a frown. “Clearly, you do not know me very well at all. I never was one for listening. Just ask my mother.”

Arm still extended to block Rosalind, his lip curled into a snarl. “I said get. Don’t make me ask again.”

“And if I do?” Aurelia asked innocently. “Make you ask again, I mean. What will happen? You haven’t been very clear.”

Even in the dark, Aurelia saw the man’s eyes flash with anger. Teeth bared, fury enveloping him, he growled a warning at Rosalind as if telling her to stay put and then he strode for Aurelia, arm outstretched to grab her.

Aurelia’s heart leapt through her throat, and she might have cried out was she not suddenly taken by panic. It was all well and good to do the right thing and try and help her friend, but this was the other side of the coin where her boldness often led her. Into danger which she had no way of extricating herself from.

Lord Harrow came to a sudden stop, his body turning rigged and his eyes widening with fear. He balked, chin wobbling, scampering back a quick step in a way that might have suggested that Aurelia had suddenly grown by several feet and was now holding a weapon.

“This looks friendly,” the voice of His Grace spoke from behind Aurelia. Calm and poised, there was no anger to it, no sense that he had just stumbled upon a most troubling situation. “I hope I am not interrupting.”

“Your Grace!” Lord Harrow stammered. “I... I was just introducing myself to --”

“My sister,” His Grace continued. From behind her, Aurelia felt His Grace’s presence as he stepped in closer, which had Lord Harrow’s eyes turning even wider. “And Lady Hawkins. Although if introductions were what you were after, Lord Harrow, you ought to know better than to find yourself alone with two young ladies.”

“I --”

“Have surely become lost,” His Grace spoke over Lord Harrow, still perfectly calm. “I might even be willing to believe that you stumbled out here unknowingly, at which time you saw these two ladies alone and realized that it was best that you made yourself scarce.” A beat as Lord Harrow’s chin trembled with fear. “Now!” His Grace finished with emphasis.

Lord Harrow did not need to be told twice. He yelped and jumped on the spot, then quickly scampered past Aurelia and His Grace as if his coat had caught fire.

“Gerald!” Rosalind cried out with relief, rushing toward her brother. “Thank God you are here. Lord Harrow, he --”

“Is a nuisance and a pest,” the duke spoke over his sister as he walked around Aurelia. He did not turn back to look at her, focusing himself on Rosalind who stopped short before him. “And you ought to know better than to find yourself alone with him.”

Rosalind grimaced and looked away with shame. “I am sorry, Gerald. I did not mean it.”

“Now, wait just a moment,” Aurelia spoke up, suddenly angry. She stepped between the duke and Rosalind, fixing her annoyed gaze on His Grace. “Rosalind did not find herself out here with Lord Harrow – this was not her fault. He followed her out here.”

“Aurelia!” Rosalind gasped.

“And you should be relieved that was all he did,” Aurelia continued hotly. “It is just lucky that I found them when I did, or who knows what might have happened.” Hands on her hips, she continued to glare at the duke.

The duke frowned at her. Not angry at being snapped at. Not apologetic at the mistake made. Rather, he appeared curious, perhaps even amused that Aurelia had suddenly chosen to attack him. A tilted head, he looked down at her, in no way put out by her glare holding her eyes as he dared her to look away. Which she did do, finding it impossible to match the coolness of his gaze.

“You found them, did you?” he said eventually.

“I did,” Aurelia said. “I saw Lord Harrow following Rosalind and I thought it best that I intervene. A good thing I did to.”

“Rosalind,” he then said. “Is this true?”

“I did not mean it,” Rosalind hurried. “I was just coming outside for some fresh air and --”

“Lord Harrow followed you...” He nodded along as the story fell into place. “And Lady Hawkins here came to your rescue. Do I have that right.”

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