Page 28 of This Earl of Mine

“How dare you!” Georgie tried to twist away, but he tightened his grip and yanked her forward. She stumbled and gasped in fury as he casually pawed her breast. The ripping sound of her lace fichu rent the night air.

“Your man isn’t here to see to you now, is he?” Josiahpanted, pressing his wet lips to the side of her neck. “But I can give you what you need.”

Fury and revulsion coursed through her veins. She shoved her palms hard against his chest. “Get off me, Josiah!”

He ignored her struggles.

“Step back, or I’ll be forced to hurt you.”

His disbelieving chuckle was her only answer. Georgie cursed. So be it. Josiah’s wasn’t the first unwelcome kiss to which she’d been subjected, and Pieter had taught her exactly how to deal with such irritations. She stopped struggling, let herself sag against her cousin’s chest, and gave a moan that could be construed as encouragement. Josiah groaned against her shoulder as she swept her hand down over his hip and stroked back up, feigning a caress, even as her stomach churned.

“That’s right, you little hussy,” he breathed. “Let me show you—oof!”

Georgie lowered her knee from between his legs and stepped back as Josiah curled into a ball and collapsed sideways, clutching his groin in agony.

“I warned you,” she sighed unhappily.

Chapter 16.

Unfortunately, Josiah did not stay down for long. Georgie barely had time to grab the slim knife she kept in her boot when he lurched to his feet with a snarl.

“You little bitch!”

She lifted the blade so it caught the light. “If you’re wondering if I know how to use this,” she said levelly, “let me tell you that Fatherinsistedon it before he allowed me to accompany him to the docks. In case I got into any trouble.”

Josiah stilled, clearly realizing she wasn’t joking. They stared at one another for a long, breathless moment, and Georgie prayed he wouldn’t try anything stupid. Stabbing one’s own cousin—however deserving he might be—was most definitelynot the thing.

The metallic hiss of a blade being unsheathed made them both turn in unison, and Georgie let out a surprised exhale as Wylde stepped out from the shadows, the lethal blade of a swordstick in one hand and the ebony cane that had concealed it in the other.

He faced Josiah. “I do hope you were about to bid the lady adieu,” he said with sweet menace. “Because I don’t believe she requires your presence.”

Josiah glared at him but raised both hands to his shoulders in a gesture of surrender. “Indeed I was, sir.”

Georgie didn’t take her eyes away from her cousin, but her words were for the man who strolled forward until he stopped a few feet from her side. “Good evening, Mr. Wylde. Thank you for your assistance, but I have this under control.”

“I can see that,” he said amiably. “I’m just providing a little backup in case this gentleman decides to chance his arm.” He gave Josiah a slight, mocking bow that was a perfect insult. “I don’t believe we’ve met. Benedict Wylde. Late of the Rifles. I’m a sight better with pistols than I am with a sword, but I’m quite willing to use this on you if you don’t back away. Right. Now.”

Josiah curled his lip but did as he was ordered. “We’ll talk again, Cousin,” he promised Georgie darkly, then turned and stalked away.

Georgie noted his limping stride with no small degree of satisfaction. When she was certain he’d gone, she released the tension in her shoulders and let the hand holding the knife fall to her skirts. She turned to Wylde with a slow exhale of relief.

“Well, that was—”

“A stupid bloody thing to do?” he supplied. “What in hell’s name was that?”

He glanced around the shadowed clearing with a frown, as if scanning for further danger. “Good God, woman! Where did you learn a trick like that? And what are you doing, carrying a knife in your boot?”

“Pieter showed me how to handle myself,” she said, secretly amazed that her voice didn’t wobble. Now that the danger was past, her hands were shaking and she feltdecidedly nauseous. Relief that Wylde had come to her aid was slowly giving way to embarrassment that he’d seen her in such an awful position, and consternation at how close she’d come to disaster.

Her own blood relative hadassaultedher. What had Josiah been thinking? And how foolish was she, to have underestimated the depths of his resentment? She smoothed the front of her skirts and tried to calm the frantic pounding of her heart.

“I think it shows a great deal of common sense. I regularly visit my ships and warehouses at Blackwall. I don’t know if you’re acquainted with the dockside wharves, Mr. Wylde, but they aren’t the most salubrious of neighborhoods. One cannot be too careful.”

Wylde sheathed his sword inside the walking cane with a practiced swish and glared at her. “What are you doing out here? We were supposed to meet at the rotunda.”

“What areyoudoing?” she countered. “Lurking about in the bushes?”

“I was meeting an informant. Where’s your man Pieter?”

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