Page 46 of Unraveled By the Duke
The sounds were nearby, behind Alexander and across the path. Another couple.
“You animal. I did not give you leave to go so far!” a feminine voice shrieked.
Celia gasped and was suddenly pushing past Alexander in the direction of the altercation.
“Aurelia!” she cried.
CHAPTER 14
Aurelia was running from the shadows towards the path. She collided with Celia. At first, she screamed in fright. Then, she collapsed into her sister’s arms, sobbing.
A man emerged behind her. He was young, but perhaps five years older than her. His jaw was square, and his nose bold. He was handsome, but that was marred by the ugly anger that animated his features.
“Whatever is happening here?” Celia demanded.
“That little minx assaulted me!” the young man spat. “I will thrash her to within an inch of her life!”
He raised a hand, and Celia pushed Aurelia behind her immediately. It left her exposed and vulnerable as the larger man advanced, his fists clenched and one raised.
A dark shape suddenly bolted past her, blocking her view of the man. His raised fist was locked in a fearsome grip. Alexander’s other hand curled around the man’s throat and almost lifted him off his feet.
He tossed the man back without any apparent effort.
“I will not restrain myself if you harm one hair on either of their heads!” he snarled, hurling the man bodily into the nearest hedge.
“Who are you?” the man demanded in a tone of injured pride.
Others were paying attention now, and someone came running at the sound of the scream. No, not someone, but more than one person.
“I am the Duke of Cheverton. Who are you, rogue?” Alexander growled.
The man hauled himself out of the hedge, straightening his clothes and keeping a cautious distance from Alexander’s anger. “That whore made promises to me,” he hissed, pointing at Aurelia.
“I did not! You heard promises that I would never make. You told me you loved me!” she cried.
Celia tried to hush her, aware of how many people could hear them now. If they saw Aurelia’s face, it did not bear thinkingabout. She pulled her into the shadows, keeping herself between the gathering crowd and her sister—or trying to.
Alexander lunged at the man with an enraged snarl and grabbed him by the collar. So desperate was the bastard to escape that his collar ripped free of his shirt.
“You will regret this when my father hears of it, Cheverton!” the man spat. “You think your title is your shield? Not when your name is on my father’s books.”
“Threaten me again, cur, and regret it for the rest of your life!” Alexander roared.
The man retreated a few paces as though to distance himself from Alexander’s rage.
Alexander stood in defense of Celia and Aurelia, as unyielding as the Tower of London, his fists clenched and ready for battle. His opponent licked his lips and seemed to find courage in the distance between them.
“You know my father well, or should. Sir Nathaniel Grimaire. You owe him a lot, Cheverton. You will rue the day you crossedme, Phillip Grimaire. As will that chit!”
He turned and strode away, shoving aside anyone who got in his way with oaths and snarls.
Alexander turned to Celia and Aurelia. He went to them and wrapped his arms around them both. Celia immediately felt safe in his embrace. She was conscious of how much strength those arms held. How much resolve the mind that controlled them contained. Surely no one could hurt them while Alexander stood as their bulwark.
“He is gone. A rogue of the worst order,” he whispered.
“Oh, Celia! I have been such a fool! Whatever will Papa and Mama think!” Aurelia wailed.
Celia hugged her sister fiercely. “What happened, Aurelia? How did you come here? Are Mama and Papa here, too?”
