Page 62 of Disguised Desires of a Scarred Duke
“Mr Black! What is the meaning of this? Have you taken liberties with this young lady? This is scandalous! We are all witnesses!”
Cecil Phillips stood in front of his scavenger hunt group and pointed at Anthony with a reddened face.
Anthony let go of Eleanor’s hands and stood in front of her like a shield. “Stand back, Phillips. Or I will finally end you!”
“Did you hear him just threaten my life? That is enough, Mr Black. You and your ragged face aren’t welcome here anymore. Besides, you are only one man, and I have my companions to protect me!”
The four people standing behind Cecil took several steps backwards and then hurried into the hallway, leaving him alone with Anthony and Eleanor.
Cecil watched them leave with a look of horror but quickly recovered and called after them. “That’s right, go get the Charters and let them see this for themselves!”
“There’s nobody to protect you now, Phillips. So it might be wise for you to follow them away from here before you get hurt,” Anthony growled.
“Cecil, please! We’ve been doing so much better. Let’s keep the peace and end this feud now. We won’t bother you if you don’t bother us,” Eleanor pleaded, but Cecil’s face contorted into such an angry look it made her stand behind Anthony again.
Within minutes, a crowd of people gathered inside the library entrance and spilled out into the hall. It was clear by their comments that they favoured Cecil over Anthony. But Eleanor knew that was only because no one truly knew Anthony. Plus, Cecil was a viscount’s son.
It wasn’t fair, and it further supported Anthony’s distaste for society and its rules. She didn’t blame him for feeling that way, especially in moments like these.
“Take the first swing, Black! You’ll regret that you did!”
“I’m not going to hit a helpless man. Turn around and run, Cecil. Eleanor doesn’t belong to you.”
“Oh, but she will soon enough. Shewill!”
With those words echoing down the hall behind him, Cecil Phillips took Anthony’s advice and ran quickly from the library calling, “He took liberties! Anthony Black is a rake! He’s a rake!”
Chapter 25
William could tell that Lord and Lady Charter didn’t believe Cecil’s story, but a high percentage of their guests did. For that reason, they felt they had no choice but to ask him if he would be willing to leave the house party early to avoid further insults.
William obliged their request within hours of the incident in the library. Edward insisted on joining him, so the two men set off in their carriage without any formal goodbyes.
In the aftermath of Cecil discovering them in an intimate moment, Eleanor was quickly whisked away by her cousin to avoid more scrutiny. William barely had another chance to speak with her before Lord Whitfield had run into the room asking what had happened. Then Regina and Edward had followed close behind.
The entire scene had been chaotic and far-reaching. The rumours of his bad behaviour had apparently spread so quickly through the guests that everyone had formed their own opinion before he’d even left the library.
Lord Whitfield was apologetic with William, asking him to please understand. As Eleanor’s guardian at this event, her cousin was responsible for Eleanor’s reputation as well as her safety. The Earl of St Coeur needed to protect his charge now in a way that William no longer could.
That fact was why the duke hung his head in the carriage as he and his friend rode away from the Charter estate through the dark night.
When it started to rain, William groaned.
“Does this night remind you of any we’ve shared recently, Montrose? Because it seems eerily similar to me.” The duke’s words were supported by a flash of lightning that momentarily spooked the horses.
“Your Grace, I think we need a comfortable inn and a full flask tonight. We haven’t yet found the first thing, but I can provide the second.”
Edward pulled his silver flask from his jacket pocket and handed it to his friend. ‘Drink up, Will. You’ve earned it.”
“I blame this on you, you know. All that poetic talk of love and tulips and being with one woman for the rest of your life. It all leads to ruin, Edward. All of it.”
William felt the sweet sting of cherry port slide down his throat, and then he offered the flask back to its owner.
“Keep it. You need it more than I do. But you’re wrong about love, Will. It only leads to ruin if you let it. You’ve got to fight for your girl,” Edward said.
The rocking of the carriage over the dirt country roads made William’s gut lurch again like it had the first night they arrived in London.
Am I destined to repeat the same misery time and again?
