Page 76 of Heartbreaker of the Ton
“Take care of Loveday,” she said.
“But you’re exhausted.”
“I’m not the one in need of help,” she said, panting. “I’ll be fine. Loveday needs you more.”
Andrew lifted Loveday into his arms, his heart aching at her slight frame, then he waded back toward the shore, glancing over his shoulder to ensure Etty followed. Loveday clung to him as he set her down on the beach, but before he could return for Etty, Mr. Gadd had waded in and was already placing his jacket over her shoulders, ignoring her protests.
“Foolish lass,” he said. “But brave, goin’ in after Loveday in those currents.”
“Anyone would have done the same, Mr. Gadd.”
“That’s where ye’re wrong, lass,” he said. “Jimmy, give Loveday yer jacket, there’s a good lad.”
“Oh no you don’t,” Ralph growled. “Get yer filthy hands off my wife.” He gestured to Loveday. “Woman, come here—ye’ve caused enough trouble.”
“Mr. Smith, I don’t think—” Jimmy began, but Ralph struck out and clipped the lad around the ear.
“That’s enough, boy!” He grasped Loveday by the arm and yanked her toward him. She stumbled against his chest and gave a cry, cowering. “Foolish little slut!” he snarled. “And to think—everything I’ve done for you!”
“Whathaveyou done for your wife, Mr. Smith?” a sharp voice asked.
Despite her fatigue, Etty was striding toward him, determination in her expression.
“Not enough by the looks of it, if she’s tempted into sin by the likes of you,” Ralph spat.
“Tempted into sin?” Etty said, tilting her head in the manner of a duchess. “What nonsense! Unless you believe taking a picnic by the sea to be an act of debauchery.”
“Don’t play the high-and-mighty with me, woman,” Ralph growled, releasing Loveday and approaching Etty, his brutish,thick-set body towering over her. “I know all about you—the village harlot, ye are, inviting all manner of men into yer home. Disgusting, it is, and now ye’re tempting my wife to stray from the path again.”
“Again?”
“Aye,” he said. “I always knew my wife was a slattern, but I took her on nevertheless. Much good it did me, being saddled with her brats.”
“Ralph, no—” Loveday began.
“Silence, slut!” Ralph roared. “So help me God, when I get ye home, I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” Etty interrupted. “Beat her again? Throw her against the door then terrify her into telling the world she fell, thus concealing your savagery?”
“She’s my wife—I’ll do what I fucking well want with her!”
Andrew flinched at the profanity.
Etty curled her hands into fists and stepped toward Ralph until she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. “You think just because you’re bigger than your wife that you can brutalize her?”
“She’smywife! She vowed to obey me.”
“And did you not vow to keep and protect her?” Etty asked. “Do you think beating her into submission is protection, Mr. Smith? Or is it merely the act of a coward, a man who has failed in life, who seeks to improve his sense of self-worth by crushing that of another?”
“My wife is a whore. She needs correction.”
Etty let out a snort. “Your wife is no more of a whore than any other woman.”
“Aye,” Ralph said, “and all women are whores.”
“Including maidservants who are raped by their master?”
“Mrs. Ward!” Mr. Gadd said. “I hardly think that’s—”
