Page 34 of Taken By the Dangerous Duke

CHAPTER16

Defending a Wife’s Honor

“What did you say?” demanded the duke, moving between Gerald and his wife.

“I called her an insubordinate, silly burick. Are those words too long for you, sir? She is a badly behaved, foolish prostitute.”

“How dare you!” shouted the duke. He swung his arm and his fist connected with Gerald’s cheek. The man went down like a sack of potatoes, and a collective gasp went out from the crowd that had gathered around.

Arthur held his other arm in front of Margaret, protecting her from any harm. She gripped his arm, happy for the protection she was provided.

Gerald slowly rose from his place on the floor, rising first to one knee before he was able to lean fully on his cane and push himself back up to his feet.

“How dare you, sir!” shouted Gerald, but he was shaken, and the only reason he was acting defiant was to save some face. There were many in the room who wanted a fight to break out to add some excitement to the night, but no one expected Gerald to try and take on the duke.

“You will address me as ‘Your Grace’,” stated Arthur.

“I, I, I…” stammered Gerald.

“What is the meaning of this?” asked Lord Easton, the Earl of Wexford. “Duke Garriot, shall we have this man thrown out?”

“He was seeing himself out, I believe,” said the duke.

“I did not know you were a duke,” mumbled Gerald. “Not that it matters. The woman belongs to me, so if you will get out of my way, I will take what is mine and be on my way.”

“What is yours?” asked Arthur. “I hope you are not talking about my wife?”

“Wife,” spat Gerald. He looked from Arthur to Margaret, and she tried to look as insubordinate as she could. “No, she is promised to me, and I will take her home.”

“She belongs to no one,” said the duke. “And I will remind you that you already called her a prostitute. Now, unless you would like my knuckles to rap your other cheek, I suggest you leave here now.”

“Well, she is,” said Gerald, wiping the corner of his lip with his handkerchief. “Promised to me and now she is married to another man. I don’t believe you even knew this woman three weeks ago. Everything you say only proves my point.”

“And, everything you say only insults this woman more, sir,” warned the duke.

“I have known the duke for a lot longer than I have known you,” said Margaret. “And I was only promised to you because you were going to pay my father in exchange for me, and you are my father’s cousin, and I would not marry you in a million years, you disgusting pig.”

A titter rang around the room, and Margaret could not help but smile. She moved behind Arthur and wrapped her arms around him as if to prove a point.

Gerald took his time wiping his lip a second time before stuffing his handkerchief back into his sleeve. “I will leave, but this is not the last you will see of me, Your Grace. Margaret, I shall be back for you soon.”

The Duke and Margaret did not reply, leaving Gerald to walk out in silence. When he had left, all eyes turned to Arthur and his wife.

“Come on, I believe it is time to leave,” he said. “If we stay, we are never going to hear the end of it. I am sorry that the night turned out this way.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Margaret. “This is the best night I have had in a long time.”

As soon as the door closed behind them, Margaret pulled Arthur in and kissed him. It felt like they were back at the inn on the way back to York; though, this time, they were not both intoxicated. Or, perhaps Margaret was intoxicated, but not on alcohol.

“I have never had someone protect or stand up for me like that before. You defended my honor, and I wish to thank you for that,” said Margaret.

“Any man would have done the same,” said the duke.

Margaret stood toe to toe with him, staring into his complicated eyes. “No, not any man would have, and not for any woman either. I have lived my life being put down and shamed. You made me feel like a person tonight, like a woman. I was not lying when I said it was the best night of my life. We got to dance, and be around people, and eat good food, and you fought a man for me, and now I hope we can continue the evening with more fun.”

Margaret did not wait for a response, afraid that she would miss out on what she wanted—what she needed. She had wanted to feel the duke inside her again ever since he had planted his seed the first time, and she wanted it even more tonight.

She pressed her lips to his, and roved with her tongue, pushing it into his mouth until it met his. The duke fought her back, tangling with her tongue, and forcing it back into her mouth, conquering her—and Margaret relished it. She wanted to feel more like a woman and be taken by this powerful man.

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