“Rubbish. Of course it is.” He gripped her wrist. “What are you playing at? You don’t know anyone else here. Don’t tell me that one-armed man twisted your arm.”
“No one twisted my arm, but you.” Sophie tried to wrench herself free, but he held fast. “Let go.”
“Not until you tell me who you are supposedly marrying.”
“That would be me.” Captain Overtree appeared at Sophie’s side like a menacing shadow, towering over both her and Maurice. She glanced up and saw anger glinting in his eyes, his jaw clenched.
“You? But she has just met you.” Maurice’s grip loosened, and Sophie yanked her arm away.
“Clearly you don’t know everything,” the captain said. “Miss Dupont is under no obligation to acquaint you with her every decision. Nor is it any of your concern how or when we met. But let me make one thing perfectly clear. If I ever see you lay a rough hand on her again, I will break that hand. Is that understood?”
Maurice’s lip curled in disdain. “Her father shall hear about this.”
“Yes, he shall,” the captain agreed, unconcerned. “I shall tell him myself when we see him in a few days. And I shall also apprise him of your disrespectful treatment of his daughter.”
Maurice swallowed. “I meant no disrespect. Worried about her, that’s all. And why wouldn’t I be—planning to run off with a stranger as she is?”
Captain Overtree formed a humorless smile. A dangerous smile, it seemed to Sophie.
“Your concern is touching, young man. But I am hardly a stranger. I am soon to be Miss Dupont’s husband. Now wish us happy and be on your way. It is time we took our leave.”
Leave...The thought of setting off with this man toward an unknown future filled Sophie with trepidation. She was suddenly very glad she’d accepted Mrs. Thrupton’s offer to accompany them.
When Maurice stalked off, the captain stepped away to speak to the coachman.
Mrs. Thrupton hurried into the yard, huffing and puffing. “Sorry, sorry! Ran into a neighbor. She’s going to feed my cat for me....” Mavis looked at Sophie’s face and frowned. “What is it? What’s happened?”
“Maurice was just here.”
“Oh no.”
“Captain Overtree dispatched him—never fear.”
Mavistsked. “Sorry about that. He must have seen me leave your note.”
Sophie looked at her wrist, relieved to see no mark there. “Oh well. It’s over now.”
Captain Overtree finished speaking with the coachman and joined the ladies. “Are we ready?”
“Yes,” Sophie lied and forced a smile.
The groom opened the door for them, and the captain handed in Mrs. Thrupton, then offered his hand to Sophie. She glanced at it as though it were a coiled snake.
Noticing her hesitation, his blue eyes grew icy again. “Afraid of me, are you? Thank heavens you have a chaperone to protect you.”
Sophie swallowed and allowed him to help her inside. She sat beside Mrs. Thrupton on the front-facing seat, leaving the opposite bench for him.
“Do you mind, Mrs. Thrupton?” he said. “I prefer to face forward.”
“As do I.”
“So you can keep your eye on me?” he asked.
“I didn’t say that.”
“Tell you what. Sit here straight across from me and I shan’t move a muscle without first announcing my intention to do so. That way I needn’t see Miss Dupont looking at me like a frightened rabbit the entire journey.”
Mavis sniffed. “Very well. He that pays the piper calls the tune, I suppose.”
