“Ye lie,” the man said with a rumbling throatiness. “I have courted this lady for the past fortnight. If what ye say is true, where the devil have ye been while another man pursued your woman?” He shifted to one side and glared at Fortuity. “And what sort of woman willingly receives another man’s attention when she belongs to someone else?”
“I did not encourage you, Lord Carronbridge.” Fortuity set her chin to a defiant angle. “I spent time with you and your sister to help you ease into London Society more easily. It was notcourting.It was kindness and extending friendship.” She shifted in the chair as if uncomfortable, then pushed herself to her feet. “And I belong to no one because I am neither chattel nor an animal purchased for breeding. I belong to no one but myself.”
He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “Ye dinna ken your place, woman. Such an attitude is most unbecoming. While I regret speaking ill of the dead, did your parents not have the sense to raise ye properly?”
“Do not dare to insult my parents, you arrogant churl.” She fisted her hands and started toward him. “They were far better people than you could ever hope to be.”
Matthew caught her and pulled her back, tucking her close to his side. “Leave, Carronbridge, or I shall personally escort you out.”
“I wouldha taught her how to behave, but now that I see she’s nothing but a brazen whore, ye can have her.” Carronbridge spat on the floor. “Good riddance to her, and I pray ye know for certain ye are the father of anything that comes out of her.”
Matthew lunged and landed a solid blow to the Scot’s jaw, knocking the man out into the hallway. Driven by uncontrollable rage, he charged forward, grabbed the rude lord up from the floor, and struck him again. “Insult her again and die!”
“A common lightskirt,” Carronbridge sneered through the blood streaming from his nose.
Clutching the devil by the waistcoat, Matthew drove the man back into the wall and pummeled him. “You are the only thing common here, you bastard.” He hit him again, a red haze of fury roaring through him, deafening and blinding him to all else.
“Ravenglass, stop! You are going to kill him!” Lord Knightwood caught hold of Matthew, attempting to pull him away.
Matthew twisted free, determined to finish the man. “He insulted my Fortuity. He deserves to die!”
“We will see him ousted from London,” the Duke of Broadmere said as he grabbed Matthew’s other arm. “No one hurts any of my sisters and gets away with it.” He and Lord Knightwood forced Matthew back from the Scot, who sank to the floor and went still.
Lady Sarah pushed through the gathered onlookers and hurried to her unconscious brother. “Oh, Simon. Not again.” She turned and looked up at Matthew, Knightwood, and the duke. “I am so sorry. If someone could please place him in our carriage, we shall be gone from here and never return. Please forgive him. He canna help himself.”
Tears streaming down her face, she went to Fortuity, curtsied low, and bowed her head. “Forgive us, Lady Fortuity, I beg ye. He is a good man most of the time. At least, he is until his demons break free. Please find it in your heart to forgive him, and remember us in your prayers.”
“Stay here with us. We will protect you.” Fortuity sent a pleading look to her brother.
Chance nodded. “You are most welcome to shelter at Broadmere House, Lady Sarah, while your brother returns to Scotland.”
The lady gave them both a sad smile, then turned her gaze to her brother. “I canna leave him. He is my twin, and I fear what he might do, what harm he might bring down upon himself, were I to desert him.” She curtsied again. “But I thank ye for the offer.”
“Remove him to his carriage,” Lord Burrastone ordered his footmen. He turned to Matthew and narrowed his eyes. “Do you require a room and the assistance of my valet, my lord?”
“Thank you, but no, Lord Burrastone.” Still struggling to compose himself, Matthew offered the portly gentleman a bow. “However, for the sake of your wife’s delightful party, I feel it best that my cousins and I depart.” He turned to Fortuity’s brother. “Your Grace, I shall call upon you tomorrow. Lady Fortuity has agreed to be my wife.”
“Has she?” Chance eyed Matthew, shifted his gaze to Fortuity, and then offered them both a knowing smile. “Until tomorrow, then, Lord Ravenglass. I look forward to our meeting.”
Matthew moved to Fortuity, took her hand, and kissed it. “All will be well. I promise.”
Her eyes glistened with tears, but she offered him a curt nod. “We will speak more tomorrow, Lord Ravenglass.”
His heart fell.Lord Ravenglass.He bowed, kissed her hand again, then exited the library, striding down the maze of hallways toward the front of the Burrastone home. Eleanor and Agnus were already there, donning their cloaks. Agnus appeared confused. Eleanor looked frightened.
“Cousin,” she started, but he silenced her with a look.
“What have you done now, Eleanor?” her mother whispered.
“Not a word until we get in the carriage,” Matthew said as a footman held the door, and they descended the steps to their vehicle.
“But cousin,” Eleanor began, “I—”
“You will shut your mouth and do as you are told,” he informed her as he held her hand as she climbed inside.
“My lord, please,” Agnus began.
“You will not speak either, Agnus. You and your daughter have abused my hospitality and familial responsibilities for as long as I shall allow.” He settled into the seat opposite them. “But since I am not an entirely heartless bastard, I shall give the two of you a choice. Return to India to live with the departed Mr. Sykesbury’s family and all that entails, or move to the smallest of my properties in the country, never to return to London or any other Ravenglass holding ever again.”
