Juliette leaned in. “What do you suggest?”
“You’re going to die, you know.” Strathland’s voice was silken, as if he relished every moment of Paul’s capture. “After she arrives.”
Paul flexed his wrists, loosening his ropes further. He couldn’t break free yet, not when there were two men guarding him from behind. “Juliette won’t come. She knows better than to take that risk.”
“Even to save your life?” the earl mused. “I sent word to her this morning. I think she’ll be here soon enough.”
Paul said nothing, studying his surroundings. There was only one door leading out of the drawing room, behind the earl. The two men on either side of him were armed with knives. He contemplated each possibility, knowing he had to disarm the two men before he could get past the earl.
“I enjoyed her, you know.” Strathland’s taunt resonated in the room, and Paul gripped the ropes so tightly, he envisioned them cutting off the air in the man’s lungs. “She tried to fight me, but I held her down. And when I was inside her, she was wet. She wanted what I gave her.”
“She never wanted you.”
“She didn’t want you, either,” the earl said. “You were so pitiful, trying to court her with your lies. You’re no viscount. You’re nothing but a penniless crofter’s son.”
He was wrong, but Paul didn’t bother to correct him. “And what does that say about you? She chose to wed a penniless crofter over an earl. It seems she didn’t enjoy you after all.”
Strathland’s face turned purple, and he crossed the room. Pain radiated through Paul when the man’s fist struck his jaw. He tasted blood in his mouth, but he forced himself to stare back at the earl.
“I had her first,” Strathland insisted. “And before you die, I’m going to have her again.” His smile held the promise of violence, and Paul had had enough. He fumbled with the ropes until finally his wrists were free. He kept the rope ends in his palms, awaiting the moment to strike.
“You’ll never touch her again.”
But before he could release his wrists from the ropes and lunge toward Strathland, the butler interrupted. “My lord, there is a caller for you.”
Strathland straightened his waistcoat. “There, you see? She is here, now that I’ve summoned her.”
Although the butler had not confirmed that Juliette was the caller, Paul wasn’t about to wait around for Strathland to return. As soon as the man disappeared from the room, Paul dropped the ropes and dove toward the guard to his left. He seized the man’s blade and spun out of the way when the second attacked.
There came the sound of glass shattering on the far wall, but Paul was too busy using one of the men as a shield while he fought against the other.
He shoved the man forward, and it caused the pair to topple over. On the other side of the room, a window was forced open. Cain Sinclair demanded, “Fraser, get over here!”
Paul swung his fist at the ear of one attacker, and the man crumpled. Without pausing, he hurried toward the open window, avoiding the broken glass on the carpet. He shoved the window open farther and swung his legs over the sill.
“I didna need your help,” he told Sinclair. “Tell me you weren’t daft enough to bring my wife with you.”
“I warned her to stay. I’ve no idea if she listened.”
Paul let out a curse, gripping the window ledge and dropping down to the ground below. “I hope to God she did.” He couldn’t imagine what would bring Juliette here, not after all that Strathland had done to her.
“We’re not finished here,” he warned Cain. “No’ until I know she’s safe.”
“I didna think we were.” Sinclair led him around the outside of the house, keeping to the walls. “There’s another way in, through the kitchens.”
“And how do you think we’ll get inside without being seen?”
“Oh, we’ll be seen. There’s no doubt of that. But the kitchen maids have no love for Strathland. I think they’re wanting him to get his due.”
“So am I.” Paul reached for the blade he’d stolen from one of Strathland’s guards. He followed Cain into the kitchen, keeping the hilt in his palm. It was time to end all of this.
Juliette stood in the foyer, meeting Strathland eye to eye while her father stood behind her. His quiet presence gave her a courage she’d never expected. “Lord Strathland, I’ve come for my husband. I believe he is here.”
“He is indeed, Mrs. Fraser.” His tone was snide, as if he didn’t expect her to remain a wife for much longer. “Dr. Fraser was trespassing upon my property.”
“It’s Lady Falsham,” she corrected. “And I don’t believe that’s what happened at all.” In fact, she knew it wasn’t, but Strathland had a propensity for lies.
The earl raised his gaze to her father. “Lord Lanfordshire, was there a reason why you came?”
