And Goldie looked even more terrified.
Reed reached out a hand. “I’ll deal with him. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
She’d barely nodded when the door flew open, crashing into the adjacent wall, causing a painting to fall to the floor.
Reed’s shirt remained untucked and his breeches unfastened as he faced Goldie’s irate father. Duke or not, this was not acceptable!
If Crossings was anyone but his beloved’s father, Reed would have pummeled the man for charging into his bedchamber—on the morning after his wedding, no less!
“Get dressed,” Crossings addressed Goldie first and then turned to Reed. “I first believed there was no truth to the article. Even after the maids told me you hadn’t slept in your bed, I couldn’t quite believe it. But I ought to have known, with you sneaking out of the manor, galivanting around all of London like a common whore—"
“Out! Now!” Reed cut the man off before he could go on. “You and I will discuss this downstairs.”
But Crossings was one of those men unaccustomed to taking orders from anyone else, let alone a former estate manager. The duke’s eyes darted to Reed and he wrinkled his nose as though sensing something foul.
“You and I won’t be discussing anything. The magistrates, however, will have something to say about such a man as you, already suspected of murder, kidnapping an innocent girl—ruining her!”
“He didn’t kidnap me!” Goldie insisted.
Reed squared his shoulders. “If you are not willing to meet me in my study today, then we can meet in the park at dawn tomorrow.”
The duke blinked, as though experiencing a hint of doubt, but then pushed Reed further.
“Lady Marigold is my daughter. Since I can no longer use her to make valuable connections, I’ll have her save me from having to pay for a companion for her mother. So hand over what is mine, sir. We know the marriage is a farce.” The duke’s eyes narrowed, a layer of perspiration on his upper lip from the heat of his anger, and perhaps from running up the stairs. But when he took a step toward the bed, where Goldie sat clutching the sheets to her chest, Reed grasped his arm.
And ignoring the duke’s rant, he repeated the man’s options. “My study or the park, your grace?”
Judging by the vitriol that so easily rolled off the duke’s tongue, Reed suspected this sort of treatment was not uncommon. And damned if Helton hadn’t been right in his assessment that Reed had saved Goldie from her own father.
“Please, Father?” Goldie’s voice nearly shattered Reed’s heart. Because he understood all too well what if was like to love a person who would only disappoint you again and again. “I chose to marry him.”
“Today, or dawn tomorrow?” Reed persisted.
“You seriously want to meet me on a field of honor, over Marigold?”
“To the death, if necessary.”
The duke paled.
“Your daughter is an amazing woman. She is not only beautiful and intelligent, but she’s courageous, compassionate, and everything a man could want in his wife.” Reed focused all his attention on Goldie, holding her gaze with his. “I love her.”
She dipped her chin and appeared to blink away tears.
Reed turned back to the duke. “If you want her back, you’re going to have to fight me for her. Unless, that is, she wants to go with you.” Reed met Goldie’s gaze again.
He didn’t want to give her the option. She was his wife. She wasn’t going anywhere! At the same time, he needed to be sure that, upon seeing her father, she wasn’t having doubts. Because Reed had coerced her. The duke’s signature on the marriage certificate had been forged.
But more than anything, Reed wanted her to be happy.
“I want to stay with you, Reed.” There wasn’t even a trace of doubt in her voice.
“If you stay with this pathetic excuse for a man,” Crossings said, “You will forever be dead to me. You will be dead to your mother. You will be dead to your sister. You will never be welcome in my home again or that of anyone who knows what’s good for them.”
“I understand.” Goldie squared her shoulders, looking quite dignified, actually, as she sat in bed wearing nothing more than the sheets. A riot of golden curls dangled around her face and her cheeks were raw from his beard, and in that moment, Reed could not have felt prouder to have her as his wife. “Please go.”
The duke hesitated, but before he could hurt his daughter any more, Reed stepped forward. And for the final time, he gave the duke a choice. “My study, your grace, or the park? Choice of weapons will be yours and our seconds can hash out the details this evening.”
The duke appeared flustered, but only for a moment.
