Emma wasted no time. She ran to the woman, tore off the blindfold. “I’ll get you out of here!”
“Who areyou? What are you doing?” The lady’s frantic blue eyes darted around the clearing. “Be quiet or someone will hear you!”
Emma had to stand on tiptoe to reach the lady’s wrists. She succeeded in untying the rope, which slithered to the ground, coiling like a snake in the grass. A sardonic voice emerged from behind her.
“You again,” he said.
Emma pivoted as the stranger advanced toward her, rubbing his jaw. Only now he wasn’t a stranger—the lady had called him Strathaven... a lord of some sort? She regretted not paying attention to Marianne’s review ofDebrett’s Peerage. It was best to know one’s enemy.
Emma’s skin prickled as Strathaven’s gaze roved over her, his icy, intense eyes penetrating her layer by layer. Palpitations gripped her heart. No one had ever looked at her this way before. Had ever made her feel this exposed and bared… Shaking off the alien sensation, she pulled her shoulders back and stood at her full height. Unfortunately, he dwarfed her by nearly a foot; she had to tip her head back to meet his gaze.
“Take one more step, and I’ll scream,” she warned.
Given the volume of the orchestra and party as well as the present location deep in the garden, she thought it unlikely that her cry for help would be noticed. She prayed the rogue wouldn’t realize it.
“Oh?” One black brow lifted. “Who do you think will hear you?”
Dash it.“I have extremely capable lungs,” she informed him.
“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.” His lips gave a faint twitch, drawing her attention to the hard line of his mouth and the faint grooves that bracketed it. “Well, pet, you have succeeded in getting my attention, I’ll grant you that.”
Thenerveof the man. “Of all the arrogant, asinine—”
“Pleasekeep your voice down.” The lady inserted herself between them. “I beg of you, Miss…?”
“My name is Emma Kent. And you needn’t be afraid because I witnessed everything.” Emma angled her chin up. “I shall be happy to provide testimony to the magistrates.”
“Themagistrates? You mustn’t,” the lady gasped.
“The scoundrel was attacking you. Of course I must.”
“Attacking her? Why would I do such a thing?” To her disbelief, Strathaven gave a harsh laugh. “Do you know who I am, Miss Kent?”
“I don’t care who you are. Your rank doesn’t exempt you from rules of conduct, my lord,” Emma retorted hotly.
“Your grace.”
“What?”
“Your grace is how one addresses a duke.”
She gritted her teeth at his cool correction. “The point is,your grace, I heard you assaulting this lady and—”
“You have no idea what you heard.” The duke’s mouth formed a humorless smile. “Now run along, pet, and leave us be.”
Pet?As if she were a spaniel trained to do his bidding? Before she could summon a scathing reply, the lady gripped her arm.
“Strathaven is right,” the redhead pleaded. “Nothing happened.”
“But he tied you up and was about to... hurt you.” Had the rogue meant to beat the woman—rape her? Both? Quelling a shudder, Emma said, “If you’re afraid, you needn’t be. My brother is a former member of the Thames River Police, and he knows the Chief Magistrate of Bow Street personally—”
“No.” Her face draining of color, the lady whispered, “I implore you, Miss Kent. If anyone catches wind of this, I’ll be ruined. Lord Osgood, my husband… he’ll never forgive me.” Her voice hitched on a sob. “Therecannotbe a scandal.”
“Surely if you explain to your husband—”
“My reputation will be destroyed. I would ratherdie.” Tears streamed down Lady Osgood’s beautiful face, her fingers digging painfully into Emma’s flesh. “If you truly wish to help me, swear on everything you hold dear that you’ll never breathe word of this matter.”
Emma hesitated, darted a glance at Strathaven. He’d propped one velvet-clad shoulder against a gazebo post, his pose utterly unconcerned. Frustration smoldered in her chest. It wasn’t fair that Lady Osgood had to worry about her reputation whilst he didn’t have to answer for his misdeeds. Why should he should get away with assault just because he was a man—a duke?
