“Lady Regina,” came the marquess’s voice from beside her, startling her. “Thank you for coming.”
Regina opened her eyes. The rose arbors were lit with twinkling candles and the entire setting was entirely romantic. She wished Daffin were there, which was ridiculous, of course, because she and Daffin would not, could not be romantic.
“Come this way,” the marquess said, taking her hand and leading her down a narrow mulched path through the flowers.
He pulled her deep into the middle of the room where they were quite obscured from view of the door. A skitter of apprehension traced down Regina’s spine. “Wh… where are the roses you wanted to show me? Which ones?”
“These.” The marquess pointed to some lovely pink ones on the other side of a round stone bench in the center of the space.
“Oh, thosearelovely.” Regina stepped closer. She intended to sniff them, exclaim upon their loveliness once more, and then make her excuses and return to the ballroom. She was quickly regretting her decision to come in the first place. She should have at least waited to find Daffin and inform him where she was going.
She lifted her skirts to make her way around the stone bench when the marquess’s hand shot out and grabbed her arm. He pulled her into his tight embrace and his mouth came down to crush hers. The scent of alcohol on his breath was overwhelming.
She struggled in his embrace and managed to pull her mouth away from his. “My lord, you forget yourself.”
His lips moved to her neck and he rained kisses along her bare skin. “No, I don’t. You knew what I wanted when you agreed to meet me. A woman doesn’t get to your age withoutknowing about these sorts of things. You shouldn’t be looking for a husband. You should be looking for a protector. I could be such a man for you.”
Tears sprang to Regina’s eyes. She tried to push him away but he was far too heavy. “You’re mad,” she muttered. “No!” Her mind raced. If she screamed, someone might come running, but she would also be caught in a compromising position and either become an outcast or forced to marry this blackguard. The Earl of Dryden’s apathy would be better than spending the rest of her life with the lecherous Marquess of Morvenwood.
The next thing she knew, the marquess’s heavy body was pulled away from her and he went sailing through the air, where he landed in a heap on the far side of the bench.
“The lady said no.” Daffin stood next to Regina, his hands on his hips, his eyes flashing fire. A muscle appeared in his jaw as he stared at the prostrate marquess with daggers for eyes.
The marquess’s eyes flared. Fear was etched in his features.
“If I catch you touching her ever again, you’ll be a eunuch within moments, do I make myself clear?” Daffin ground out.
It was only then that Regina glanced down to note that Daffin had a dagger in his hand. The blade flashed in the candlelight. The marquess nodded shakily, jumped up, and ran past them as quickly as his legs could carry him, his coattails flapping behind him.
***
Daffin turned to Regina. Her hair was mussed and her gown askew, but she still looked as gorgeous as ever. How dare that piece of rubbish touch her? He wanted to punch the marquess. “Are you all right?”
Regina nodded shakily. She tugged at her décolletage to set it to rights. “Yes. Thank you.”
Daffin pulled his handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to her. “That bastard better be happy I didn’t slice off his hands.”
Regina dabbed at her eyes. She was still shaking uncontrollably. “I shouldn’t have come out here with him. Only his wife died and he seemed so sad.” What would she have done if Daffin hadn’t saved her? She shuddered. She didn’t want to think about it.
“The bastard had no right to do what he did. Your meeting him here did not give him license to accost you like that.”
“You’re right,” Regina replied with a nod. She handed him his handkerchief.
“If that bloke is the type of man Lucy Hunt is trying to match you with, I’d say she’s doing a poor job.”
Regina swallowed hard. “I daresay Lucy had no idea he was capable of that.” Regina walked away and scrubbed her hands up and down her arms. “I never should have come here tonight. You cannot force a love match, especially not under a time limit.”
Daffin pulled off his coat, stepped forward, and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Thank you, I was cold,” she murmured.
“I could tell.” He cleared his throat. “Why is your uncle unwilling to give you more time to find a husband?”
Regina shook her head. “He says I’ve had twelve years already. He’s not wrong.”
Daffin kicked at the mulch with the tip of his boot. “I’m sorry.”
“You’ve nothing to be sorry for.” Regina wrapped his coat more tightly around her.
