“What did you say?” demanded Surcouf, charging toward her.
Dani hugged the cat to her chest. Behind her, Marie moved in.
“I said,” repeated Dani, “that I cannot marry you, because I’m already married to Captain Lucas Bannock.”
“You imposter bitch—”
“Stand down, Surcouf!” came a shout from behind her. Dani turned. Luke broke free of the guards and lunged for them.
“Bannock,”snarled the Frenchman. Hate reflected in his face, an ugliness Dani had never before seen.
“Yes, you sadist coward,” Luke grunted.
Guards scrambled after him, but Luke was too quick.
Surcouf snarled, “I’m meant to believe thatyou’vemarried a French princess?”
Luke took Danielle by the hand and spun her. “I don’t care what you believe,” he said, backing them away. Dani gripped the cat, now highly annoyed and squirming, and planted her feet. She turned back to Surcouf.
“IamDanielle Allard d’Orleans,” she declared, “and you will never, ever have the land in my dowry.Never.”
“Lying bitch!” Surcouf raged, spittle flying.
Dani would say more, but Luke was pulling her. And now Marie was there. The nun slid behind her, fingers up and out, stance wide. Luke pulled Dani by the hand, and Marie nudged her with her hip, hustling her away. Dani resisted, not taking her eyes from Vincent Surcouf. Her fear was subsiding, replaced by repulsion. The reality of her words had taken hold, and a crimson rage bloomed across his face. He lunged forward with desperate hands swiping open air.
Marie gave a shout. Luke pulled her along. Dani resisted, pulling back a second more. Before she went, she tossed the cat.
The second to last thing Dani saw before she allowed Luke to pull her away was flying cat. There were flexed claws, bared teeth, and a tail like an exclamation point. The animal was in full hiss when she bounced off of Surcouf’s face. The man shrank back, but not before the cat slashed open his cheek. The animal was darting away before he comprehended the attack.
The very last thing Dani saw—in fact, she yanked hard against Luke’s hold to see more clearly—was Lord James Fernsby. The viscount appeared from nowhere and seized Surcouf. Spinning him, Fernsby held the Frenchman face-out against his chest. Moving with lethal speed, Lord Fernsby brandished a blade and sliced it across the Frenchman’s throat.
Luke was pulling harder now, dragging her into the crowd. Dani went, trying to keep up, but not before she heard Viscount Fernsby shout in English, “For King! For Country! For the men slaughtered by your hand, you French bastard.”
Dani heard a woman scream, then another. Chaos erupted in their wake. Luke walked faster, pulling her between dancers, making for the door. Marie was close behind, one hand on Dani’s waist, the other outstretched in a defensive pre-strike. When they reached the far side of the ballroom, Luke pulled her behind a potted fern.
Before he could speak, Dani said, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t leave you.”
“Not now,” he breathed. “We’ve got to get you out of here.” He looked around wildly.
“Did Lord Fernsby just kill Surcouf?” Dani whispered harshly.
“I don’t know,” Luke said, leaning around the plant to locate the door. “Probably. Regardless, I’ll have to go back for him. Sister? Can you take her? And I mean really, actually take her? All the way out? Give me your word—swear on it—that you’ll take her to safety.”
“You have my word, Captain,” the nun said solemnly.
“Luke—no! We should go together,” Dani cried. “Together. Why must you—?”
“Listen, Dani, listen,” he said urgently, pulling her close. “You walking casually alone will draw less attention. You’ll blend in with all the other fancy silks and ribbons. Also, I cannot leave James. I didn’t come here to recover one friend only to lose an—”
“Captain, look,” cut in Marie, stepping aside so they could see.
Coming through the crowd of dancers was Killian Crewes and Dani’s brother, Gabriel, both dressed as French officers. Between them sagged Lord Fernsby, pretending to resist their capture. They secured his arms on either side with a punishing grip. Their faces were stern, and they charged through the crowd like they were bound for the dungeon.
“Oh, thank God.” Luke sighed. “But who is the second man?”
“My brother,” Dani said. “That’s Prince Gabriel. He came to help.”
“Right,” said Luke, looking around.
