She stared at him in shock. “But that does not condone your behavior. Sir, I must insist you…”
He ignored her lengthy protest to push up her skirts, pull off her shoe, and roll one pretty stocking off her all-too-shapely leg to wrap about her ‘twisted’ ankle. He worked so fast she’d barely time to beat his head with her fan before he heard the doorknob turn.
Harris laidhimself atop Miss Winthrop just as gasps erupted from the threshold. He was too busy probing Annabelle’s delicious mouth with his tongue to pay their audience much bother. Why the hell hadn’t he kissed her like this sooner?
A shriek interrupted his ardor such that he reluctantly pulled away, Bella panting beneath him.
“Whatis the meaning of this, sir?” The Countess of Denbigh trembled with indignation, propped between two ladies keeping the ball’s hostess upright.
He tipped her his best rogue’s wink. “Forgive the impropriety, milady, but I could not wait to kiss my betrothed. Miss Winthrop has just made me the happiest man alive.”
Annabelle sat bolt upright and opened her mouth to?—
Harris kissed her silent again.
They caught Finch scuttling toward an exit, Milton grabbing the rat by his scruff to propel him into a room Wellesley tore open.
“I will have your sorry arse for breaking into a private home, Finch,” the Duke snarled.
But the devil merely laughed. “Yer pretty Duchess let me in, Wells. Seems she didn’t know our history. Quite th’ golden dish,” he jeered.
“Why are you here, scum?” Wellesley’s self-control impressed.
“Heknows.” Finch nicked his head at Milton, whose hand fast slipped about the blackguard’s neck as his own temples throbbed viciously. Everything in his being longed to howl and kick and scream.
Yet he did not.
“I’m engaged to ’is sister-in-law. Soon t’ be part o’ th’ family, ain’t that right, boy?” His vile grin sickened. “Such a delectable morsel, Miss Bella. So deliciously ripe fer?—”
Milton cut off the man’s air, turning Finch’s face a nasty blue.
“Jasper,” Wells barked, making him only slightly relax his grip. The Duke turned his ire back to Finch. “I highly doubt Lord Winthrop would allow his daughter to marry your foul self, Ronny.”
“Oh he has, an’ he will.” Finch’s grin widened until Milton again cut off all air, wishing to squeeze the man dead. And he would. This time he’d?—
“Damn it, Jasp, don’t choke him untilafterwe’ve made him talk.”
Milton dropped Finch, who stumbled to regain his feet.
“And why in damnation did you not tell me Finch was after your sister-in-law?”
“Because,Your Grace”—Milton’s hands suddenly, almost violently, trembled—“I’d no intention of allowing the man anywhere near her.”
Hieronymus Finch’s laugh echoed in Milton’s head. “Still championin’ poor defenseless lasses, eh Jasp?” He was positively merry in his malice. “I danced with dear Bella this whole night, lad, right under yer nose, an’ not once did y’ notice, not once. I’ve wooed ’er fer weeks with flowers an’ fine words, same as you courted ’er sister. Y’ showed me how t’ purchase me way into society by purchasin’ meself a respectable wife. An’ what better wife t’ purchase than sister t’ yer own.” His face gleamed in triumph. “T’ bring us close again, boy. For y’ are still me boy, Jasp. Me sweet, whippin’—”
Milton threw Finch against the wall and began to beat the living breath out of him, the Duke’s voice faintly shouting amid the hum in his head, until Wells hauled Milton off Finch to keep him from killing the man.
Because he would. He’d kill him this time.
Milton chafed in his friend’s hold, panting and snarling as Wells muttered, “Not here, Jasp. Not at the blasted Denbighs. Later. Butnothere.”
Milton swallowed his rage and steadied his hand. He stared fiercely into Ronny’s already swelling, bloodshot eyes. “You harm a hair on that girl’s head and God help me, I will murder you in cold blood.”
With a sick crunch, Finch readjusted his nose. “No doubt y’ would, Jasp.” He spat blood on the Denbigh’s carpet. “But once that girl’s me wife, ain’t nothin’you nor anyone else can do t’ keep ’er from me. An’ Iwillwed sweet Bella. I’ll get exactly what I wants and what I deserves.”
Wells twisted the rat’s arms behind his back and shoved him into the hands of two footmen who’d arrived unannounced; they must have heard the hubbub.
As the servants escorted Finch out, Milton continued to see red.
