Page 141 of A Scandal for the Beastly Earl

"What do we do?"

"We protect what's ours."

"How very beastly of you," Arabella said, trying for lightness.

"The beast protects his beauty," Lucien agreed.

"And the beauty protects her beast."

"Together?"

"Always together."

They stood looking at the smoking stables, arms around each other, while somewhere in the shadows, danger waited for its next opportunity.

But they'd face it as they faced everything—together, with humor, with love, and with a criminal dog who was already investigating the scene with suspicious efficiency.

"Did Thistle just find something?" Julian asked.

They looked to see the dog dragging what appeared to be a scorched piece of coat.

"Good boy," Lucien said, surprising everyone, including himself.

"You praised the dog," Arabella said wonderingly.

"He's family. Family gets praise."

"Even criminal family?"

"Especially criminal family. They're the most useful in times like these."

"Times like these?"

"War," Lucien said simply. "Someone's declared war on us. Time to show them why that was a mistake."

"Together?" Arabella asked.

"Together," he confirmed.

And somewhere in the morning shadows, they all could have sworn they heard bitter laughter on the wind.

Chapter 21

The next twenty-four hours were a blur of activity. Lucien turned Blackthorn Manor into a fortress, posting guards, checking every entrance, and interrogating every servant about strangers in the area.

"You're being paranoid," Arabella told him, though she was grateful for his caution.

"I'm being protective."

"Same thing with you."

"Different things entirely. Paranoid is irrational. This is extremely rational."

"Having Morrison patrol with a fire poker?"

"Morrison volunteered. He's quite attached to you."

"He's quite attached to order. I represent chaos."