“Would someone care to tell me what the hell is going on in my library!” Sebastian, the Duke of Hanton, gritted out through clenched teeth.
Sighing, Julian rubbed his brows. This was what he was afraid of. It was already enough that the four of them knew what was going on, and now the bloody Duke too? This was too much.
From his peripheral vision he saw George step forward regardless of his necktie which has gone askew and his blond hair which seems to be everywhere, he seems not to notice for he walked with an arrogant step, he might as well be the King of England, for the way he walked, ruthless, and fierce as if he owned the bloody world.
George stood in front of the duke and levelled him with an equivalent irritated expression. “Well, if you must know, the Earl has compromised my sister, both of them were found in a compromising position.”
The Duke's eyes shifted to her and Emily winced. She cowered her head in shame as the Duke passed her a fleeting stare. Emily wished the ground would open up and swallow her. Leave it to George to say things plainly, couldn't he have phrased it more delicately? One that didn't make her out to look like a wanton.
When she had scampered about looking for a kiss, the last thing she had expected when she found one was for her brothers to be a witness to it and now the duke too. This was so shameful.
Sebastian frowned and let his eyes drift over to Cole, who was leaning by the wall watching him with an amused expression. He noticed his friend's bloodied eye and cut lips and scowled. “Is that why you have seen fit to tackle him in my library? My wife would throw a fit if she should discover the sight of blood on this plush carpet, which she seems to love so dearly.”
“I'm sorry if we have caused you or your library any great discomfort, it was Julian who spoke up now, “and we would be happy to settle the bills if perhaps one is sent our way.”
That didn't sound nice in Sebastian's ears, and he scoffed and stared down at the man before him. Already showing off his wealth heh. He lifted his eyes from him and let it fall on the woman who they said was caught in a compromising position with Cole. He watched her cower and step back behind her brother's back, too afraid to meet his cold, frigid eyes.
For some strange reasons, she didn't strike him as someone who Cole might be found tangling with. In other words, she was no diamond of the first waters. Sebastian frowned and stared at the brothers, directing his question to them. “Why do I find this so hard to believe? Are you sure it was him?
Lucas's eyes narrowed, and his voice turned to steel. “Are you trying to tell me the four of us are blind!” He snarled out. “That we don't know what it looks like if someone was ravishing our sister. By God, the earl's mouth was just down on my sister's throat some minutes ago.
Sebastian cringed at the description. “Well, if you put it like that. It does sound like something Cole would do.”
On hearing that, Cole Fletcher grinned from his position on the wall, “I'm glad you still know me, Sebastian.” His comment, earning him a collective glare from the brothers.
Cursing furiously George turned to go back to Cole with a clenched fist but Lucas held him back and shook his head, silently asking him not to.
The earl only raised a brow and grinned. The Duke returned his grin with a similar one before he turned and face the siblings, “Well what have you decided.”
Lucas sighed, suddenly tired. With all the punching and rolling on the floor, the pain was beginning to set in. He did leave the earl with a few injuries, but he can't say his face was free either. For the life of him, his nose hurt like hell. He sighed again and scratched his brows. “If you must know, Lord Tonfield had refused to do the honourable thing and marry my sister—”
Honourable thing indeed, Cole scoffed.
“—So I have challenged him to a duel.”
“A duel?” The Duke echoed back, surprised. Wasn't that taken it a bit too far?
“And you agree to this?” Sebastian asked Cole.
All this while Emily had been quiet, but at this last statement, she craned her head back over her neck and watched the earl with pleading eyes, Internally praying he would say no. But one doesn't always get what they wished for, for as she watched, his expression turned serious. Long were the amused eyes and playful grin. In place of it was an ugly, threatening frown. And as his eyes found hers, his lips curled up into a tight flat line before it flickered from hers and came to rest on her brothers.
“I agree to a duel.”
Sebastian sighed. “Very well then.” He turned and planted his hands on his waist. Gentlemen, it seems we have ourselves an agreement.”
“Not quite, Vincent glowered. “He is yet to pick a weapon, so what's it going to be Tonfield? A sword or a pistol heh?”
Eyeing the dark-haired man before him with a soulful expression, Cole opened his mouth and said, “Pistol.”
With that said, the siblings bundled themselves off towards the door with their sister firmly in tow.
The group of Siblings exited the library one after the other until only one of the Bertram brothers was left standing at the entrance.
The eldest, Julian, turned and regarded Cole with an expressionless face. “It will be best if you would appoint a second, someone who would act in your best interest and talk some sense into you. Then maybe we won't have to resolve to a bloody duel.”
Without a word, Cole watched him with the strangest expression on his face, until he finally disappeared.
Immediately after, Sebastian turned with his hands on his waist, and legs spread out at ease and grinned at his friend. “My, my, I can't say I am quite surprised by the aspect of you ravishing a woman, He said and rubbed his chin. “But what I am quite surprised about is the aspect of you ravishing a woman whilst a ball is going on. Heh, bloody hell! After all your thoughtful care to make sure you don't end up in a compromising situation like this one, look where you are. Look how the mighty have fallen.”
Cole bit back a curse and threw his face the other way “Goddamn it Sebastian! I didn't say I was marrying the chit.”
“No? Heh, the Duke asked and grinned. “Well, that is yet to be seen.”
THE EARL OF TONFIELD pulled the curtain close as their carriage drew past the last house and skidded out of town, heading to the place where the duel was supposed to take place.One might think his demeanour had improved considerably since last night, but judging by the ferocious scowl which seems to have planted itself firmly on his face, one would have to think otherwise.It had been decided it was for the best if the duel should take place as early as possible before most of the ton got wind of where, and when the duel was to take place. Hence, the reason they were heading out of town at such an ungodly hour.The cold morning air penetrated through the confines of the carriage even though the curtains had been properly closed, and their path were marked by various stops and rutted potholes blighted by the moon which had already begun its descent back to the sky.On a day like this, when faced with an impending, t
COLE SPARED a brief glance along the long field at the brothers, and noticed they were swiftly making arrangements, he noticed the one they called Lucas briefly aimed to his right before he thrust the pistol into Vincent's waiting hands, who quickly turned away and tended to the pistol with his head bent and his hands working intricately as he wiped over the pistol. Lucas patiently waiting by his side.The other two were lunged a few feet behind the others talking about something, and as he watched one of them stopped, and turned his way and then slowly start towards him. Cole turned away and let his eyes drift from the man and onto Sebastian who had just descended from the carriage cradling in the crook of his arm the box that housed his pistol.Turning back again, Cole noticed the brother who had headed his way had reached him. It was Julian, the eldest, staring down at him from eyes set in that crooked face of his.He bobbed on h
Durham, England1831.COLE FLETCHER calmly took Emily's right hand in his own and halfheartedly listened to the vicar. Through cold frigid eyes, he assessed her, standing there before him in a fine white muslin gown and over it was a soft silk shawl, draped over her shoulders, and a small-cap to match, trimmed with lace.At that moment she looked so innocent he had thought mayhap she hadn't schemed to trap him. But then she lifted her face and Cole stared into those knowledgeable emerald green eyes and concluded Emily Bertram wasn't sad, which could only mean one thing. She was in agreement with the marriage. For if she was not, she could have at least fought back, showed some resistance, but now she calmly stood there before him in her white muslin gown and her blond tresses beautifully piled on top of her head.Swallowing bitterly, he stared at her through narrowed eyes, his li
Few minutes later the carriage door opened, and his wife stepped in from the other side. It was customary to have a meal after a ceremony like this, but Cole would have none of it. He wanted to leave, and he wanted to leave now!As soon as she had bundled herself unto the carriage seats, he roughly knocked on the roof, signalling the driver to get going, breaking off her small talk with her brothers.“Bloody hell Tonfield!” Lucas yelled as the carriage tipped forward, bringing Emily who was unaware of the sudden movement crashing back to the carriage seat.She gasped and threw a horrified look at him, but Cole ignored her and looked out the window. As they gradually left the remnants of the manor behind, he could still hear the insistent voices of the Bertram brothers profusely cursing him. He smiled a sardonic smile and twitched the curtains closed. Then turned in his seats and faced his conniving wife.“Pray tell
It was another thirty minutes before the carriage rolled to a stop. By then, Cole had successfully kept his emotions at bay and was now staring down at Emily with cold, emotionless eyes.He considered waking her but was saved from doing so when she pried her eyes open and looked at him through sleepy eyes. Emily noticed her hair had fallen from its coiffure and gasped, then she hurriedly started to wand it back upon her head, securing it with her a great many pins.It was a beautiful sight. Cole watched her and frowned. He wanted to reach out and snatch her hand out and let the hair fall once again. Instead, he opened his mouth and spoke dispassionately, “'Tis good to know you have finally woken up.”“Oh,” she said. Tilting her head slightly but continued with what she was doing. “Have you been waiting long? You could have woken me,” she supplied.Ignoring her, he
IT WASN'T THE EARLY morning sun streaming into the room through the gap in the cream coloured curtain that awoke Cole Fletcher. Rather, it was the warm sizzling feeling down his loins that did.Cole opened his eyes and the first thing he noticed was the scantily clad bottom of his wife, pressed to his thigh. Cole groaned at the sight of that. No wonder he had been feeling that bolt of warmth in his sleep, thinking he was in the arms of his mistress and his face buried in her breast only for him to wake up and discover the feeling of lust had been elicited by his conniving wife, and she wasn't even aware!A dark ferocious look crept up his face as he felt her stir restlessly in her sleep, trying to find a better position, jutting her derrière to his laps. Cole's groin reacted to that.Emily was a terrible sleeper. Concluded he.He wanted to entangle himself from her but realized there was no wa
“What — do you think you are doing." The words were slow but there was no mistaking the angry tone underlying it.Emily's heart thudded, and she feared for herself. “Unhand me at once.” She croaked out from suddenly dry lips.Her words only made his grip tighten more on her wrist, and he pulled her closer. “I don't think you understand me?” he said and asked one more time. “What do you think you are doing?”For several seconds the words hung in the air. Emily opened her mouth and then closed it. Her face was hot with embarrassment. What do you tell a man who is supposed to be your husband but despises you? What do you tell such a man when he catches you trying to touch him? Merciful Lord, she was in trouble.Staring at the trembling woman before him, Cole scowled. He had been trying his most damn to pretend he was sleeping, all the while controlling his raging arousal, while she had been busy trying to touch him
It was a hard fit for Cole to keep his face indifferent as he soundlessly slipped out the bed. Padding the floors of the room in bare feet. His hands clenched by his side. He must have been stupid to think he could arouse Emily without being affected, Cole thought with a bitter smile. Gritting his teeth, he cursed silently. Hoping Emily wouldn't have any need to look at him and notice the force of his arousal, pushing through the seams of his breeches as he made his way to where he had deposited all his clothes last night.Reaching under the chair, Cole roughly snatched his boots from there and wore it. The way he did it, one might think the poor thing had offended him. He did the same with his shirt, snatching it from the back of the chair. It's a wonder it did not snap into two.There was one word for what Cole was feeling at that time and that was frustration. Even though he dare not name it for what it was. Hurriedly Cole stepped out of th