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Authors: Tiffany Green
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thoughts scattered and sharpened on one thing. She belonged to Nicholas. Even as a child she knew. She had always belonged to Nicholas.
"Get your bloody hands off of my sister,” said an irate voice from the doorway.
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CHAPTER 6
Megan gasped and pulled away from Nicholas. “Julian!” She threw herself into his arms. Her brother was home. He would find her parents. “Oh, Jules, thank God you're here,” she sobbed against his chest.
"Just what in the hell have you done to my sister, Claremont?” her brother asked with venom dripping from each syllable.
She cringed and lifted her head. “Julian, please. Mother and Father are missing. That's why I sent you the urgent missive to come here.” She nodded to the letter he clutched in his fist.
He glanced down, his frown deepening. “What do you mean, they're missing?"
"They departed for London last month. I don't know why. Their carriage was found a few days later about five miles from the estate, empty and... Oh God, Julian, it was destroyed by fire. I came here to look for them."
His brows shot up. “You came alone?"
She nodded, stepping from his arms.
Julian scowled. “Megan, any one of a hundred terrible things could have befallen you. Young ladies of quality do not travel alone, nor do they permit a man,” he paused to glower at Nicholas, “to be alone with them."
She felt the sting from those words down to her toes, but she refused to show it. “Under normal circumstances, I agree. However, I had to find Mother and Father.” Then she realized that Julian hadn't remembered the terms of her guardianship. She would tell him later.
"Pray tell, how were you to conduct the search? And don't you dare inform me that you planned to do it alone."
She turned to Nicholas.
"Oh, no.” Her brother shook his head. “He is not involved in this. In fact, Claremont, you may leave now,” he ordered.
"I am already involved in this,” Nicholas said, crossing his arms.
Dread filled Megan as she watched fury leap into her brother's eyes.
"Absolutely not,” Julian snapped. “And never again shall you be allowed any contact with my sister."
Nicholas shook his head. “You don't understand—"
"No, you don't understand,” her brother interrupted, his voice rising. “Megan is my responsibility; she will have nothing to do with you."
Anger flared into Nicholas's eyes. “That's quite impossible now,” he shouted back, uncurling his arms. When he took a menacing step toward Julian, Megan gasped.
"You have absolutely no rights where my sister is concerned,” Julian roared.
"Yes, I do.” Nicholas balled his hands into fists.
"Julian. Nicholas. Please,” she implored.
Both men ignored her. They stood a hand span apart, eye-to-eye, equal in height and strength. Dear God, they would kill each other.
"What makes you think you have any rights where my sister is concerned?” Julian demanded.
"Because I'm going to marry her,” Nicholas bellowed.
She gasped and Julian lunged forward, his eyes glittering with murder. “You bloody bastard!” He swung his fist.
Nicholas ducked, but before he could retaliate, she wedged between them. She spread her trembling arms to keep them separated. “Stop it. Both of you,” she ordered, looking from one menacing face to the other. She turned to Nicholas. “Julian and I must form a stratagem to locate our parents. I think you should leave now."
"You heard her, Claremont. Get out.” Her brother placed protective hands on her shoulders. The gesture made it clear just who was in charge of her.
Nicholas shifted his eyes down to her. She held her breath, watching the fury drain from his expression. “I'll leave,” he said, “but the investigators I have hired to locate your parents—"
"I do not require your help, Claremont. You've done enough,” her brother sneered. “Besides, I am quite capable of locating my parents."
Nicholas clenched his jaw, but his eyes didn't lift from hers. “My
"Get your bloody hands off of my sister,” said an irate voice from the doorway.
[Back to Table of Contents]
CHAPTER 6
Megan gasped and pulled away from Nicholas. “Julian!” She threw herself into his arms. Her brother was home. He would find her parents. “Oh, Jules, thank God you're here,” she sobbed against his chest.
"Just what in the hell have you done to my sister, Claremont?” her brother asked with venom dripping from each syllable.
She cringed and lifted her head. “Julian, please. Mother and Father are missing. That's why I sent you the urgent missive to come here.” She nodded to the letter he clutched in his fist.
He glanced down, his frown deepening. “What do you mean, they're missing?"
"They departed for London last month. I don't know why. Their carriage was found a few days later about five miles from the estate, empty and... Oh God, Julian, it was destroyed by fire. I came here to look for them."
His brows shot up. “You came alone?"
She nodded, stepping from his arms.
Julian scowled. “Megan, any one of a hundred terrible things could have befallen you. Young ladies of quality do not travel alone, nor do they permit a man,” he paused to glower at Nicholas, “to be alone with them."
She felt the sting from those words down to her toes, but she refused to show it. “Under normal circumstances, I agree. However, I had to find Mother and Father.” Then she realized that Julian hadn't remembered the terms of her guardianship. She would tell him later.
"Pray tell, how were you to conduct the search? And don't you dare inform me that you planned to do it alone."
She turned to Nicholas.
"Oh, no.” Her brother shook his head. “He is not involved in this. In fact, Claremont, you may leave now,” he ordered.
"I am already involved in this,” Nicholas said, crossing his arms.
Dread filled Megan as she watched fury leap into her brother's eyes.
"Absolutely not,” Julian snapped. “And never again shall you be allowed any contact with my sister."
Nicholas shook his head. “You don't understand—"
"No, you don't understand,” her brother interrupted, his voice rising. “Megan is my responsibility; she will have nothing to do with you."
Anger flared into Nicholas's eyes. “That's quite impossible now,” he shouted back, uncurling his arms. When he took a menacing step toward Julian, Megan gasped.
"You have absolutely no rights where my sister is concerned,” Julian roared.
"Yes, I do.” Nicholas balled his hands into fists.
"Julian. Nicholas. Please,” she implored.
Both men ignored her. They stood a hand span apart, eye-to-eye, equal in height and strength. Dear God, they would kill each other.
"What makes you think you have any rights where my sister is concerned?” Julian demanded.
"Because I'm going to marry her,” Nicholas bellowed.
She gasped and Julian lunged forward, his eyes glittering with murder. “You bloody bastard!” He swung his fist.
Nicholas ducked, but before he could retaliate, she wedged between them. She spread her trembling arms to keep them separated. “Stop it. Both of you,” she ordered, looking from one menacing face to the other. She turned to Nicholas. “Julian and I must form a stratagem to locate our parents. I think you should leave now."
"You heard her, Claremont. Get out.” Her brother placed protective hands on her shoulders. The gesture made it clear just who was in charge of her.
Nicholas shifted his eyes down to her. She held her breath, watching the fury drain from his expression. “I'll leave,” he said, “but the investigators I have hired to locate your parents—"
"I do not require your help, Claremont. You've done enough,” her brother sneered. “Besides, I am quite capable of locating my parents."
Nicholas clenched his jaw, but his eyes didn't lift from hers. “My
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