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Authors: Teresa McCarthy
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smacked Stephen on the shoulder. "Because of this
brute?"
Stephen
hardly moved at all, but inwardly his respect for this female was growing by
the minute. By Jove, the little thing would probably call him out if she were a
man.
Hand
still pressed against his nose, Fennington managed a contorted smile as he took
a quick glance at Stephen, then returned his attention to Miss Shelby.
"A
wady of your dewicate constitution should never... have had to witness ... such
depwaved conduct." He rubbed his jaw, his eyes gleaming with reproach as
he glanced at Stephen. "A scandaw may suwound you... if I... do not take
my weave."
"But
you cannot leave!" Elizabeth took a hasty step in Fennington's direction,
but Stephen halted her movement by slipping a strong arm about her waist,
hauling her back.
To
Stephen's surprise, Fennington took that moment to slip in and raise
Elizabeth's hand for a farewell kiss. "Good-bye ... my sweet...
good-bye."
"Oh,
Mr. Fennington," Elizabeth sobbed, "You are too good."
Stephen's
hold on Miss Shelby tightened as he watched Fennington depart toward the back
of the garden.
Elizabeth
heard the towering lord growl something she could not understand and she
swallowed another sob as she wrenched free from his hold. "You
beast!"
Her
heart turned over at the thought of Mr. Fennington's courage. He had left her
alone so there would not be a scandal, and hence, this intruder could not
smudge her name on the dueling field.
But the
man standing next to her looked so smug in his simply tied neckcloth and torn
dark jacket, which he had thrown back on, that she wanted to slap him.
He
seemed to read her thoughts. "I would not do it if I were you, Miss
Shelby." Brown eyes looked into hers with something akin to pity and her
cheeks bloomed with color.
Only
moments ago, when his hands had rested upon her waist to move her away from
Fennington, she had been surprised. He had been gentle, but determined.
However, so was she.
"You
... you ruined my life, you fiend!"
His
hollow laugh rumbled in her ears. "Ruined your life? This is too rich.
Depend upon it, I saved you from a man who only wanted you for your papa's
money."
Elizabeth
drew in a sharp breath. "How dare you! Mr. Fennington loves me. We will marry;
you will see. He has left with his dignity intact." She gave him a swift
perusal and snorted. "Which is more than I can say for you."
"Me?
By Jupiter, madam. That man is nothing but a thief. He has gone after many an
heiress seeking her fortune. Are you daft as well as stupid?"
She
tripped back against the tree and held a hand to her bosom. "Why, you
insufferable lout. How dare you speak to me as if I were some ... some tavern
wench!"
Stephen
knew the moment the words were out he could not take them back. Tears pooled in
those innocent blue eyes, and he felt a thousand times worse than he had an
hour ago. He loved women. Never said an unkind word to one as long as he could
remember.
Even
when his sister Emily had been in high spirit, he had all but encouraged her
manner, vexing Roderick and his brothers Clayton and Marcus to no end. Still,
it seemed that this woman irritated him more than she would ever know.
"I
beg your pardon, madam." He stepped closer. "I have no reason to
besmirch your good name. However, I should point out to you, since no one has
already, that Mr. James Theodore Fennington is a cad and a wastrel. Never mind
that he is a well-known rake and a voracious gambler."
She
clapped her hands to her cheeks. "Oh! You are a horrid, horrid man."
She glanced over her shoulder, as if looking for a means of escape. "If
you dare touch me again or come any closer, I will scream."
Tears
rolled down her face and Stephen instantly felt ashamed. Splaying his hands in
the air, he heaved a sigh. "I won't touch you. In fact, I have no desire
to touch you."
He shook
his head at the sound of her gasp. "That is, we seemed to have gotten off on
the wrong foot. Let me introduce myself." He gave a deep bow.
brute?"
Stephen
hardly moved at all, but inwardly his respect for this female was growing by
the minute. By Jove, the little thing would probably call him out if she were a
man.
Hand
still pressed against his nose, Fennington managed a contorted smile as he took
a quick glance at Stephen, then returned his attention to Miss Shelby.
"A
wady of your dewicate constitution should never... have had to witness ... such
depwaved conduct." He rubbed his jaw, his eyes gleaming with reproach as
he glanced at Stephen. "A scandaw may suwound you... if I... do not take
my weave."
"But
you cannot leave!" Elizabeth took a hasty step in Fennington's direction,
but Stephen halted her movement by slipping a strong arm about her waist,
hauling her back.
To
Stephen's surprise, Fennington took that moment to slip in and raise
Elizabeth's hand for a farewell kiss. "Good-bye ... my sweet...
good-bye."
"Oh,
Mr. Fennington," Elizabeth sobbed, "You are too good."
Stephen's
hold on Miss Shelby tightened as he watched Fennington depart toward the back
of the garden.
Elizabeth
heard the towering lord growl something she could not understand and she
swallowed another sob as she wrenched free from his hold. "You
beast!"
Her
heart turned over at the thought of Mr. Fennington's courage. He had left her
alone so there would not be a scandal, and hence, this intruder could not
smudge her name on the dueling field.
But the
man standing next to her looked so smug in his simply tied neckcloth and torn
dark jacket, which he had thrown back on, that she wanted to slap him.
He
seemed to read her thoughts. "I would not do it if I were you, Miss
Shelby." Brown eyes looked into hers with something akin to pity and her
cheeks bloomed with color.
Only
moments ago, when his hands had rested upon her waist to move her away from
Fennington, she had been surprised. He had been gentle, but determined.
However, so was she.
"You
... you ruined my life, you fiend!"
His
hollow laugh rumbled in her ears. "Ruined your life? This is too rich.
Depend upon it, I saved you from a man who only wanted you for your papa's
money."
Elizabeth
drew in a sharp breath. "How dare you! Mr. Fennington loves me. We will marry;
you will see. He has left with his dignity intact." She gave him a swift
perusal and snorted. "Which is more than I can say for you."
"Me?
By Jupiter, madam. That man is nothing but a thief. He has gone after many an
heiress seeking her fortune. Are you daft as well as stupid?"
She
tripped back against the tree and held a hand to her bosom. "Why, you
insufferable lout. How dare you speak to me as if I were some ... some tavern
wench!"
Stephen
knew the moment the words were out he could not take them back. Tears pooled in
those innocent blue eyes, and he felt a thousand times worse than he had an
hour ago. He loved women. Never said an unkind word to one as long as he could
remember.
Even
when his sister Emily had been in high spirit, he had all but encouraged her
manner, vexing Roderick and his brothers Clayton and Marcus to no end. Still,
it seemed that this woman irritated him more than she would ever know.
"I
beg your pardon, madam." He stepped closer. "I have no reason to
besmirch your good name. However, I should point out to you, since no one has
already, that Mr. James Theodore Fennington is a cad and a wastrel. Never mind
that he is a well-known rake and a voracious gambler."
She
clapped her hands to her cheeks. "Oh! You are a horrid, horrid man."
She glanced over her shoulder, as if looking for a means of escape. "If
you dare touch me again or come any closer, I will scream."
Tears
rolled down her face and Stephen instantly felt ashamed. Splaying his hands in
the air, he heaved a sigh. "I won't touch you. In fact, I have no desire
to touch you."
He shook
his head at the sound of her gasp. "That is, we seemed to have gotten off on
the wrong foot. Let me introduce myself." He gave a deep bow.
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