Page 21 of Between a Duke and a Hard Place
The words landed like a slap.
Nigel sank deeper into his chair, visibly wilting.
Ethella remained perfectly composed, though a sharp prickle of rage surged through her.
The bishop stood, his voice rising with finality. “The Duchess of Alstead is lawfully wed, and no amount of posturing will change that. You will cease this meddling, madam. It is unseemly. And frankly, tiresome.”
There was a long and damning silence.
Ethella, seeing there was nothing further to be gained at that moment, inclined her head gracefully.
“My apologies if our concerns have inconvenienced you, Bishop,” she said, her voice smooth as silk.
She rose elegantly, gesturing for Nigel to do the same. He scrambled to his feet, casting nervous glances at the bishop, who was already returning to his papers, scribbling away as he utterly dismissed their very existence.
As they exited the chamber, Ethella’s mind whirled. Fraud. They would have to prove it or other, more permanent, steps would need to be taken.
The early morning fog was thick as Max dismounted in front of Colcrest Hall, the home of Lord Bertram Eddington. It was time to beard the serpent in his den, so to speak. Climbing the steps to the front door, he lifted the knocker and let it fall, striking the brass plate beneath. Only seconds later, the door was opened by an aged butler who appeared to be at least a century old, if not more.
“May I help you?”
“The Duke of Alstead,” Max said. “I need to speak with your employer… Lord Eddington.”
The butler stepped back enough to allow him entrance, but only into the foyer. “If you will wait here, your grace, I will see if his lordship is at home.”
“He’s at home,” Max said. “Asking to see him was merely good manners. I will see him, whether he wishes it or not.”
The butler drew back, clearly shocked by his insistence. “I see. I will inform him, your grace.”
Several minutes passed while Max wiped for the ancient retainer to shuffle down the hall toward Eddington’s study. An equal amount of time was taken for him to shuffle back. “This way, your grace.”
“No need. I know the way,” Max said. He was out of patience and had no wish to be led down the hallway at a snail’s pace. Brushing past the butler, he made for the study and the reprobate who awaited him there.
“Alstead. I wish I could say it was a pleasure,” Eddingotn said, as he entered.
“Our distaste for one another is the only common ground we possess,” Max observed. He didn’t bother to take a seat, he simply walked forward, placed his hands flat on Eddington’s desk, and leaned in. When he spoke again, his tone was pitched low, lethal and heavy with warning. “I’ve come to tell you that Violet is now my wife and you will stay far, far awayfrom her. Whatever Faustian bargains you have struck with the Cavenders, she is mine and I will protect her at all costs.”
Eddington leaned back in his chair, a smirk twisting his thin lips in such a way that it bared his teeth, giving him a skeletal appearance. “I have no notion what you mean, Alstead. I’ve no interest in your little country bride. Now, your late wife… Katherine, wasn’t it? Now she was a beauty. Certainly more than enough to tempt a man.”
Max didn’t take the bait. He knew well that Eddington and Katherine had indulged in an affair. But he didn’t care. He’d never really cared, more’s the pity. “You may be able to convince others of that, but I know the truth. I know that you were sniffing after her when she was little more than a child. I know that you loaned Nigel Cavender money for the sole purpose of demanding access to Violet as part of the repayment. And I’ll be damned to hell and back before you ever touch her.”
Eddington crossed his arms over his thin chest, cocking his head in challenge. “And what will you do if I touch her? Murder me in cold blood? Challenge me to a duel? You’re far too upstanding for such actions, Alstead.”
“I’ll do whatever I have to do, Eddington, and it’s best you remember that… When it comes to Violet, there are no rules I won’t bend, no laws I won’t break, and no sins I will balk at committing in order to protect her.”
With that, Max turned and walked away. He’d just reached the door when Eddington called out, “Katherine was quite the wild one, Alstead. You know I wasn’t her only lover, don’t you?”
Max looked back at him. “I’m aware. And I couldn’t care less. But Katherine isn’t Violet and I’ll not warn you again.”
Leaving Eddington’s home, he mounted his horse once more and made for home. It was a short ride. No more than seven miles. The only thing separating his estate from Eddington’s was Wellston. Eddington wanted Violet because she’d had theaudacity to defy him, but also because she was the key to getting what he wanted—the creek that ran through his estate and also through Wellston. Not because he needed access to the water, but because he intended to dam the creek and destroy crops and livestock to starve out the tenants. All for the sake of petty vengeance.
If there was one thing he was entirely certain of, it was that Eddington wasn’t done. Their war was just beginning.
Chapter Eleven
Lord Eddington had never been a patient man.
Patience, after all, was the virtue of men who lacked the power to take what they wanted. And he had never been such a man.
