Page 1 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
Chapter One
“Leave him alone!” Aurelia cried as she rushed into the study, raising her hands to her mouth as she gasped at the unthinkable scene before her.
“And who are you?” One of the tall men who had her father, Elton Godwin, pinned to the ground, turned to her with a bemused smirk.
His nasty grin sent a shiver of panic down her spine as she noted his dirty skin and greasy blonde hair. She was certain they didn’t belong to polite society.
Her heart stuttered when the other three men grinned at her while keeping the struggling Earl firmly pinned to the rug. Her hands instinctively moved to her shawl, pulling the fabric tighter around her chest.
The thugs all wore the same disheveled and patched clothes that matched their grubby appearances.
“Please don’t hurt my daughter. She doesn’t have anything to do with this,” the Earl pleaded with the men when their gazes remained fixed on Aurelia’s curvy figure. His voice was filled with panic, making her wonder again who the men were.
The grin of the scraggly bunch’s leader widened as he took a step forward. The curve of his lips exposed sharp teeth that had begun to decay, and a heavy stench of whiskey emanated from him.
Aurelia clutched at her shawl with both hands as her wavy dark blonde hair fell over her shoulders. She had been getting ready for bed after dinner when the sounds of a struggle had carried down the hall. She now wished that she’d reached for a gown instead of the simple shawl to cover her night dress.
She swallowed hard and worked up the courage to speak as the silence thickened the air.
“You men had better leave before I send for the constables. The footmen and some of the men who live in this house will be here soon.”
She felt her breath catching in her throat as the man drew closer, the stench of whiskey growing even stronger. The nasty look in his muddy brown eyes sent chills down her spine as she backed up against the wall beside the door.
Who are these men? Surely the footmen and the butler would have heard the commotion by now. Why is no one coming to our aid?
Her eyes darted around the darkened room, which was only partially lit by a flickering candle on the large desk.
The derisive laughter that filled the air made her jump with fright as she placed her hands on the cold wall behind her back.
“You may call the whole of London if you wish, My Lady. We will not be leaving until your father gives us the money we are owed. Unless you would like to pay us instead?” The leader’s smile quickly turned into a nasty sneer.
“Don’t you dare bring her into this!” Her father struggled against the men’s hold, kicking and punching the air until the three men pinned his arms and legs to the ground once again.
His chubby figure and short stature made it easy for them to subdue him as he panted for breath, his round cheeks flushing from his efforts.
“Can’t you see that you’re hurting him?” Aurelia cried out and almost lunged forward when the leader stepped into her path, causing her back up against the wall once again.
“I wouldn’t be so hasty if I was you, My Lady. Those pretty blue eyes won’t spare you from my wrath if you get in my way.”
The tall, blonde man pulled a knife from his pocket and brandished it in front of her face. The sharp blade glinted in the flickering candlelight.
“Your father owes us a great deal of money, and like I said, we won’t be leaving here until we get it.” He advanced on her and turned the hilt from side to side, highlighting the sharp blade.
Aurelia’s courage returned in an unexpected display of bravery as she took a step forward and faced the man down. The tip of her nose almost touched the tip of the blade as she stared him down.
“What money does my father owe you? If he said he will repay you, then he will. My father is an honorable man! How dare you come into our home and demand repayment in this manner?” She narrowed her eyes at the man and momentarily let go of her shawl before gripping the edges once again.
A confused look crossed his filthy face for a second. “You really don’t know?” His eyes flickered with surprise before he glanced over his shoulder at her father.
One of the men holding her father’s arm down suddenly slapped him across the face, making her scream in protest.
“You haven’t told your daughter about your dirty little secret, Lord Keldbrooke? That isn’t very decent of you. Surely a loving father would not hide such key information from his only daughter?”
The men all laughed as her father struggled against their grip. His eyes pleaded with her to leave, yet she knew something terrible would happen if she left them alone.
“Let him go, you vile creatures!” Aurelia attempted to push past the leader but found her path once again blocked by his bulky figure.
The stench coming from his clothes mixed with the stink of whiskey almost made her gag.
