Page 90 of Romancing the Scot
Before Rivenhall could complete his sentence, the library door opened. Grace and the others stood as Hugh and Mrs. Douglas entered, flanked by two footmen.
The woman’s pale face took in everyone in the room before fixing a look of cold fury on the man behind Grace.
Before she could even turn, the room erupted.
As the hand closed on her arm like a band of steel, Grace cursed herself for allowing Sir Rupert to get behind her. How many times had her father told her of the value of flanking the foe when a diversion engages their attention elsewhere. Grace felt the knife blade pressed to her throat as she was jerked backward.
“Let her go,” Hugh shouted.
The entire room became a moving tableau. Hugh and Lord Aytoun charged across the library toward them as Rivenhall stood stock still, a stunned look on his face. Mrs. Douglas’s expression of fury was replaced with wide-eyed surprise. MacKay had half risen from his chair, upsetting the inkstand, and the papers in Branson’s hand spread out on the floor around him.
Sir Rupert yanked her away from the two men.
“You’re a fool, Mariah,” he spat. “Stay where you are, Greysteil, or this one is a dead woman.”
Hugh’s face darkened with rage.
Grace felt the keen edge of the blade against her skin. This wasn’t happening. She had survived Antwerp, the arduous journey in darkness, the fevers, the attack on the lane . . . just to have it end now? It had taken her a lifetime to find Hugh, and now she was to be wrested from his arms. If this blackguard took her from here, Grace knew he would kill her with as little hesitation as they’d killed her father and the others.
After all she’d lost and now gained—after finding love—now death would claim her?
“What are you doing?” Rivenhall shouted. “Put the knife down. Release her.”
Elliot ignored the orders and moved toward the door.
“You can’t escape,” Lord Aytoun growled.
“I can and I shall,” Elliot snapped. “Greysteil, the two of you will escort us to the carriage that brought us here. Miss Ware and I shall leave unmolested, and no one will follow us. If I so much as see a hay cart in pursuit of us, she will die.”
“This is madness, Elliot,” Rivenhall said. “This must stop now.”
Hugh inched closer. “You willnotbe leaving here. You don’t seriously think I’d allow you to take her out of here.”
Fight.The words of her father rang in her ears.Always fight. Never allow yourself to become the prey. Fight.She was no weak and passive victim. She would rather die here in Hugh’s arms than in the darkness of a shuttered carriage, only to have her body tossed out along the road.
Smashing her heel down as hard as she could on her attacker’s booted foot, Grace ducked to the side, feeling the blade nick her jaw as she dropped down.
That was all that was needed.
Grace felt her arm break free and she stumbled out of the way as Hugh flew at Elliot. The massive fist that crashed into the envoy’s face drove him back toward the wall. Before he could right himself, more blows rained down on him.
The knife lay at Grace’s feet and she picked it up as she backed away.
Hugh pounded Elliot with both hands, snapping his head back with every lashing blow. The man’s knees collapsed beneath him and he sagged unconscious to the floor. Hugh was standing over him as the two footmen rushed to help. Across the room, Mrs. Douglas sank into a chair. Lord Aytoun was watching Captain Rivenhall warily, but the man stood in a state of shock.
Hugh rushed over and took Grace into his arms.
“You’re hurt.”
“No, I’m fine.”
His worried eyes scanned her face and neck for injuries. He wasn’t believing her. “He cut you. The edge of the knife . . .”
“It was nothing. Truly.” She had to take his cheeks in her hands and force him to look into her eyes to get his attention. “It’s over, Hugh. You saved me.”
He caressed her face, his thumb running across the place where she’d felt the knife press against her skin. “My brave fighter. My warrior. This is twice now where your fearlessness has shone through. I can’t tell you how proud you make me.”
“You’re giving me too much credit.” She smiled up at him. “Each time, you were the one who saved my life.”
