Page 90 of Her Duke By Accident
“Matthew,” she breathed into him, the tears falling like rivers down her cheeks. “Matthew, I?—”
“It’s all right,” he interrupted, wrapping an arm around her waist to carry her the rest of the way out the carriage. “Come along, Juliet.”
The girl climbed out, grasping onto his hand as a guide. “Y–Your Grace,” she mumbled as she staggered into the light.
“Well, well,” a voice called out a few feet away from them. “Looks like London has a savior on the loose!”
Another voice laughed boisterously. “A posh one, at that!”
Alicia clutched onto Matthew’s coat as he turned to face the two remaining brigands. Neither of them had a rifle like the other, only carrying short knives in their hands.
“Get behind me,” Matthew commanded.
Alicia held onto him tighter. “No,” she cried.
“Alicia!”
“No!” she forcefully shouted. “I will not lose you, I willnot!”
Matthew suddenly pulled her off him, holding onto her arms tightly. “Look at me, Alicia!”
She met his wide eyes, unable to stop herself from sobbing.
“You once told me you’d protect me,” Matthew said. “Let me do the same.”
Alicia stifled her cries, allowing him to push her behind him with Juliet. The girl grabbed Alicia’s hand, her short nails cutting into her skin.
Matthew faced the brigands with his hands clenched into tight fists. Redness already stained his knuckles from the first man.“We can end this civilly, gentlemen, provided you take your leave now.”
“Posh man thinks he’s the constable,” one of them guffawed.
The other laughed again, tossing a knife from hand to hand. “Let’s show ‘im who the real constables are on these roads!”
Matthew tightened his jaw. “Thought you’d say that,” he muttered.
The first, who held a knife menacingly, slowly crept towards Matthew. They circled each other, both with extended hands ready to grab the other. The brigand thrust the blade forward, earning a gasp and shriek from Juliet with each move. Matthew jolted back with every throw, his expression never changing from that of intense determination.
Alicia couldn’t pull her eyes off him, off the way his shoulders were so broad or how shadows were cast over his neck from his sharp jawline. It was as if she saw him for the first time, beautiful and grand beneath the sunlight. Despite the dangers that threatened to destroy them all, Alicia only wanted to run to him, to drape her body over his as a shield. If Juliet hadn’t been there, nothing would have stopped her from doing such a thing.
Matthew lunged for the brigand, dodging the knife and landing his fist into the man’s stomach.
The brigand doubled over, rolling till he was back on his feet unsteadily. He lost the blade somewhere in the grass, now fumbling with his thin arms and nimble-looking hands. Matthew jumped for him again, and they tumbled in the grass, rolling over each other till the duke was on top. He struggled with the brigand, distracted by his thrashing legs and swatting arms to see what approached from behind.
Juliet tugged on Alicia’s hand, nodding her head over to behind Matthew.
Creeping along the forest’s edge was the other brigand, who had slunk off into the shadows the moment the other two began their dance. He held the other’s lost blade, gripping it tightly over his head as he inched closer to Matthew. Staring down at the other brigand, Matthew would never see the man coming, and a blade would quickly be dug into the sensitive space between his shoulder blades.
Alicia felt fear swell up into her chest, and even as she opened her mouth to shout at him, her lips clamped shut. “I’d only make it worse,” she breathed, a hand clasped over her stomach.
Juliet breathed quicker. “He’s going to be killed!”
Glancing around, Alicia’s eyes landed on a wide rock resting on the ground beside their feet. She reached for it, lifting the heavy weight over her head. Taking a small step forward, Alicia closed her eyes, remembering how her father used to toss a ball between her and Owen when they were only children. In the memory, her father glanced at her, a toothy smile on his lips.
Just aim with your heart, Ali. The ball will do the rest of the work.
Alicia opened her eyes, a newfound determination swelling up within her.
Lunging the rock over her head, it flew through the air till it landed square on the brigand’s forehead. With a loudslam,the man flung backwards at the impact, crashing to the earthy floor without another sound.
