The King's Falcon (Roundheads & Cavaliers Book 3) (31 page)

‘No.’ Athenais tried to side-step him and get away but his arm shot out, trapping her.
 
‘You didn’t need to do that.
 
I knew that you could.
 
It wasn’t necessary to prove it.’

‘I beg to differ.
 
Now answer my question.’

He wasn’t going to go away.
 
Neither was he going to let her talk her way out of it this time.
 
Even as she hesitated, he used his weight to pin her against the wall.
 
The fingers of one hand dipped into her neckline while the other gripped her chin and he pushed his thigh between hers.
 
Stupidly, she found herself remembering another wall and another man.
 
A bubble of hysterical amusement floated to the surface of her mind and then was gone. That other man hadn’t touched her.
 
This one had his hands all over her and his knee in a place it had no business being. She wanted to spit in his eye but instinct was warning that she had more chance of surviving this encounter undamaged by means of conciliation rather than violence.

Then he was kissing her, forcing her mouth open and half-choking her.
 

A strangled sob rose in her throat as she finally realised something irrevocable.
 
She had thought that, if it became necessary, she could do this.
 
She’d thought she could smile and lie and let this man use her like a whore … that she’d be able to bear it because she had to.
 
But now, with sudden blinding clarity, she knew that she couldn’t.
 
Not because he repelled her or because she’d heard the dark things rumoured about him; not even because she now knew what it was to want a man – to crave his presence, his smile, his touch. She couldn’t do it because, if she did, there would be no turning back and she’d never be clean again.
 

His tongue was invading her mouth and his fingers groped inside her bodice. Bile rose in her throat and, forgetting she’d intended not to fight him openly, she pushed at him with one hand and raised the other to claw at his cheek.
 
With the speed of a snake, he released her mouth and seized her wrist in a crushing grip.

‘Oh no,’ he murmured as he captured her other hand and twisted both of them behind her to lock them in one of his. ‘That was very foolish, my dear.
 
Now you’ve annoyed me.’

Athenais wished she had a knife.
 
Since she didn’t, she met his eyes and managed to say, ‘Monseigneur … please let me go. I can’t do what you want. And I’m sorry I tried to – to hit you but you’re frightening me a little.’

‘I’ll frighten you more than a little if you continue to defy me.’
 

His voice was soft as silk and somehow more dangerous than if he’d shouted. With his free hand, he wrenched at the shoulder of her gown so hard she heard stitches giving way.
 
Then, bending his head, he bit her hard on the upward slope of her breast.

Athenais yelped in pain and, now seriously frightened, struggled desperately to free herself.

Seizing a handful of her hair, he said, ‘Be still.
 
You carry my mark now. You will not refuse me.’

And then the door opened.

‘
What the hell--?
’

Colonel Peverell froze on the threshold, momentarily transfixed by the sight of Athenais’s head being dragged back by her hair and the savage red mark just above the line of her disarrayed gown.
 
Two steps behind him, he heard Francis’s startled curse.

D’Auxerre also swore and swung round to face the intrusion while, released without warning, Athenais’s knees gave way and she slithered down the wall into a leaf-green puddle.

Setting one hand to his sword, the Marquis growled, ‘You have no business here. Get out.’

‘I don’t think so.’ Ashley strode forward with clenched fists.
 
‘You’re the one who’ll be leaving.
 
After I’ve beaten you to a bloody pulp.’

Francis’s hand closed hard on his arm. ‘Wait.’

Ashley shook him off.
 
‘For what?
 
So this piece of filth can finish what he started?’

‘So you can get a hold of your temper.’

Already drawing his sword, d’Auxerre snapped, ‘Don’t touch me unless you’ve a death-wish.’

Ashley laughed coldly and continued to advance.

‘With that pretty toy? Try it. Please. Just give me an excuse.’

Both the look in the Colonel’s eyes and something in the tone of his voice gave the Marquis pause and, with reluctance, he rammed his sword home.

‘The girl’s not hurt.
 
And you don’t know what you’re meddling with.’

‘Neither do you.’
 
Rage was beating through him like Thor’s hammer and the desire to plough his fist into d’Auxerre face was overwhelming but somehow he found a fragment of self-control and, folding his arms, said, ‘I think you had better go before you find yourself choking on your teeth.
 
But first, Mademoiselle is owed an apology.’

‘It doesn’t m-matter,’ stammered Athenais from the floor.
 
‘Really.
 
If Monseigneur would j-just go away, we need never speak of this …’

Francis moved to stand beside Ashley, relieved that they’d avoided bloodshed.
 
He looked the Frenchman over and, in the tone of a man who’s just found a slug crawling on his boot, said, ‘Monsieur d’Auxerre, I presume.
 
I’d heard you had unfortunate preferences.
 
I didn’t realise that mauling women was one of them.’

‘And who might you be?’ spat the Marquis.

‘Viscount Wroxton – quite definitely
not
at your service.’

The dark eyes filled with mocking spite.

‘Wroxton?
 
I know your mother.
 
She’s … very accommodating.’

‘Enough,’ snapped Ashley.
 
‘You can leave with your dignity intact or with my boot up your arse.
 
Your choice – but make it now before my patience runs out.’

‘You will regret this,’ snarled d’Auxerre, walking up to him and staring him straight in the eye.
 
‘Very, very soon.’

‘The only thing I’ll regret is not pasting you to the wall,’ retorted Ashley, stepping aside. ‘Set foot in this house again, and I’ll do it. Now get out.’
 
And, as the Marquis strode towards the door, ‘Francis.
 
Make sure he leaves.’

In the corner, Athenais had struggled to her knees. About to help her rise by taking her hands, Ashley changed his mind when he saw the state of her wrists where the d’Auxerre’s fingerprints would shortly become bruises.
 
Instead, swooping down on her, he picked her up and carried her to the sofa.
 
Her face was paper-white, she was shaking uncontrollably and trying unsuccessfully to blink away tears.

He said gently, ‘It’s all right.
 
He’s gone and you’re safe.
 
Did he hurt you?’

‘Not so very much.’
 
She squinted downwards.
 
‘He b-bit me.’

Ashley followed her gaze and swallowed a vicious oath.

‘He’s clearly an animal. Possibly even rabid.
 
You’ll need to clean it and apply salve.’

‘Yes.’ The involuntary tears were coming faster now and she brushed them away with the heel of her hand to look up at him. ‘You came.
 
Thank you.
 
I don’t know what …’ She stopped and then added uncertainly, ‘You’re very angry.’

‘Yes.’
 
Of course I’m bloody angry.
 
I’m angry that this happened at all and angry that I didn’t get here sooner – on top of which you’re looking at me as if I was God
.
 
‘Don’t worry.
 
I’ll get over it.’

She was still cold and shaking so he put his arm round her and settled her against his chest.
 
She curled into him, making herself as small as possible as if she’d like to crawl inside his unlaced coat.
 
Over her head, he saw Francis standing in the doorway and responded to his look with a brief nod.
 
Francis retreated, shutting the door behind him.

‘You can cry, you know.
 
It’s nothing to be ashamed of.’

‘Yes it is.
 
It’s
stupid
.’

‘Is it?’

She nodded and on a distinct sob said, ‘He’s torn my dress.’

‘Ah.
 
So he has.’
 
Ashley chose not to remark that, considering the things he
might
have done to her, a torn gown was a mere bagatelle.
 
‘That’s a pity.’

‘It only came today.’
 
She bent her head as if to hide from him.
 
‘It – it’s the first new dress I’ve ever had –
really
new, I mean. Made especially for me.’

A pain, not unlike taking a bullet, exploded in Ashley’s chest.
 
He wanted to promise her a dozen new gowns but, since he couldn’t, he promised himself something he
could
accomplish.
 
If the bastard hurts her again, I’ll kill him
.

Feeling the sudden tension in his arm, Athenais sat up and said rapidly, ‘I’m sorry.
 
This is ridiculous – snivelling over a dress.
 
Pauline will be able to mend it for me. So I really don’t know why I was crying.’
 
It seemed vitally important that he knew she wasn’t so feeble that she’d cry over anything.
 
‘I
never
cry.’

‘I’m perfectly aware that it’s not just the dress – so you don’t need to apologise for anything.’
 
Laying a hand against her hair, Ashley pulled her head back against his shoulder.
 
‘Tell me.
 
Who let the Marquis into the house?’

‘No one.
 
He s-said the door was unlocked.’

‘So he walked in on you unannounced?’

‘Yes.’

‘I see.’
 
He kept his tone calm but his temper was almost at boiling point.
 
‘And who might have left the door unlocked?’

‘I don’t know.
 
Perhaps someone just forgot.
 
Or if Suzon, ran out to buy something …’

‘Well.
 
I think we’ll take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.’
 
In fact, we’ll take a number of new precautions … because I doubt very much if d’Auxerre will leave matters as they are.
 
He looked down at her, noticing that the colour was returning to her face.
 
‘Do you feel a little better?’

‘Yes.
 
I’m perfectly well now.
 
Thank you.’

He watched, as seemingly unaware of what she did, her fingers strayed to the angry bite-mark on her breast. He wanted to replace her fingers with his mouth and clean the wound with his tongue.
 
He knew better than to do it, of course … but his body responded automatically to the thought.
 
She felt so
right
in his arms; warm, soft and fragile, and teasing his senses with some indefinable scent.
 
He ought to let her go.
 
She’d stopped shaking and was recovering her composure. She no longer needed comfort and he ought to let her go … only he couldn’t seem to make himself do it.

For a while, silence settled around them.
 
Then Ashley said, ‘I take it you refused him again?’

‘Yes.
 
I can’t do it.
 
I just can’t.’

‘After the way he behaved today, I’d say that’s a wise decision.’
 
He allowed a smile to enter his voice.
 
‘But I’m a bit disappointed in you. You forgot to use your knee.’

‘I couldn’t.
 
He – he pushed his leg between mine. I tried to hit him, of course … but that was when he got hold of my hands and bit me.’
 
She sighed and, tilting her face up to his, said, ‘He’s not going to stop, is he?’

‘I wouldn’t think so, no.
 
But look on the bright side.
 
I imagine he’s taken me in extreme dislike – even though I managed to stop myself hitting him.
 
So he may decide to exorcise his ill-nature on me rather than you.’

Looking him straight in the eye, she said seriously, ‘That is
not
a bright side.
 
I don’t want you to be hurt because of me.’

‘The sentiment is appreciated – but it’s not your responsibility.
 
I’m more than capable of protecting myself against the likes of d’Auxerre.’

‘Yes – if he came against you himself in the open.
 
But he won’t.
 
He has servants to do his dirty work and if he decides to kill you, he’ll use them.’

Ashley already knew that but he said, ‘I doubt he’ll go that far.
 
Also, I’m fairly hard to kill – as a number of old enemies could testify.’
Most of whom are dead, as if happens.
 
‘And, at the moment, I’m more worried about the security in this house.
 
We can’t have
any
clown wandering off the street to whack us with his pig’s bladder, now can we?’