Merry sniffed, then fumbled with her poor, crumpled handkerchief. Wiping her eyes and patting at her nose, she eked out a sad laugh. “I fear I did a great deal of damage to Lady Atterley’s parlor. We must offer her compensation for everything I broke.”
With an impatient huff, Serendipity waved away her words. “Lady Atterley will be most understanding, I am sure, and Chance will see everything is made right.”
“I still cannot believe it happened.” Merry rested her head on Duncan’s chest, grateful for the safety of his arms. “And now, I am caught in that cruel devil’s web. Whatever shall I do to escape?”
“I shall challenge the bastard to a duel.” Duncan shifted with a deep breath. The soft wool of his plaid beneath her cheek tickled her nose and comforted her with his familiar scent of the crisp, clean outdoors, citrus, and the finest leather.
She caught hold of his hand and squeezed. “Do not speak of such. I will not risk you to that fool. He would probably cheat so he could kill you.”
Duncan snorted again. “I could cheat first and kill him.”
“No dueling. Not by you or Chance. Please—I beg you.” She hugged closer, tucking herself against him. “And you are not the sort to cheat. As honorable as you are, you might not do it properly and still lose your life.”
“During the war, Malcolm was quite impressive when shooting from a great distance.”
She pushed herself upright and arched a brow at him. “And then he would be hanged for murdering a peer. Brixham is not worth it.”
“Once all of us reach home, Chance and Malcolm included,” Serendipity said, “I feel certain we will come up with a way to foil that dastardly man.”
“We had best make haste about it.” Merry pulled her cloak closer as they neared Broadmere House. “You know as well as I that the rumors will start tomorrow.”
“But no one saw ye leave.” Duncan helped her with her cloak. “We made certain of it.”
“But they know we all left early,” she said, “after making a show of ourselves dancing and telling Lady Atterley of our engagement. The tongue-waggers will wonder why we left, and I feel certain Brixham will waste no time unleashing the rumors he claimed to have purchased with those lying witnesses.”
The only bright point in the debacle came to her. “Perhaps he’ll not do so immediately, though, after the thrashing you gave him, and then the second pummeling by Chance and Lord Malcolm. But I have no doubt he will eventually do so, if he hasn’t already. He may have instructed his hired witnesses to spread the word as soon as I disappeared from the ballroom.” She closed her eyes and held her aching head. “What a horrible mess.”
Duncan hooked a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face to his. His gaze was intense and all-consuming as he barely shook his head. “I will protect ye, my own. Yer reputation as well as yer life. Rest as easy as ye can in the knowledge that I will make everything all right.”
“But how?”
“Every evil has a weakness. We will find it and use it to destroy him.”
“And you are not alone,” Serendipity said as the carriage rolled to a stop in front of Broadmere House. “Remember what Mama and Papa always said?”
“Family takes care of family.” In a way, Merry was glad Papa and Mama weren’t here. This would upset them so. “Papa would trick Brixham into attending a hunt and set the hounds on him right before he shot him.”
Duncan chuckled. “Yer father sounds as though he was a verra wise man.”
“He was.” Merry sniffed again, then gave up any attempts at ladylike behavior and blew her nose like a trumpet. “Forgive me. I hate crying. It always does this to me.”
“There is nothing to forgive, my own.” Duncan exited the carriage, helped Lady Serendipity out, then reached for Merry. “Ye fought well tonight, lass. Ye earned each and every tear.”
Fipps opened the front door before they even reached it. “Lady Serendipity?”
“Yes, Fipps, I know we are home early. We need a tray of cold meats, a proper tea, brandy, port, and whisky, and plenty of everything. It looks to be a long night.” Draping her cloak over his arm, she handed him her reticule and gloves as well.
“Yes, my lady. Right away.” After gathering everyone else’s things, the butler hurried away to do her bidding.
Merry curled up in the corner of one of the settees in the parlor, hugging her knees to her chest. She didn’t care that a proper lady would never sit in such a manner. Polite Society’s etiquette had not protected her tonight. By heavens, she would do whatever she wished. “Might someone stoke the fire? I feel so very cold.”
Duncan hurried to the hearth and soon had it blazing. Sitting beside her, he pulled her into his arms and held her. “If ye fall ill from this, I shall shoot that bastard without setting the dogs on him.”
Mildly surprised that Serendipity wasn’t clearing her throat for them to move apart and sit at a more respectable distance, Merry lifted her head and eyed her sister. “Do you consider me beyond chaperoning, Seri? Disappointingly sullied?”
Jaw dropping in shock, Serendipity stared at her. “Of course not. Why in heaven’s name would you ask such a thing?”
“Because your hawkishness suddenly appears a bit lax.”
