Page 71 of To Ensnare a Duke

"You will be silent," Foxford hisses, grabbing his wife by the wrist and yanking her to his side. "I suggest you do not make matters worse by interfering."

"Forgive me, Master," Blackport's wife whimpers, sliding down to the floor.

It's as if the woman doesn't realize she's submitting to him in such an intimate manner in front of all of us.

Foxford's wife jerks her wrist away, walks over to her friend, and helps her back up. "She didn't want to go. So if you plan on punishing her for our misdeeds, I would implore you to reconsider."

Blackport levels a glare at her. "You would be wise to not address me at this moment. I have a mind to forbid her from ever seeing any of you after this."

Foxford jumps in between the two and pushes his wife behind him. "Be reasonable. We are all furious at the moment, but let us not say words in wrath that we cannot take back."

He sighs and steps back, taking his wife with him. "What have you to say about all this?"

She looks down at the ground, her face screwed up in misery. All it does is make my anger burn even hotter. Does Augusta not care what happens to the others? Does she not understand that her actions led to this outcome, not just for her, but for her friends as well?

"Forgive me, Master," she wails, the warble in her voice tugging at my stone-cold heart. "I chose to come. No one forced me. Please, do not punish them for my mistakes."

Birchleigh steps forward and clears his throat, finally choosing to speak. "Have no fear of that. They will all atone for their own actions as I'm sure you will for yours."

"Speak for yourself," I growl, snarling at Augusta. "I plan to lay each and every wrongdoing at my future wife's feet. You may take that into consideration while dealing with your own wives, and you might not. The choice will be yours."

"It's not all her fault," Foxford's wife cries out. "It was my suggestion."

"Teresa!" Augusta chides, striding over to her friend. "Please do not make yourself a sacrifice."

"Oh, she's already that," Foxford grumbles, crossing his arms. "Unfortunately, it has a ring of truth about it."

I level my stare at Augusta. "I will have the truth. Did Foxford's wife start the charge?"

My stubborn minx screws her lips shut, refusing to utter a word in defense. Part of me applauds her bravery and loyalty, the other part just keeps tally of how absolutely daft she's being.

"Yes," Foxford's wife finally pipes up. "I was the one who made the suggestion."

"And the others simply followed?" Birchleigh inquires. "Or did someone else have a hand in gaining access to this place?" His wife hangs her head and remains silent.

"That crime is at my feet as well. If anyone is to be punished tonight, it is to be me."

"Have no doubt of that, dear wife," Foxford chuckles without a trace of humor in his voice.

With a sigh, I run my hand down my face. "Do none of you understand the enormity of what happened here tonight?"

Again, Foxford's wife champions for the rest of them. "We merely wished to give Augusta a proper education to prepare her for tomorrow."

"And you did not think that would be her husband's job? Do you really think you could show her better than him?"

She narrows her eyes at him for a moment before giving him a saccharine smile. "Why, my dear husband. I merely wished her to understand matters far more succinctly than I did on my wedding night. You lot were not supposed to be here. Besides, you all have wives save Norhaven, Whiteport, and Redleigh. How is it you are here on such an evening? Should not Augusta be scandalized that her betrothed be engaged with another? Should we not be enraged to find you here as well?"

The women latch onto her argument and cry out as well, their speeches of propriety and wounded pride intermingling until I cannot tell one word from the other.

"Wife," Foxford snarls as I and the others step forward, our words on top of each other's.

The only men who hang back are the ones without a bride in this equation. Lucky bastards. Finally, unable to think in the din around me, I put my fingers to my lips and whistle.

At once, all commotion stops as they all look at me. "I suggest we each take our women separately and deal with this situation before it becomes even more out of hand than it already is. I refuse to have this night turn into a spectacle for others to glean information from or gawk at."

The men instantly sober, thoughts of the potential blackmailers back in the forefront of our thoughts. At the end of the day, that's what truly matters. "I suggest you take your wives home to keep any chatter to a minimum. I will see to Miss Hunt here and then take her home."

Silence descends between us for a moment, only punctuated with soft sniffles from Blackport's wife. Of all the ladies here, I blame her the least. It's clear she's repentant of what little she's done. The other four stand there as if they have done nothing wrong.