Page 47 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Lord Halifax held up one hand, palm facing Lord Rushton. “Enough,” he wheezed.

“Not hardly.” The earl pulled a pistol from his waistband and Eve’s heart jumped into her throat.

“There are witnesses,” Lord Halifax cried—and there were, a dozen more than before. “You can’t murder me in plain sight of the entire town.”

Lord Rushton swung his gaze onto the carriage driver, who remained motionless atop the vehicle. “Get down here. You will act as Halifax’s second.”

The man didn’t move.

Eve’s heart thundered. “My lord,” she began, but Lord Halifax cut her off.

“This is outrageous. We cannot conduct a duel in the town square. Dueling is against the law.”

Lord Rushton didn’t take his eyes off his pistol, which he was inspecting. “You will count your paces and do your damnedest to shoot me, Halifax, or I will shoot you outright.”

The lack of emotion in his voice sent a chill through Eve. Lord Halifax must have heard it too, for he shouted, “Someone call the sheriff!”

“I have no doubt he is already on his way,” Lord Rushton said.

“We dinna’ allow dueling in Scotland any more than you do in England,” a man in the forefront of the crowd said.

Lord Rushton lowered the weapon and looked at the man. “Do you allow men to kidnap another man’s fiancé, then try to rape her?”

Startlement flashed across the man’s face. He looked at Lord Halifax, eyes fixed on the scratches down his cheek, then shifted his gaze to Eve. She kept her eyes level with his and prayed the churning in her stomach didn’t reflect in her expression, but his gaze dropped from her face and she glanced down and gasped at sight of her dress’ torn sleeve.

The man took a step forward and stopped beside Lord Rushton. “I will act as his second.”

“You said yourself, dueling is forbidden,” the earl replied. “Halifax’s driver can stand in.”

“If you kill his lordship I will swear it was a fair fight,” the man said. “I will be believed. The driver will no’.”

“I accept,” Lord Rushton said.

Eve took a step forward. “Lord Rushton, there will be no duel.” For the first time, he looked at her. “I am all right, sir.”

“You call being kidnapped and accosted all right?”

“I am none the worse.”

“Your dress and his face say otherwise.” His mouth thinned and she had the terrible feeling he sensed the tremble working its way through her body. “I assume the scream we heard was when you wounded him?” he asked.

For an instant she didn’t understand his question, then recalled Lord Halifax’s scream when she scratched him. “Yes.”

“You were right, Oscar,” Lord Rushton said, then added, “Please escort Miss Crenshaw into the nearest cottage.”

Oscar didn’t move.

“Oscar.”

Oscar glanced at her, but still didn’t move.

“You threaten to put a knife through my heart and shoot Halifax, but that slip of a girl frightens you?” Rushton demanded.

“Oscar,” she cried. “Say you did not make such threats.”

He glanced at the ground like a schoolboy. “I did, Miss.”

“Shame on you,” she said, then to Lord Rushton, “As for you, I am no slip of a girl.”