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Cyril Elliston stood at the large window and turned to face her.“Mrs.Hardy,” he said, bowing curtly.Rose couldn’t breathe.He might have punched her in the solar plexus, his appearance at her doorstep so startling.Hatred welled up, seeing his arrogance, daring to come to her home.Both of them knew what he had done.
“Raleigh, leave us.And close the door.”She entwined her fingers and waited for the subtle click.“What are you doing here?”
“I brought your mother’s china,” Cyril said.
There was nothing that could make her believe him or trust him.
“Go on.It’s right there.”He pointed to a wooden box on the small table.Rose walked to it and lifted away the rope and lid.The china was inside, smashed to bits.She gasped at the cruelty.She lowered the lid and thought of Matthew’s words.Remember, everything can be replaced.
This was Cyril, after all.Willing to wound, embarrass, flagellate.Nothing he did surprised her.Nothing he did made sense to her.Charming one moment; this cruel caricature the next.
“The same pattern is available throughout England.I can have it replaced within the week.Is there anything else?”she said, with superb calm.
“What is it like for a whore to marry a dirty commoner?”he asked.
“About the same as for a duke who enjoys abusing his relatives.Oh well, except one is true and the other is not.I may be a willingwhore,” she emphasized his gross mischaracterization of her.“But there is nothing common about Mr.Hardy.”
“He must have an impressive cock for you to defend him so.”
“To whom are we comparing him?I’m afraid I don’t know a real man with whom I might assess size.”
“You bitch.I want those diamonds within the week.They belong to Sandhurst.”
“What diamonds are you talking about?Your mother’s jewels were safely locked away when I left.Have you misplaced them, Cyril?”
“You always thought you were so intelligent.Look at you now.Tied to the lowest of men and soon to be cut from society.It won’t take much.Just a few well-placedon ditsand no one will think of you again.Unless...”
“Unless what?I give you what is mine?What I intend to will to Elaina?”
“I am their guardian.Those same rumors will make it impossible for you to raise the children, even married.And I will end up with the Sandhurst Diamonds in the end.”
“Go to hell, Cyril.The diamonds were a wedding gift from my father.Nothing you can do will change that.And Mr.Hardy will never allow you to touch my children, not when I tell him the truth.”
“Yes, your many secrets.What did Edmond ever see in you?Not even an heir for his legacy.”
“Leave, Cyril.Leave and never come back.If I hear you are spreading any dangerous gossip about me or my family, I will be required to do something you won’t like.”
Cyril gripped her arm and pulled her in a tight embrace.“Something I won’t like?”He forced her toward the couch.She fell backward and he reached beneath her skirt.Rose screamed.Then flailed with her hands, hitting him about the face and neck.
He straddled her, heavy was heavy, his weight holding her prisoner as much as any iron door.
Just as the door opened, Cyril jumped back.Raleigh was there.“Your Grace, did I hear something fall?”
Rose sat up and straightened her skirt, staring into the blackened and dead hearth.“Yes, I tripped.Fortunately, the couch caught me.”
“Was the duke just leaving?I can show him out,” Raleigh said politely.Or as politely as a man could who knew exactly what had happened.Cyril stomped out, brushing past the stalwart Raleigh, the door slamming behind the uninvited duke.
“Your Grace,” Raleigh said delicately.“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No.Nothing happened, Raleigh.You aren’t to mention this to Mr.Hardy.”
He sighed, as if his burden was heavy.“If Mr.Hardy were anyone else, I would harken to your wishes, but he needs to know.And you need to be the one to tell him.And include everything he said before he attacked you.”
“You listened?”Numbed, Rose couldn’t be surprised by such an invasion of her privacy by a servant.By a loyal servant to Mr.Hardy.
“Yes.I am paid very well by Mr.Hardy.And I do exactly as he wishes.His wish is that you be protected.”
“Go away, Raleigh.I want to be alone.”
