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Terrified of what Joseph’s intentions were, she froze. Before she could react, one of his hands moved to the back of her neck, pulling her face to his. He forced a kiss on her mouth, pulling her body against his.
“I will have you,” he hissed against her mouth. “I have wanted you for just as long as he has. He does not deserve you.”
She tried to push away. “You are hurting me!”
With one hand wrapped around her back, he held her firmly against him.
“My lady, do not struggle,” he said, much more softly.
Even though he did not release her, he relaxed his hold on her, as though he was changing his tactics against her. Her heart was still racing, as she realized that she might truly be in danger.
“I simply want to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Come now, let me show you how I can please you,” he said.
Unable to fight the fear coming over her any longer, tears spilled down her cheek. She genuinely wondered if he would force himself on her and how she could get herself out of the situation without being harmed. The only way she could think would be to convince him to let her go.
“Joseph, please,” she whispered, trying to break away. He pressed his mouth to hers, interrupting her protests as he kissed her again. She kept her lips tight, trying to keep him at bay. “Please, Joseph, at least let me get out of my dress.”
“I can help you with that,” he said. He did not relinquish his hold on her as his hand moved to the laces on the back of her dress.
Trying to keep him from seeing the panic on her face, she tried to wriggle out of his arms again, fighting to keep a smile on her face.
“Joseph, really, please, this is so quick. I’m so tired, please, give me some time to think.”
“What is there to think about?” he asked. “I’m offering you the only solution that makes sense.”
“You are merely coming on too strongly,” she argued. “Just a bit of space, Joseph, allow me to breathe.”
He pressed his face to hers again. Thinking that she needed to convince him of her earnestness, she softened a little to allow him to kiss her a little. Bile rose in her stomach, horrified that she was letting him kiss her. She wondered if Michael could barge in at any moment and misread the scene, thinking that she was a willing participant in the affair.
“Let me just change,” she suggested, slowly pulling back from him. “Allow me some privacy, just a moment.”
He allowed his hold on her to slacken. Afraid that if she bolted too quickly, he would only catch her, she just stepped away from him, reaching for her laces herself. She could feel him watching her as she stepped closer to the door, removing pins from the front of her dress.
Not wanting to trip, she removed the manteau from her shoulders. For an added effect, she smiled shyly over her shoulder back at him. Pretending to untie a bow on the front of her dress, she eyed the door to the room. With a deep breath, she broke into a run, reaching for the door and jerking it open.
Joseph was immediately on her heels. As quickly as she could, she ran down the hall, gasping for breath. Unsure where to go, or where any of her family was staying in the home, she made her way to the main hall, hoping that she would find a maid already awake for the day. Tears streamed down her face, hearing the thud of Joseph’s boots behind her. She sobbed between the gasps of her breath.
Picking up the hem of her dress, she hurried down the stairs, afraid that she would slip down the marble stairs. Down the hall, in the dark, she saw a single candle, someone walking towards her.
“Please, help!” she cried. “Help me please!”
“Lydia?” the man called. Frustrated that he only seemed confused, not concerned, she found a renewed energy to keep running toward him.
“Help me, please!” she cried again. The closer she got, the more she could faintly make out the figure. “Uncle, oh, Uncle Francis. Thank the Lord, please.”
“Lydia, what in heaven’s name is going on?” he asked, striding toward her, one hand in front of the candle flame to prevent it from going out.
“Oh, uncle!” she cried, casting himself against him, sobbing. He stiffened, unaccustomed to being touched. She clutched him, looking back over her shoulder. She had expected Joseph to have caught up to her, to be right behind her, but he had vanished into the darkness.
“What are you doing out of bed? Where is Michael?” he asked, patting her awkwardly on the back while peering into the darkness, confused.
“Michael is missing!” she cried, gasping for breath. “I was waiting for him to come back to the room, but then Joseph slipped in-”
“What happened?” he demanded. He pushed her off of him, grasping one of her shoulders in his free hand. “Lydia, did he do anything to you?”
“He tried to force himself on me,” she told him, her voice breaking as she struggled to say the words.
Francis started to pull away, indignant “Where is he now?”
“I got away from him, before he was able to,” Lydia reassured him, pulling him back to her. “Uncle, he was chasing me down the hall, he was right behind me.”
“Where is the duke now?” Uncle Francis demanded. “Why wasn’t he with you?”
“He said he was just going down to the cellar to get a bottle of wine and be right back. He’s been gone over an hour now.”
“If he has run off already-”
“No, Uncle, I do not think he has. I think something has happened to him!”
