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Ainsley nodded. “Yes, I’m fine.”
She wasn’t, but she refused to give Cringlewood the satisfaction of seeing how badly his violence had frightened her.
Angus jerked his head toward the door. “Do ye want me to have the bastard thrown out?”
Henderson and William loomed in the doorway, ready to do just that.
“I wouldn’t, if I were you,” the marquess said to Ainsley. “I have a few other things to say that might influence your decision.”
“Shut yer mouth,” Angus growled. “Ye’ll no be telling the lass what to do, ye bloody ponce.”
Unbelievably, Cringlewood began to look amused. “Ainsley, who is this pattern-card of gentility, might I ask?”
Ainsley glared at him. “This is my grandfather-in-law, Mr. MacDonald.”
“Oh, my poor dear. How far you have fallen. I have obviously arrived in the nick of time to save you from complete degradation.”
Angus smiled and extended his arm as if preparing to fire. For a stunned moment, Ainsley thought he was actually going to do it.
Royal suddenly appeared, shoving his way between Henderson and William. “Grandda, put down the pistol.”
“The bloody bastard threatened the lassie,” Angus protested as his grandson stalked over to him.
Royal flicked a killing glance in Cringlewood’s direction, but then looked back at Angus and held out his hand. “I’ll deal with him.”
With an aggrieved sigh, Angus handed over the pistol. Royal uncocked it and placed it on the table before hunkering down in front of Ainsley. He took her hands and began chafing them.
“Are you all right, sweetheart?”
He was hatless, his hair whipped into a tangle and his color high, as if he’d run all the way from his offices. Even though his gaze shimmered with concern for her, there was a lethal calm about him that boded ill for Cringlewood, who, of course, would be too arrogant to realize it.
The marquess might be a powerful aristocrat, but Royal was a Highland warrior. He would do anything and everything to protect his family and his wife.
“Yes,” she said.
“Did he hurt you?”
Her shoulder ached a bit, but she shook her head.
“Only because I stopped him,” Angus said. “Bastard had his hand on her neck when I came in.”
Royal slowly rose to his feet. “Did he now?” he said, his brogue growing thick. “Then I suppose that pistol will be of use, after all.”
Cringlewood extracted his snuffbox and helped himself to a pinch. “Best not to do anything until you’ve heard what I have to say about your wife.”
“I’m not interested in a damn thing you have to say.”
“Oh, I think you will be. What I’m about to tell you could have a marked effect on the entire Kendrick family.”
Ainsley touched her husband’s arm. “Perhaps we’d best hear him out.”
Royal glanced down at her, his gaze troubled. “You don’t have to do this, love.”
“We need to know everything, Royal.”
Now that her fate was upon her, calm had once more descended. No matter how bad it was, there would be no more questions or secrets. There was relief in that, at least for now.
Reluctantly, her husband nodded. “Agreed, but there’s no need for you to stay. I have a few things to discuss with his lordship that I’d rather do in private.”
