Martin waited, then said, "It was you, Edward, wasn't it? You who hurt Sarah…" For the first time, emotion glimmered in Martin's voice; rage glowed in his eyes. He stepped forward. Edward backed away-his boot hit the hearth.
"Can you even begin to imagine how she died?" Martin's voice steadily gained strength. "Or the pain Buxton must have suffered-before you f
inished him off." He stepped closer. "Let alone the anguish you caused my mother, and my father, before they, too, died?" His tone lashed as he asked, "How many lives were ruined, Edward-all by you?"
Edward gasped, looked down. Amanda saw his chest swell.
Then he vaulted the chaise, landing beside her-he shoved the chaise into Martin and Luc. She screamed and turned to flee.
Edward grabbed a hank of her hair, cruelly yanked her back, twisted his hand until she whimpered in pain. He hauled her up to her toes against him.
Click! From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a sliver flash, then felt cold steel against her throat.
"Stand back!" Edward yelled as Martin and Luc surged to their feet. They teetered on the brink of lunging across the chaise, but stopped. Their faces, and that of Reggie behind them, registered their shock.
"That's right."
She felt Edward nod.
"Stay where you are. You don't want your latest love to die, too, do you?"
Crash!
The sound was so startling it made them all jump-the boom echoed around the room.
"You dreadful boy! Your mother wouldn't believe her eyes could she see you now. How dare you, sirrah!" Lady Osbaldestone surged forward, the tap-tap of her cane loud on the boards. The screen behind which she'd been sitting lay rocking to one side; Devil and Vane were close on her heels.
Edward gaped, frozen, as she stormed toward him.
"You're a worm, same as your sire! Should have culled you at birth. You're a blot on your household escutcheon." She halted a yard away. "Take that!"
Before anyone could blink, her cane sliced through the air and came down with a thwack on Edward's wrist.
"Yahhhh!" He dropped the knife.
Martin and Luc launched themselves over the chaise.
Lady Osbaldestone got in one good kick with her cane as she closed a claw about Amanda's arm and yanked her free, dragging her to safety-helped on by a shove from Martin-as he and Luc wrestled Edward to the floor.
Reggie watched from the chaise, egging them on.
"Hah!" Sighting one of Edward's hands groping on the floor, Lady Osbaldestone stamped on it. "Sniveling coward!"
Devil forcibly drew them aside.
The door burst open. Jules, a scimitar gleaming in his hand, his expression ferocious, rushed in, followed by Joseph. Vane quickly crossed the room to reassure them.
It was over quickly; neither Martin nor Luc were in any mood to pull their punches. Battered and bloody, Edward lay sniveling on the floor as his brother and his cousin slowly rose to their feet.
Martin turned to Amanda; Lady Osbaldestone released her with a surreptitious push. Not that any push was necessary to send her into Martin's arms. He hugged her hard, then tipped her face up and examined her throat. "The bastard nicked you."
Fury vibrated in his voice. "I can't feel a thing," she lied. The cut was stinging, but stinging was a lot better than what might have been.
The reality suddenly hit her; she sagged against Martin, glad of his strength, his solidity. He looked across the room, nodding an affirmation to Jules that all was well. He and Joseph departed. Vane closed the door.
On the instant, a furious knocking, followed by the bell pealing incessantly, heralded what sounded like an invasion. Everyone in the library froze, listening, hoping Jules and Joseph could hold the line…
That hope proved futile.