Free Rescued By a Lady's Love (Lords of Honor, #3) by Christi Caldwell Page A

ballocks.”
    Oh, that was really enough. Following her fall from grace, she’d been demeaned by all; including this man’s abhorrent family. She’d not tolerate such treatment in another. Lily reached past the butler and, ignoring his shocked gasp, she pressed the handle.
    Locked . She wrinkled her brow. Humph . Well, she’d not anticipated that . Lily tried again.
    “Harrison, if you jiggle my goddamn handle once more, I’ll remove your hand from your body, myself.”
    A small giggle cut into the end of the duke’s vile speech and Lily whipped her head to the right. A little girl in white skirts stood at the end of the hall. The widening of her cornflower blue eyes held shock at being discovered. Then the giggling imp ducked back behind the wall and disappeared.
    Lily gave her head a shake. What manner of place is this? Angry, shouting men. Giggling, unattended children, and those same unattended children giggling at the shouting, angry men? Poor Harris. The man appeared one more outburst from the duke away from casting up his morning’s accounts. Alas, she should have learned long ago from her own experience that ordinary people were capable of extraordinary courage.
    “It is about the girl.” The butler’s words emerged as a high-squeak.
    A flurry of black curses, the scrape of a chair, and then an odd thump-thump-thump met Harris’ pronouncement. And this time, Lily did know fear. Belated fear, but tangible and very real, akin to the terror that plagued her all those years ago. An ugly dread turned within her and she dug around inside for the strength and courage she’d cloaked herself in after she’d been hurled into the rain-soaked streets. The lock turned and position of governess aside, she opened her mouth to give the foul-tempered lout the dressing down he deserved for terrifying his servants.
    “You should...” The words ended a whispery death as the door opened. A chill stole through her.
    The beast on the other side drew the door back all the way and with that action, momentarily presented the whole of his scarred visage. “I instructed you to not darken my goddamn door,” the duke snarled.
    Lily swallowed hard, as all the blood drained from her face, seeped down her immobile frame, and then dripped out her toes. The Beast. This is why they called the new duke a beast. More than half a foot taller than her own five feet seven inches, his broad and powerfully muscular form would inspire fear in most for his sheer size and strength alone.
    His Grace shifted and that slight movement obscured half of his face.
    This was the new Duke of Blackthorne? The boy and then young man she’d caught glimpses of during his infrequent summer visits to Carlisle bore no resemblance to this menacing beast. All reason for being here fled when presented with the terrifying more monster than man before her.
    He flicked a frosty, ducal glance up and down her form and then his gaze grew shuttered. And Lily proved she was more coward than courageous, for she sank back as His Grace turned his fury on the poor, quaking servant at her side. “Did I not indicate I was not to be bothered?” His words may as well have been wrapped in icy steel for the coldness of them.
    “Y-yes, Your Grace.” Harris gave a jerky nod. “But—”
    “And did I not say to leave my bloody door alone?”
    “Y-yes.” The servant slid his gaze over to Lily and then returned his focus to the duke. “But it is about the g—” The man swallowed audibly, and flushed red. “That is, Mrs. Benedict is here regarding the post of governess to Lady Flora,” he amended.
    Through their exchange, Lily took in the coolly disdainful man she intended to commit theft against and ice thickened her veins. This was the devil’s lair and in being here, she played with fire. Were she to be discovered in this dark act, he’d destroy her. Then, haven’t I already been destroyed in all the ways that matter?
    The duke took a step toward Harris and Lily