The Promise

She trembled. “You may court me, William.”

He touched her chin, tilting up her face slightly, forcing their gazes to meet. “Good. I will speak with your father tomorrow about a proper suit.”

She didn’t know why she tensed. Her mind raced incoherently. Alexi’s image swam there. But this was what she wanted! “My father has always wanted a love match for me,” she finally said.

His eyes widened and he grasped her shoulders. “Are you saying that you love me?”

She hesitated, well aware that she did not love William—not yet. But she wanted his suit—desperately. Yet she must not lead him on. “I am becoming very fond of you,” she finally said.

He murmured, “Let’s walk out of the house lights.”

She wasn’t certain they should walk into the shadows at the edge of the terrace. But he smiled, taking her hand. “I want to kiss you, Elysse, and I don’t want to be interrupted,” he said softly. “Can you blame me? You are the most beautiful woman in Ireland—and you have just agreed to allow my suit.”

Should she allow him a kiss? Elysse paused, knowing Alexi would be furious if he learned of such behavior. Would a real kiss hurt? Hadn’t she enjoyed being in his arms on the dance floor? And Montgomery loved her—it was so obvious.

Realizing she had acquiesced, he led her across the terrace to the far side, where it was cast in shadow. He had a firm grasp on her arm, and she realized he meant to walk down the three steps onto the lawns. Suddenly she was confused. Did she really want to step so far away from the house?

“You are so beautiful,” he said. And then he caught her face in his hands and kissed her slowly and gently on the lips.

Elysse felt her tension soar. She had never been genuinely kissed. His mouth was very firm but gentle. It was pleasant, but not stunning. When Alexi had touched her in the library last week, her heart had exploded with desire. There was no such explosion now.

Tears butted up against her closed lids. Was this really happening? What was she doing?

“I love you,” he said thickly. “You are a dream come true.”

Elysse met his smoldering gaze and her heart raced. He loved her. He was a good man. Surely she could come to love him in return?

He suddenly put his arm around her. She thought he meant to kiss her again, but she found herself stepping down onto the lawns with him. He took her in his arms and kissed her again.

This time, his mouth was insistent, moving over hers again and again, and somehow she knew he wished for her to open her lips. She held firm, aware that she wasn’t ready, but she reached up for his shoulders. He grunted, the sound very male and shockingly sexual.

Some alarm began. They should stop—he had had his kiss.

But his grasp on her tightened. His mouth moved more roughly, more determinedly, on hers. His kisses were becoming frightening. She wanted to tell him that they should stop, but he loved her. She hesitated. Instead, before she could speak, his tongue thrust deep.

Alarm began as his heavy tongue filled her mouth. What was she doing? She choked. She did not want to be kissed like this! He was a stranger! She pushed at his shoulders, becoming very frightened now, but he didn’t notice.

Fear turned into panic. She told herself that the kiss would soon end—wouldn’t it? And he did love her. But one hand clasped her buttock and pulled her close, and she felt his stiff manhood against her hip. She had never felt that part of a man’s anatomy before, and she wanted to protest, her fear escalating. Instead, she froze.

Still holding her intimately, he broke the fierce kiss. “I love you,” he said, panting.

Before Elysse could protest and tell him that they must go back inside, he swept her back into his embrace, this time taking her down to the wet grass with him.

As his huge body covered hers, Elysse seized his shoulders to press him away—to push him off. Instead, his mouth tore at hers, his breathing heavy and harsh. She felt his hand move beneath her dress and underclothes to clasp her bare breast.

“William!” she somehow cried, but his kiss covered the sound of panic and protest. His arms were like a vise, his body like a clamp. She didn’t know how his huge thighs had gotten between hers. Her skirts seemed to be tangled up around her knees. What was he doing? She couldn’t do this!

And then she felt his hand high up on her thighs, beneath her skirts, only a thin soft layer of cotton between her and him. She bucked and twisted wildly now, desperate.

And suddenly Montgomery wasn’t on top of her anymore.

Elysse saw a blur of movement—and then Alexi was throwing Montgomery aside, his face a mask of rage.

She cried out. He had come to rescue her! She scrambled to stand up as Montgomery turned. Alexi tackled him viciously, head-on. Both men went down to the ground, struggling. Alexi was now on top, pummeling him furiously. She knew he meant to kill him. But Montgomery seized his throat.

Elysse screamed. “Stop! Both of you—stop!”

Alexi glanced at her, the American still choking him. Montgomery used the moment to jerk his knee up at his groin. Alexi twisted quickly away from the blow, and as he did, Montgomery thrust him off, and scrambled aside. Both men leaped to their feet simultaneously, crouching, facing one another.

“I am going to kill you,” Alexi said.

Montgomery said, “I am going to marry her.”

Elysse choked. What had she done?

Alexi suddenly looked at Elysse, his eyes hard and furious. “Are you all right?” he demanded. But his gaze widened as it held hers. She knew her hair was a mess. She thought her lip was bleeding. His gaze slammed down her body and she cringed. She was fairly certain that her dress was askew, possibly torn, and covered with grass stains.

She backed up, panting. She would never be all right, ever again. How had she allowed Montgomery such liberties? What had she been thinking? Why had he turned into such a beast?

“Elysse!” Alexi cried.

Elysse met his gaze, and felt the tears begin in a flood. She wanted to rush into his arms. He had been right. Montgomery wasn’t a gentleman. He had touched her, kissed her, grossly violating her body. She choked and staggered to the wall, to cling to it or fall down.

“I would never hurt her,” Montgomery said harshly. “I would never hurt the woman I love.”

Alexi said softly, dangerously, “Did you think to seduce her to assure that marriage? Don’t you know I would kill you first?”

Montgomery looked at Elysse. “If I hurt you, I am sorry.”

She shook her head, hating him. More tears fell. She trembled, the urge to vomit sudden and intense. “That wasn’t a kiss,” she heard herself whisper. “You touched me.”

“You fucking bastard,” Alexi growled.

Montgomery smiled coldly. “Get lost, de Warenne. I will take care of Elysse now. She is merely a frightened virgin.”

“No!” Elysse cried, horrified at the idea of being left alone with him again. But Alexi was oddly silent—and she saw the knife in Montgomery’s right hand. She froze. It gleamed.

“Leave us,” Montgomery said. “I need to speak to Elysse alone. She needs to understand how a man can become so aroused that he loses all control.”

She felt even sicker now. She had been fooled by Montgomery’s charm, his declarations of love. A true gentleman—a man like Alexi—would never force himself on any woman.

“Leave the two of you? Like hell.” Alexi smiled dangerously. He began circling the American. Montgomery turned, so that the two men continued to face one another.

And Elysse knew her presence was forgotten by them both. This had to stop, she thought frantically, before someone was seriously hurt—or worse! Elysse cried, “Alexi, I am fine. No one is marrying anyone! Let’s go home! You can take me home now!” She heard how terrible she sounded, sobs choking her tone.

Alexi launched himself at Montgomery, reaching for his right wrist. Elysse screamed, afraid that the American would stab him with the knife. But the blow glanced off of Alexi’s shoulder, and Alexi seized his wrist. Both men now strained at one another, their expressions murderous, Montgomery wanting to get free so he could wield the knife and Alexi not daring to release him.

Suddenly Montgomery grunted and dropped the knife. Alexi dived for it. Montgomery dived for Alexi, tackling him from behind. Elysse screamed as both men became entangled, wrestling on the ground, making it impossible to see what was happening. She thought Alexi had the knife. She wasn’t certain. She prayed it would get kicked away from them both!