Furious, Maddy stepped forward, avoiding Ash’s arm when he would have held her back. ‘No, I am not!’
Edward ignored her. ‘She was promised to me and got in a huff when I glanced sideways at some worthless dairymaid. It was nothing, but she became upset, and—’
‘Unfaithful before the wedding, Montfort?’ put in the duke from the front pew. ‘A little unwise, wouldn’t you say?’
The duchess looked disapproving.
Edward gritted his teeth. ‘An indiscretion. One that won’t happen again. The fact remains that Madeleine is promised to me.’
‘Witnesses?’ snapped Ash.
Maddy went cold. Why was he asking for witnesses? Surely—surely—he didn’t believe this nonsense?
Edward smiled as if he scented victory, and gestured to the men with him. ‘These fellows heard my proposal and Madeleine’s acceptance. They’ll swear to it.’
Under Maddy’s hand Ash tensed, the muscles in his arm rigid. ‘Really? You offered marriage in front of two of your...henchmen.’ His lip curled. ‘That must have been a romantic moment. I, on the other hand, have a letter in Miss Kirkby’s hand agreeing to marriage.’
His eyes narrowed, Edward said, ‘My proposal pre-dates your letter!’
Ash snorted. ‘Of course it does. Probably so does Miss Kirkby’s refusal!’
‘She’s promised to me!’ Edward’s roar rang in the vaulted space of the church.
‘The hell she is!’ snarled Ash. His hand covered Maddy’s, clamping over it.
Maddy found her voice. ‘Edward, I never agreed to marry you or gave you any hope that I would marry you.’ Fury spat from her. ‘In fact, I wouldn’t marry you if my life depended on it!’
His eyes hardened. ‘Think carefully, Madeleine, before you defy me.’
Fury ripped through her. ‘I don’t have to think, Edward. I know what you are, and I refused your offer!’
He lowered his voice. ‘You could be carrying my child.’
He hadn’t lowered his voice enough. A shocked silence gripped the church, followed by a surge of gasps and chatter.
Maddy’s stomach roiled. ‘Your—?’
Ash’s fist crashed into Edward’s jaw.
* * *
Montfort staggered back, wheezing as Ash followed his right to the jaw with a left straight to the solar plexus.
The vicar’s wail of ‘Gentlemen!’ barely penetrated the red-hazed battle fury hammering in every vein as he blocked a punch from Montfort and ploughed his own fist back into the bastard’s face.
Montfort went down in a crashing tangle with the lectern and stayed down, blood dripping from his nose.
Ash strode forward, fully intending to haul Montfort up just for the pleasure of knocking him down again. Several times. Somehow Gerald was in the way.
His brother’s calm voice steadied him. ‘I’d say he’s had enough, wouldn’t you?’ And Gerald poked the earl with his shoe. Poked hard enough for the gesture to qualify as a kick. ‘Why don’t we remove him so we can get on with the wedding?’ His hand gripped Ash’s arm and he spoke softly. ‘The wedding, Ash. That’s the important thing now. Think, lad.’
‘Ash?’
Maddy’s voice sliced through him. He turned, and on her face he saw fear.
‘Ash—please...’
He strode to her, caught her hands. ‘Not here, Maddy. Later.’
She stared up at him, her hands trembling in his. Doubts whispered. Could it be true? Oh, not that she had gone to Montfort willingly, but that he had thought to force her hand, disgrace her so that she could not wed?
And she didn’t tell you?
He fought for control. How the hell could a woman tell a man that? Especially a man she didn’t know very well. When it might mean losing her home and failing people dependent on her. And there were things he had not told her—his nightmares.
So what now? His hands tightened on hers. Leaving her at the altar was unthinkable. Nor could he demand an explanation. Not here. Not now. If he showed the least hesitation in marrying Maddy, the story would spread, grow in the telling. She’d be ruined, a social pariah. He couldn’t do that to her. Any explanations would have to come later. Right now, at least until they were utterly alone, he would behave as though there could not be the least doubt that Montfort was a lying bastard.
And if she is carrying his child?
He shoved the thought away. Protecting Maddy trumped any other consideration. He’d worry about that later.
A throat being cleared got his attention. Several of Maddy’s men had come forward, Brady at their head.
‘We’ll handle this lying scum, my lord.’ Brady’s face was grim as he and two others bent down and dragged Montfort to his feet.
Ash’s hands tightened on Maddy’s as he reined in the urge to smash a fist or two into Montfort’s jaw again. ‘Thank you.’ It came out between gritted teeth.
‘Be a right pleasure,’ said Brady. With a total lack of ceremony, Montfort and his companions were bundled from the church.
His decision made, Ash faced the vicar, still with Maddy’s hands clasped in his. ‘Continue, sir.’
Parmenter spluttered. ‘Well, as to that, my lord...er...it might be better to...ah, wait on events...as it were. I really couldn’t in all conscience—’
‘Parmenter.’ Ash spoke with a lethal softness. ‘If you will not continue the service, I will have no choice but to convey Miss Kirkby to Ravensfell and marry her there. I will not allow Montfort’s lies—’ please, God, they were lies ‘—to ruin this day.’
Blakiston spoke up. ‘Mr Parmenter, if Lord Montfort had truly gained Miss Kirkby’s consent to marriage, then I would have been asked to draw up marriage settlements for them. I assure you he lied.’
The vicar let out a breath. ‘That may be, but the other accusation—’ His face reddened. ‘The suggestion of unchastity—’
‘Is a matter between myself and Miss Kirkby,’ said Ash. ‘It is not for any other to judge.’ He flung all decorum to the winds. ‘Even if I did entertain the least doubt of Miss Kirkby’s virtue, do you imagine that I am a virgin?’
There were quite a few muffled laughs in the church, quickly stifled as Parmenter whipped around to glare at the impious.
‘Well...’ The vicar settled his preaching bands. ‘If your lordship’s mind is made up—’
‘It is.’
Parmenter cleared his throat, took up his position and began to read again. ‘I require and charge you both—’
Maddy got through the rest of the service in a daze. From a distance she heard Ash promise to love and cherish her. His voice was very clear, his hand clasping hers firmly. And then she was repeating her own vows, her voice shaking on the word love. Love. So easily promised. How many couples meant it? Really meant it and kept to it?
He had married her in the teeth of Edward’s accusations. Dismissed them publicly as lies.
He vowed to honour you. He has already done it.