The accidental groom

In Her Own Defense

In Her Own Defense

The big gray was brought to a shuddering halt in front of the three women. Alexander's glittering eyes went first to Lizzie and then to Charlotte and Anne. He saw the box of pistols in her hand.

"What the devil is going on here?"

Lizzie refused to give into a sudden, fierce desire to flee. "You are interrupting a private matter, my lord."

Alexander looked at her as if she had lost her mind. He swung down from the horse and tossed the reins to Anne who automatically caught them in her free hand.

"A private matter, madam? How dare you call it such?" Alexander's face was a mask of controlled fury.

"You are my wife. What the hell is this all about?"

"Isn't it obvious, Rothsay?" Of the three women present, it was clear only Charlotte was not feeling particularly intimidated. Her fine eyes were more cynically amused than ever. "Your wife has called me out on a point of honor."

She waved a hand at the pistol case. "As you can see, we were just about to settle matters in the traditional, honorable, masculine way."

"I don't believe any of this." Alexander swung around to stare at Lizzie. "You called Charlotte out? You challenged her to a duel?"

Lizzie nodded once, refusing to speak.

"Why, for God's sake?"

Charlotte smiled grimly. "Surely you can guess the answer to that question, Rothsay."

Alexander took a step toward her. "Bloody hell. You sent her one of your goddamned blackmail threats, didn't you?"

"I do not look upon them as blackmail threats," Charlotte said calmly. "I see them as mere business opportunities. Your wife, however, chose to view my little offer in a different light. She feels it would be dishonorable to pay me off, you see. On the other hand, she cannot bear to see your name in my memoirs. So she took what she felt was the only alternative left to an honorable woman. She challenged me to pistols for two at dawn."

"Pistols at dawn," Alexander repeated as if he still could not believe the evidence of his own eyes. He took another step toward Charlotte. "Get out of here. Leave at once. Go back to town and say nothing of any of this. If I hear one word of gossip concerning this day's events I will see to it that you never get the little cottage in Bath you used to talk about. I will make certain you lose the lease on your town house. I will bring so much pressure to bear on your creditors that they will hound you out of the city. Do you understand me, Charlotte?"

"Alexander, you go too far," Lizzie interrupted angrily.

Charlotte drew herself up, but most of the cool mockery had disappeared from her expression. She did not look fearful, merely resigned. "I understand you, Rothsay. You were always quite good at making yourself very clear."

"One word of any of this and I will find a way to ruin all you have worked for, Charlotte, I swear it.You know I can do it."

"There is no need to issue threats, Rothsay. As it happens, I have no intention of gossiping about. She turned to Lizzie. "It was a personal matter of honor between your wife and myself. It does not concern anyone else."

"I quite agree," Lizzie said firmly.

"I would have you know, madam," Charlotte said softly, "that as far as I am concerned, it is finished, even though no pistols were fired. You need have no fear of what will appear in the Memoirs."

Lizzie took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Charlotte smiled slightly and gave Lizzie a small, graceful bow. "No, madam, it is I who should thank you. I have had a most entertaining time of it. My world is filled with men of your class who talk about honor a great deal. But their understanding of the subject is very limited. Those same men cannot be bothered to behave honorably toward a female or anyone else weaker than themselves. It is a great pleasure to meet at last someone who does comprehend the meaning of the word. It comes as no great surprise to discover that this remarkably intelligent someone is a woman. Adieu."