Chapter Thirty-Two

ADALENE SOBBED and turned to look towards that familiar voice. It was Fabian! He was standing near another tree, in the dark that he was almost part of it.

“My Lord! I did not know you were there!” Thank God he was here! She restrained herself from running to him like a child, but she wanted to. She was still wary to stand up. The knight could still lunge at her again. But, oh, how she wanted his arms around her!

But he looked so angry. Cold and angry. And she tensed, afraid. She had never seen him looking so dangerous.

Fabian stood there with the knights and with a pale Olivie. How long had they been there? And why was Olivie crying? But the Baron approached. The drunk knight stepped back.

“My Lord! I thought you would be with the Duke!” said the knight in a much clearer voice.

“The meeting came at a close very early when I told them I cannot be arranged to someone else because I am, essentially, already married. My bride was betrothed to me just a few days ago so I understand the misunderstanding. Even my great aunt only knew about it this night.”

“You…are married? To—”

“Lady Adalene Duvre, yes, the same lady you are trying to proposition tonight. So the lady is not jesting, Sir Benoit. As she told you, she is indeed a Baron’s wife and not a courtesan.”

Adalene heard, and she stared. She could not believe what he was saying. Or was he just buying them time? The knight blabbered for a few moments, clearly upset. She could understand his predicament, even as intoxicated as he was. The Baron’s voice held so much ice and threat on it.

“I did not mean…I didn’t know…Veronique said…” the knight continued to stammer.

Sir Yves and the other knight, Sir Thibaut, approached Sir Benoit. “Rest assured that if you have harmed the lady, you would have three knights plus the Baron defending her honor, Benoit,” said Sir Thibaut. “Now, off you go before we change our minds and we consider this more your fault than your cousin’s.”

“But I…I…of course!” The knight shot them one look and then was hurrying out of the garden as fast as his drunken knees could carry him.

“We have to go,” Fabian told her as the man disappeared from the other end of the garden and he had approached to help her up from being an embarrassing heap on the ground. “We’re riding out tonight.”

She turned to him in dismay. “But why? Are you angry, my Lord? I’m so sorry, but I did not mean—”

He gasped. “Adalene! You’re bleeding! Did he hurt you? Had he—”

“No,” she replied as she shook her head vehemently. “I tried to get away and I hit the side of the cherubim statue. But I’m alright, really…it is just a small wound.”

“Had he touched you?”

“No. He tried but he was drunk. I was able to get away. But if you hadn’t c-come…” Her lips trembled.

His arms went around her, and her lips were crushed under his even as the knights watched and Olivie looked on.

She heard the hitch on her breathing as she began to cry again. But even Adalene’s tears now were falling as she realized how close a call it was. If no one had arrived the way they did, would she be able to fight that knight so easily?

He raised his head and his look was intense as he pinned her to him. “We’re going back to the Manor.”

She gulped. “He did not touch me, I swear. If he’s going to run to them and tell, it isn’t true at all. Olivie must have seen. She could tell them.”

He shook his head. “It isn’t that. Benoit will not dare sully your reputation with false accusations. He knew I’ll kill him.”

“Fabian!” she gasped. His words were so cold and so certain. “But then, why do we have to—”

“I will explain on the way. Odette is packing our things in the chambers and the Duke gave one of his carriages at our disposal so we can travel post-haste.”

She did not understand why they had to leave hastily, but she obeyed and kept quiet as they walked the trail back to the castle.

He looked down at her as one of his arms cradled her close to him, his handsome face showing his anger and concern. “Are you really all right?”

“I am fine, my Lord. Just a little bruised, that’s all,” she answered softly.

“Ma bichette, I am sorry. I should have made sure you were in our bedchambers guarded tightly before I left you,” he whispered urgently.

She shook her head as she buried her face on his chest. That was when she finally knew she was really safe. “It is my fault. I never should have ventured far too much into the gardens.”

“You were supposed to be with someone,” he said, his voice cold. “The knights thought Olivie was with you.”

She glanced up in surprise. “What? Why? What happened to Olivie?” she asked worriedly. She remembered seeing a crying Olivie a little while ago. And she was still crying as she stumbled with the knights a little farther ahead of them. “Is she hurt? Did that knight hurt her?”

His expression had gotten grimmer. “Let’s talk about her later.”

When they got to the edge of the garden, some of the other knights were waiting.

One approached and reported to him that the carriage was on the ready and the other men were loading another coach with their baggage.

“The Lady Adalene will alight on the smaller carriage and we’ll ride ahead. Let us go, ma bichette,” Fabian ordered again.

“Yes.” She let him lead her out to the carriages, lowering her face to hide from the staring eyes of the guests on the grounds.