Fate's Intervention by Barbara Woster

Author:Barbara Woster [Barbara Woster]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780988461727
Amazon: 0988461722
Barnesnoble: 0988461722
Publisher: Barbara Woster
Published: 2012-10-21T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“What in blue blazes is going on in here?” Peter asked, trying to keep his voice level and his temper under control.

Matthew jerked awake and leapt to his feet, forgetting about Marcelle until she landed with a thud on the wooden floor. He winced as her head smacked the side of the desk and she let out a yelp.

He reached down and offered her a hand up, a sheepish grin on his face, “Sorry about that, but your father gave me a fright.”

Marcelle rubbed her temple, turned, and faced her dad, a blush on her cheeks at his having caught her in what appeared to be a compromising position. Her swollen lips and disheveled clothing helped matters not at all.

“I do believe an explanation is in order, Matthew,” he said, eyeing the young man angrily.

“And you would be right,” he said and then turned to address Marcelle. “Go clean up and I’ll explain things to your dad.”

Marcelle lowered her gaze in embarrassment at the reminder of the previous evening, and merely nodded her head. When she moved near her father’s side, his hand reached out to delay her departure.

“Just tell me you’re okay and I’ll forgo killing him.”

Marcelle smiled slightly at her father’s misplaced chivalry and kissed his cheek lightly, “Just hear him out, Father, or you’ll be killing the wrong man.” She glanced over her shoulder and smiled softly at Matthew. He returned the smile and then waved her out of the room.

“When you’ve changed, come down. I want to talk with you, okay?” Matthew said. Marcelle nodded and left, closing the door softly behind her.

Matthew rubbed a tired hand over his face and lowered himself back down into the chair. It had been a very trying night. His heartbeat increased when he remembered how close his brother had come to defiling Marcelle and how close he’d come to disregarding their telegram and not returning to the house immediately. A shudder ran down his spine at that. If he’d followed his initial instinct and stayed away . . . he shuddered again.

“Why don’t you share whatever it is that’s got you trembling over there,” Peter said, lowering himself into the chair on the opposite side of his desk.

Matthew ran a hand wearily through his hair and sighed heavily. “When I was just shy of my eighteenth birthday,” he began softly, “I caught my younger brother raping a servant girl. She was just twelve and he was fourteen. My father’s influence, money, and power swept the entire incident under a rug. Nine months later, she gave birth to a stillborn boy and committed suicide shortly thereafter. I left home a month later. I didn’t want to be a part of that kind of perversion. From conversations with my mother over the years, my father used his money and influence to take care of quite a few more incidents that are similar.

Anyway, it would appear that my brother is still a randy rooster. Still attempting to force what women are more than willing to give him freely simply because of who he is.

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