The Promise. Brenda Joyce

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ 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!

      And suddenly the knife was skidding across the terrace and both men were diving for it. Alexi landed on top of the pilot, grunting, as he seized it. A loud, sickening crack sounded. And Montgomery went still beneath Alexi, cheek pressed against the stone terrace.

      Suddenly neither man was moving.

      Elysse froze. Alexi got onto his hands and knees, staring down at the American—and she saw that Montgomery’s eyes were wide-open, eerily so.

      Elysse gasped in shock. Montgomery was dead?

      Alexi slid off him slowly. As slowly, he looked up at her, the answer in his eyes.

      Her own horror began.

      Alexi looked back down at the pilot. “He’s dead.”

      She cried out. “He can’t be!”

      Alexi inhaled harshly. “He’s dead. He hit his head on the stone.”

      William Montgomery had hit his head—William Montgomery was dead?

      “Damn it,” Alexi gasped, trembling. He was fighting his emotions now.

      And it hit her. This was her fault—wasn’t it?

      Alexi looked up at her again. “Elysse,” he said thickly.

      She began shaking her head, backing away. Then she seized her skirts and fled.

      CHAPTER FOUR

      STILL IN SHOCK, Elysse ran into the house, choking on a raw sob. She could not believe what had happened. William Montgomery was dead!

      She stumbled, leaning against the wall. They had been fighting because of her. They had been fighting over her. Oh, God—this was all her fault.

      Elysse collapsed against the wall. She couldn’t stop shaking. She was so sick. How had this happened? She hugged herself, crying. Montgomery had wanted to court her! Yet he had turned into a beast! He had said he loved her, but if he had, he would have never treated her with such disrespect! Alexi had been right about him! And now he was dead!

      Gasps sounded.

      Elysse started, wiping her wet face with her fingers, looking up. A pair of women stood at the other end of the hall. They were frozen, staring at her in shock.

      Suddenly Elysse realized how she must look and what they must be assuming. She knew that her hair was coming down, her face was tearstained, and her skirts probably dirty. Any rational person would just think that she had been accosted—and she had.

      She recalled William Montgomery’s hands and mouth and she felt even more violently ill. Why hadn’t she listened to Alexi, who was her oldest and dearest friend? What would have happened if Alexi hadn’t come outside and intervened?

      “Miss O’Neill,” one of the ladies began.

      No one could know about the horrid events of that evening! No one could know that she had allowed a kiss and that it had turned into something more, and that William Montgomery was now dead! Crying out again, she whirled to flee back down the corridor. Alexi was rushing up it.

      She had never needed anyone more! She shouldn’t have left him alone outside with Montgomery’s body! She rushed to him. Alexi seized her arm, their gazes locking. Then he jerked his head and turned, dragging her back down the hall with him. Behind him, she heard both women in a frenzy of whispering.

      Oh, God.

      She was ruined now.

      Alexi pushed open a door and they fled inside the room there; he closed and locked it behind them.

      Trembling, her heart pounding with sickening force, she managed, “They know.”

      “They know nothing,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

      Elysse cried out, collapsing against his chest, her cheek against his lapel. He held her, hard, in a bearlike СКАЧАТЬ