Taming A Duke's Reckless Heart: Victorian Historical Romance (2 page)

His dirty hand grabbed her arm and wrenched her out of the carriage. She tried to stay standing, but he was pulling her too fast. She lost her footing on the steps out, and she toppled to the ground.

He managed to keep her in his grip and yanked her back up to standing. For a split second, Piper registered three other men standing nearby before his revolting lips came down on hers.

She had never kissed a man before and tears sprung to her eyes that this was her first experience. His breath stank and disgusting hands pawed at her. She had never felt dirtier in her life. She twisted her body to try and get out of his grasp

The man stopped suddenly and Piper opened her eyes, hoping to be rescued. But another, even more revolting man, had his hand on the first man’s arm. “You gotta share,” his voice accused.

“Wait your turn. I got her first,” her attacker replied.

Fear welled up in Piper as the second man grabbed her other arm. A scream rose in her chest as the two men pushed each other with her in between.

Suddenly a horse’s hooves rose over the sound of the scuffle, and Piper turned her head to see a rider bearing down on them
. Was he another attacker?

He looked gigantic riding on an even larger horse. His cape billowed off his broad shoulders. Piper’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of him.

Without a word, he rode into the middle of the group and knocked one of the assailants up the side of the head with a baton. The man fell to the ground like a sack of bricks.

The horseman swung back around and knocked the other man down. Then he jumped off his horse as he pulled two pistols out from his belt. Piper jumped in fear as he raised the pistols pointing them at her and the remaining two thieves.

“Get out of here now,” His voice growled out, rich and deep. She thought for a second she detected an accent. He straightened with the pistols in his hands. The movement accentuated how incredibly broad his shoulders were. His body tapered down to a trim waist. Everything about him was distinctly masculine.

The two thieves looked at him for a split second and then began running down the street. He holstered the guns and then dragged the other two men to their feet.

“You two. Out of here.” The other men stumbled away. Piper backed towards the carriage. His accent was British but muted.

Somehow, Piper was almost more afraid of him than she had been of those other men. She had no idea what his intentions were, now that they were alone. He was incredibly muscular and had just taken out four men without even trying. “P-p-please.” Pipe hadn’t realized she was backing up until she bumped into the carriage. Her breathing was rapid and she couldn’t seem to slow it down. Chest heaving, her hand fluttered to her neck in an attempt to calm her racing heart.

He glanced at her and surprise lit his eyes. He moved a step closer and Piper pressed herself against the carriage. She tried to speak again. “I don’t have any money. Please leave us be.”

“Money?” Amusement laced his gravelly voice but he stopped moving towards her. His eyes, however, slowly moved up and down the length of her. He seemed to drink in every detail.

Piper noted during his perusal he was well dressed. He was also incredibly handsome, although not in the way many of her suitors were. His jaw was strong and his face hard and angular. It added to his look of power and danger. His dark hair was neatly tied back despite the struggle. She should have been comforted he was from her class but her heart wouldn’t stop racing.

“Where are you going in this section of town at this time of night?” his rough voice grated out.

Her eyes grew larger. Her breathing continued to be ragged. “We have passage on the
Maria
tonight to New York. My mother’s friend booked it. It was a good price, I suppose. We wouldn’t normally be here, we just wanted…” Dear God, she was rambling. She never rambled. Men rambled around her. She sat coolly appraising them as they made fools of themselves.

He stepped closer again and her heart beat even faster. His eyes were dark pools of mystery. The kind a woman could get lost in. They travelled over her face again and down her neck to her cleavage.

Her hand fluttered automatically to cover the spot. But for some strange reason, her lips parted and her tongue darted out to lick them.

He quirked a small smile and Piper actually gasped. It made him even more mysterious. And handsome. Her nerves were raw, and unsure what to do, she started rambling again. “I have never been at the docks this time of night. Those men, they almost…” Her eyes filled with tears and although she tried desperately not to, a single tear leaked from her eye and trickled down her cheek.

His hand reached up and, ever so gently, he used the pad of his thumb to brush the tear away.

A jolt shot through Piper. It was like lightning travelling through her body. She licked her lips again and her eyes darted from his eyes to his lips. What was happening to her?

His thumb was still on her skin and his entire hand enveloped her cheek to gently cup it as he turned her face up towards his.

Piper was in a trance, she was powerless to protest. His lips were drifting closer to her own. Without realizing it, his body had also been moving closer and his chest brushed her hand that was covering her cleavage.

Suddenly her mother coughed again from inside the carriage and his head snapped up. “Who are you travelling with?”

“My-my m-m-mother,” her breathy voice was strange to her own ears.

“You’re both coming with me.” He grabbed her hand and tugged open the carriage door.

“Where?” Piper’s strangled voice cried.

TAMING A DUKE’S RECKLESS HEART

CHAPTER TWO

He glanced back
at her in surprise. “To the
Maria
.” He paused as his eyes drank her in again. “Although it’s an awful ship. I am travelling to New York as well, and you could both travel with me. You would, most assuredly, be safer.”

If Piper hadn’t been so stunned, she would have rolled her eyes. With her heart hammering in her chest, the last thing she felt was safe.

He moved around the door and offered his hand to her mother, who easily took it. She seemed to have none of Piper’s reservations.

“I don’t even know your name!” Piper cried in exasperation.

“Barrett Maddox. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Her mother paused, “Not
the
Barrett Maddox? Are you from Chesterfield?”

His eyes rounded in surprise, “That name rarely means anything here without the title.”

“Title,” Piper croaked out.

He gave her another one-sided grin. “Sixth Duke of Manchester at your service. Who might I have the pleasure of addressing?”

“I was Lady Carolyn Vesser. Formally of Yorkshire. This is my daughter, Miss Piper Baker.” Her mother gave a small curtsey before she doubled over coughing.

Piper peeled herself off of the carriage and went to her mother’s side, wrapping her arms around the older woman. She held her until the coughing subsided.

When her mother stopped, both women straightened to see Mr. Maddox’s gaze intently assessing them.

“Lady Vesser, why don’t I send a note to the
Maria
that you will be travelling with us tonight? My boat is right here and I am sure you will be more comfortable.” He gave her a warm smile but it appeared a little stretched, as if the movement was uncommon.

Piper’s mother returned his smile before she accepted his arm. “It’s just Mrs. Baker now and I would be so grateful.”

Piper turned to the driver, who had finally peeked out from the other side of the carriage. “Could you bring the trunks please?” She trained her features into a blank mask, though she would have liked to scold the man for his cowardice.

“Of course, miss,” he mumbled as he grabbed their trunks.

Trailing along behind her mother and Mr. Maddox, she tried to piece together the events of the evening.

The man had rescued them that much was true. But he was a stranger and he seemed dangerous, and they were getting on a boat with him. Piper could only come to one conclusion; her mother was losing her mental facilities.

Perhaps she was as well. Because try as she might, she couldn’t figure out why she hadn’t resisted when he touched her. She never let men take such liberties.

Mr. Maddox began walking her mother up a gangplank, and the driver dropped the trunks at the bottom of the plank. He mumbled about the neighborhood and then made a beeline for the carriage.

Piper stood there as Mr. Maddox helped her mother onto the boat. She heard her mother’s voice trill with laughter. Her teeth ground together. She could not possibly get these trunks up the plank. She looked to the man, who had saved her, for assistance, but he was walking her mother away from the rail.

“Excuse me,” she called. Piper shook her head. She sounded ridiculous. Small and ridiculous. Had she imagined he was going to kiss her? Now he didn’t even seem to know she was alive. Men didn’t leave her at the bottom of a plank!

“Piper, where is the driver? Why are you down there with the trunks?”

Piper sighed at her mother’s words.

“He left, Mother.” Piper looked up at the boat and its occupants. She couldn’t help but notice it was an impressive vessel.
The Destiny
was painted on the side. What an unusual name for a boat.
Well, he was a duke.

He called to someone on deck and two men came rumbling down the plank and grabbed up the trunks. Each man hefted one on his shoulder and started back up to the deck.

Piper glanced up. It looked like she would have to make her way up herself. She started on wobbly legs, but Mr. Maddox came down to meet her.

He reached his hand down and she put her gloved one in his. Even with the cloth between them, another jolt went through Piper’s body. She looked at him with absolute confusion.

Mr. Maddox only gave her another one of his stilted smiles and gently began pulling her up the plank. She wobbled again and he pulled her closer, tucking her into his side. The feel of his body sent shock waves coursing through her. She was at a complete loss as to how to deal with them.

“I’m normally quite sure footed, only tonight has made me unsteady. I’m not usually so…” She was rambling again.

“It’s all right.”

Her cheeks filled with color. She was making a fool of herself.

“Are you hungry?” He had turned to her mother.

“No, thank you. We ate before we left. Piper, I was girlhood friends with Mr. Maddox’s mother, Lady Priscilla Fairfield Maddox. Now the Duchess, of course. What a small world.” Her mother smiled like a schoolgirl.

Piper straightened her shoulders. She had to stop acting so foolish. “Wonderful Mother.” She gave her mother a forced smile.

“Do you have family in England still?” Mr. Maddox asked Piper.

“Yes, of course,” she replied. “Actually my cousin, Lady Sybil Fairfield, Viscountess of Abberforth, is waiting for us in New York.” She donned the smile she usually gave men. She needed to get some measure of control over this situation and this was the best way she knew how.

His eyes narrowed slightly and he frowned at her but he nodded. He seemed to disapprove of what most men loved. It was disconcerting, and her flirty look fell from her face. He turned to another man as he approached. “Captain Jack, this is Lady Vesser—”