Miss Lavigne's Little White Lie Read Free Page B

before a long journey, he wouldn’t have considered proposing the stunning widow compensate him in a less than proper way, which would have saddled him with the woman and her kin. Not that he would mind sharing pleasure with the lovely widow on the journey, but the fairer gender didn’t belong on his ship.
    In Daniel’s experience, women possessed weaker constitutions, and sea travel often translated into a death sentence for the weak. Cecily’s suffering had been more than he could bear. Her glassy blue eyes and deathly pallor still haunted his nightmares. He had enough worries in regards to his brother’s intended surviving the return voyage without adding Madame Lavigne to his list of burdens.
    He did find the lady’s mettle fascinating, though. Men had often crumpled when faced with Daniel’s… determination , he would call it. (He was not stubborn, and he refused to even entertain the ridiculous notion.) The beguiling widow held herself together admirably.
    She wandered farther into the taproom as if she might approach some of the other patrons. Unfortunately, she had gained more than Daniel’s notice. Through the crowd, two ruffians approached her, circling her like prey, while the lady appeared oblivious.
    The burlier one approached her head on. From the ease of the man’s posture, Daniel guessed the bugger offered a smile meant to disarm her while the second ne’er-do-well eased up behind, his toothless mouth gaping in the imitation of a grin.
    Bloody hell. Daniel did so enjoy relieving others of their teeth.

Three
    Daniel’s casual approach belied his intentions. Madame Lavigne was a foolish wench. Boasting her worth in a pit of vipers, and no escort to boot. Lucky for her he had nothing better to do than save her pretty little arse.
    Grasping her wrist, Daniel hauled her to him and tucked her against his side. “There you are, my dear. Shall we take our leave?”
    The man whipped around to confront Daniel, but his gaze fixed on something to Daniel’s left. More precisely, one eye listed to the left while his other focused on Daniel and the widow.
    His weasel-faced accomplice eased up behind him. “Ever’ thing all right, Kincaid?” He was too far away to strike without warning, but Daniel remained vigilant, even as he made a show of nuzzling the widow’s neck.
    “I told you to wait upstairs, luv.”
    Madame Lavigne ground her elbow between his ribs to leverage away. “Then release me, darling , and I shall go straightaway.”
    He ignored the dull pain and slanted a lecherous grin at the men. “She’s an eager lass, if you catch my drift.”
    “I beg your—?” A tight squeeze cut off her sentence with a grunt.
    “No need to beg, sweetheart. Come along.”
    Kincaid blocked their path as they tried to reach the staircase. His wild eye ogled Daniel. “How’d you like a real man between the sheets?”
    “Are you speaking to me?” Daniel asked.
    “No!” The man’s face flushed red. “I ain’t talkin’ to you.”
    “Splendid. You’re too ugly for my tastes. Now, move aside. The lady and I have private matters to discuss.”
    Kincaid refused to let them pass. “She’s coming with us.”
    Daniel dropped his arm from the young woman’s shoulders with a sigh. “My apologies, luv. I had hoped the situation might play out differently, but I suppose some things cannot be altered.”
    Kincaid wore a triumphant sneer. He thought Daniel was surrendering her. What an arrogant prick. And stupid.
    Madame Lavigne glanced up at Daniel warily. Surely, she didn’t believe he would hand her over to the miscreants.
    “Run,” he murmured.
    “Pardon?”
    “Run!” Daniel shoved her out of harm’s way and slammed his fist into his adversary’s cheek.
    Howls of approval thundered in the small taproom. Daniel followed with another right to the jaw, feeling a crack under his knuckles, and then ploughed his fist into Kincaid’s doughy gut.
    “Ooofff!” He collapsed to his knees, clutching his