Read The Marriage Ring for Free Online Page A

exasperated sound. “We should have caught them.” He heard the accusation in her voice. She meant he should have caught them.
    Righting the valise she’d dropped to the ground, she opened it and pawed through her tumble of clothing until she found a kerchief. She used it to clean the knife’s blade with little more concern than if she’d gutted a fish.
    “We had the better of them,” she grumbled. “Then again, perhaps you didn’t want me to catch them.”
    “What does that mean?” he demanded, reaching for his temper. Temper he liked; feeling she was right, he didn’t.
    She closed the bag and rose to her feet. “It means you didn’t try very hard to stop them.
    “ What? ” The word exploded out of him. He recovered. “Miss MacEachin, I defended you.”
    “Yes, but not as well as you might have,” she said, delivering the insult with blunt practicality. She picked up the bag and started walking. “Then again, if we follow the trail of blood from that one I stabbed in the thigh, we both know where he would lead us.”
    “And where would that be?” Richard demanded, falling into step beside her.
    “To your front door step,” Miss MacEachin informed him.
    Richard’s feet rooted to the ground. “What did you say?” he challenged, not certain he had heard her correctly.
    Miss MacEachin turned and coolly responded, “I said, the trail of blood would lead to your doorstep.”
    His blood boiled. “That’s an outrageous accusation.”
    She raised her brows, not offering apology.
    Richard stomped up to her. “First, I did defend you. You’re the one who let them escape by interfering. Second, my father and I would never be a party to such an attack. We have no reason to be—”
    “I believe you do. Your father and uncle do not want what I have to say to become public.”
    “You are infuriating ,” Richard replied, stifling the urge to howl his outrage like the man she stabbed had. “How often do I need to repeat that my father and uncle would never involve themselves in such a scheme? And let me point out, I am so certain of it, I am traveling with you to the ends of the earth to interview your father. I shall be gratified to hear your apology.”
    She snorted her opinion in the most unladylike way. “There will be no apology—”
    “And third, ” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “you have so many enemies it could be any number of men who had attacked you. Those men could have been hired by that stage manager I had to pull off you earlier—” He paused. “Hmmmm, I don’t believe I was ineffective then, was I? Or perhaps those two lads who came after you were working for one of those who have placed wagers all over town on who will bed you?”
    She drew short breaths, one after the other, and he knew his barb had hit home.
    “Oh, wait,” he had to add, “ you never have any difficulties walking home. I forgot. My apologies. You’ve become the most infamous courtesan in London, but you walk the streets without concerns.”
    “I never had a concern until tonight ,” she answered, as if accusing him.
    Richard shrugged. “Considering your reputation, I’m surprised there aren’t brigades of men hiding in your bushes.”
    She stormed up to him, raising her hand as if to slap him for his effrontery, but then seemed to realize she was too petite to do much damage. Instead, she glared up at him with a look that would have done the meanest governess proud.
    Fortunately, Richard was past the age of being cowed by stern-eyed women.
    And he was rather proud of himself for giving her tit for tat. How dare she accuse his father of planning an attack on her—
    She kicked him in the shin.
    The action startled him more than caused pain. “ Hey ,” he said, offended.
    “I am not a whore. Not a courtesan. Not whatever names you men dream up to label women like spice jars in a cabinet. Do you hear me?” she ordered. “I don’t sleep with men. I’m my own person. I’m independent and