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And then he looked right at Amelia. Nothing was said. Just a pair of crystal blue eyes beyond the mask, meeting her across the room, a silent conversation that she understood immediately because in that moment, she realized who it was behind the mask. And when she did, she just about wept.

The Duke removed his mask, dropped it to the floor, stepped back, and offered a short bow. “I am His Grace, the Duke of Northrade.” His voice boomed like a cannon. “And you, Lord Lindstone, are in serious trouble.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

“You!” Lord Lindstone gasped. He grabbed his daughter by the shoulder and pulled her back. “How dare you —”

“No!” Evan shouted him down. “How dare you! How dare all of you!” he shouted over the room, sweeping his gaze over the men who had suddenly grown quiet, reserved, even scared. Indeed, many attempted to push their way toward the back of the room, likely figuring that they’d rather be anywhere but here. “You should all be deeply ashamed of what you’ve done here tonight.”

“It’s none of your business!” Lord Lindstone said. He stood on the edge of the stage, attempting to take control of a room that he was very quickly losing his power over. “This has nothing to do with you whatsoever, and I would ask that you leave!”

“Is that what you would ask?” Evan chuckled. “I don’t think so.”

He strode toward the small stage as the men before him hurried to get out of the way. Then it was a few short steps up the stairs until he found himself face to face with the horrible lord whom it was taking every ounce of self-control Evan possessed not to strike.

To his credit, Lord Lindstone didn’t back down. He stood up to Evan, chin pointed as high as it would go, doing what he could to come across as threatening. “I will ask you again. Leave! This is a private event, and you are trespassing.”

Evan ignored him.

To the Lord’s right stood Miss Baker, body shaking, still withdrawn as she had been all night, not daring to believe yet that the worst was behind her and that she had nothing to fear. She was looking at Evan though with the faintest of smiles which she refused to let take over her face. And her eyes... they were filled with hope.

“Miss Baker,” he said softly, stepping around Lord Lindstone. “Are you all right?”

She forced a nod. “You came.”

“Of course, I did.” He reached out and touched under her chin, looking into her eyes until the smile she wore reached them. “I told you, remember? Trust me.”

“Do not touch her!” Lord Lindstone grabbed Evan’s arm.

Evan threw him back and turned on him, growling as he stepped forward quickly as if he meant to knock the lord from the stage. “This auction is over, Lord Lindstone. And I suggest you have some sense of decency to recognize it as such.”

“Over, is it?” he laughed coldly. “I refuse your offer,Your Grace.”

“You can’t refuse.”

“I can do what I like!” he bawled his fists and stamped his foot. “Amelia —” He pointed right at his daughter. “She belongs to me. As does this one!” Another finger pointed at Bridget, who stood at the back of the stage, shock taking her as she clearly had no idea what to think. “They are mine, and I can do with them whatever I want! You came here tonight under false pretenses, Your Grace, thinking to save my daughter when you don’t have the power to.”

“You won’t take my offer?” Evan said calmly.

“No! Twenty thousand is more than I could have imagined, and it will certainly do. Because you see...” He stormed across the stage and grabbed Bridget, who yelped in pain. “I have two of them!”

“Bridget!” Miss Baker cried.

“Quiet!” Lord Lindstone roared. “Do not speak unless I say! Now, Your Grace, if you don’t mind, I have a bidding to finish, and you are very much not welcome to see it done!”

“Is that what you think?”

Lord Lindstone’s face was bright red, and his body shook as if it might explode. “Are you deaf! I said leave!”

“And what of your debt?” Evan said coolly, very much aware that the entire room was listening, that he didn’t need to raise his voice because they were each enraptured by what was happening before them.

Lord Lindstone balked. “That doesn’t concern you.”

“Twenty thousand isn’t nearly enough to pay it off. Not even half, in fact.”

“As I said, I have two daughters!”

“But still, fifty thousand pounds is a lot of money, Lord Lindstone. How on earth did you fall into such debt in the first place.”