Page 119 of An Unwanted Spinster for the Duke

“Y-You don’t understand,” Linpool sputtered. All the exposed inches of his body were marred with scratches.

Dominic was no longer listening to him. He raised his arm, his fist clenched. There was a slight pause where he took a deep breath. Then, he rained punches on Linpool’s face.

Each punch carried years of betrayal. Of anger. Of hatred. Each punch carried a strength that made the blackguard’s face squelch.

The sounds frightened Marianne, not because she cared about Linpool. No. She cared aboutDominic.

“You need to stop,” she said softly.

Her voice was low, but it was enough to snap Dominic from what he was doing. He stopped his assault, and Linpool groaned in a mixture of relief and pain. He managed to grin, blood covering his teeth.

Like a dark angel of mercy, Marianne approached. She bent down and slipped her hand into Linpool’s coat, easily finding thecloth he had used to drug her. With no hesitation, she pressed it to his nose.

“Sleep tight,” she murmured.

Linpool’s struggles weakened. And soon, he fell unconscious. No pain. No struggle.

Dominic used Perseus’s leash to bind Linpool’s hands and feet. He was quiet throughout it all, breathing hard.

Marianne wondered what he would have done if she were not there. He was not a murderer, but he was an angry man and an abandoned son. His mother had chosen her lovers above him.

“You came for me,” she breathed.

As her feelings crashed over her, she found herself crying silently. There were no heaving sobs, just streaming tears.

“Of course,” Dominic said as he pulled her into an embrace. “Always.”

He had tried to tell her just that before, but he was not good with words, and she was afraid of being shackled like she had always been. But now? Maybe she was free.

The night was silent again, except for Linpool’s soft snores and the animals’ gentle breathing. Even the leaves had stopped rustling.

Marianne’s heart was no longer afraid.

Chapter Forty

The day might be bright, but the atmosphere in Grisham townhouse was dark. It was the day—or hours—after the incident, and the air in the parlor was thick with tension.

Even earlier that morning, when the sun was not quite up, Simon had helped Dominic take Linpool to the authorities. Dominic heaved a sigh of relief after he left behind the man who was partially to blame for the destruction of his family.

Partially. Yes, partially. His mother had so much to answer for, but she was long gone.

“How was it?” Marianne asked as she sat in an armchair.

Both looked weary and tired, but they were prepared for the next thing—talking to her father. How much did he know by now?

“I am fine,” Dominic replied stoically. He tried to soften it by placing a hand on her arm. He stood at her back, like a sentinel. “Finally, I am rid of Linpool.”

Marianne glanced up at him and saw a grin forming on his face. Yes, finally. She took a deep breath. There was still one hurdle to overcome, and he was someone who would be a part of her life no matter what.

She heard footsteps echoing down the grand staircase. Each step was deliberate and punctuated by the thud of a cane. Nobody else walked that way. All her childhood, she had dreaded those footsteps.

Lord Grisham finally reached the end of the staircase. His cane followed a trail toward the parlor. He looked mildly curious as he spotted his eldest daughter and his son-in-law waiting for him. He seemed to have doubled back, surprised at having guests early in the morning.

“This is unexpected. I did see my daughter last night. Now, my son-in-law is here to visit me,” he drawled, looking between the two intently. A sneer curved his lips. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Marianne could tell that her father was anything but pleased. However, there was a spark of interest there. Their visit was, after all, a novelty, and her husband was a duke.

“We are here to discuss your recent guest, Linpool,” Dominic began, meeting the Marquess’s gaze unflinchingly.