Chapter 1

Chapter One

" L eave him alone!" Aurelia cried as she rushed into the study, raising her hands to her mouth as she gasped at the unthinkable scene before her.

"And who are you?" One of the tall men who had her father, Elton Godwin, pinned to the ground, turned to her with a bemused smirk.

His nasty grin sent a shiver of panic down her spine as she noted his dirty skin and greasy blonde hair. She was certain they didn't belong to polite society.

Her heart stuttered when the other three men grinned at her while keeping the struggling Earl firmly pinned to the rug. Her hands instinctively moved to her shawl, pulling the fabric tighter around her chest.

The thugs all wore the same disheveled and patched clothes that matched their grubby appearances.

"Please don't hurt my daughter. She doesn't have anything to do with this," the Earl pleaded with the men when their gazes remained fixed on Aurelia's curvy figure. His voice was filled with panic, making her wonder again who the men were.

The grin of the scraggly bunch's leader widened as he took a step forward. The curve of his lips exposed sharp teeth that had begun to decay, and a heavy stench of whiskey emanated from him.

Aurelia clutched at her shawl with both hands as her wavy dark blonde hair fell over her shoulders. She had been getting ready for bed after dinner when the sounds of a struggle had carried down the hall. She now wished that she'd reached for a gown instead of the simple shawl to cover her night dress.

She swallowed hard and worked up the courage to speak as the silence thickened the air.

"You men had better leave before I send for the constables. The footmen and some of the men who live in this house will be here soon."

She felt her breath catching in her throat as the man drew closer, the stench of whiskey growing even stronger. The nasty look in his muddy brown eyes sent chills down her spine as she backed up against the wall beside the door.

Who are these men? Surely the footmen and the butler would have heard the commotion by now. Why is no one coming to our aid?

Her eyes darted around the darkened room, which was only partially lit by a flickering candle on the large desk.

The derisive laughter that filled the air made her jump with fright as she placed her hands on the cold wall behind her back.

"You may call the whole of London if you wish, My Lady. We will not be leaving until your father gives us the money we are owed. Unless you would like to pay us instead?" The leader's smile quickly turned into a nasty sneer.

"Don't you dare bring her into this!" Her father struggled against the men's hold, kicking and punching the air until the three men pinned his arms and legs to the ground once again.

His chubby figure and short stature made it easy for them to subdue him as he panted for breath, his round cheeks flushing from his efforts.

"Can't you see that you're hurting him?" Aurelia cried out and almost lunged forward when the leader stepped into her path, causing her back up against the wall once again.

"I wouldn't be so hasty if I was you, My Lady. Those pretty blue eyes won't spare you from my wrath if you get in my way."

The tall, blonde man pulled a knife from his pocket and brandished it in front of her face. The sharp blade glinted in the flickering candlelight.

"Your father owes us a great deal of money, and like I said, we won't be leaving here until we get it." He advanced on her and turned the hilt from side to side, highlighting the sharp blade.

Aurelia's courage returned in an unexpected display of bravery as she took a step forward and faced the man down. The tip of her nose almost touched the tip of the blade as she stared him down.

"What money does my father owe you? If he said he will repay you, then he will. My father is an honorable man! How dare you come into our home and demand repayment in this manner?" She narrowed her eyes at the man and momentarily let go of her shawl before gripping the edges once again.

A confused look crossed his filthy face for a second. "You really don't know?" His eyes flickered with surprise before he glanced over his shoulder at her father.

One of the men holding her father's arm down suddenly slapped him across the face, making her scream in protest.

"You haven't told your daughter about your dirty little secret, Lord Keldbrooke? That isn't very decent of you. Surely a loving father would not hide such key information from his only daughter?"

The men all laughed as her father struggled against their grip. His eyes pleaded with her to leave, yet she knew something terrible would happen if she left them alone.

"Let him go, you vile creatures!" Aurelia attempted to push past the leader but found her path once again blocked by his bulky figure.

The stench coming from his clothes mixed with the stink of whiskey almost made her gag.

"I don't think you should be so proud, not when your father owes every gambling hall in the city a great deal of money," he sneered at her, clearly having taken offense at her reproach.

One of the men chimed in from behind their boss, "Yeah, at least we do honorable work. Your father spends his nights gambling away his fortune. You might want to ask him if you still have a dowry, Princess."

"Papa?" Aurelia frowned in confusion as her father suddenly tensed up.

A moment of loaded silence filled the air before the leader rolled his eyes. "We don't have time for this. You can have your little family moment once we have collected our debts. Stay if you must but keep out of our way."

He placed a hand on Aurelia's shoulder and pushed her back against the wall, causing her to stumble before she regained her footing.

Her eyes filled with tears of frustration as the man turned his back on her and pointed his knife at her father, advancing on him like a predator in the night.

"Aurelia, please go back to bed. I will handle this…" her father pleaded with her, his eyes never leaving the blade that inched closer to his face as the leader hunkered at his side.

The other three thugs seemed to derive a great deal of pleasure from his discomfort, and their eyes flashed with enjoyment.

"I don't believe any of it. My father is a respected man amongst the Ton! He would never frequent a gambling hall. You had best leave before I scream!"

Her father winced away from the tip of the blade.

What is going on?

Her heart raced with fear as the men now ignored her presence.

This has to be some kind of mistake. Father has been a pillar of strength and guidance in my life as far back as I can recall. There is no possible explanation other than this being a horrible, horrible mistake. The men had gotten the wrong address, or perhaps they were lying to make me leave.

Hundreds of possibilities raced through her mind as she kept a close eye on the blade.

The leader tutted as he pressed the point of the blade to her father's cheek, making a dent in his skin without drawing any blood. "Not very fatherly of you to lead a double life, Lord Keldbrooke. Perhaps the boys and I should take care of your daughter. We won't hide anything from her. How old is she now? Twenty? Almost beyond a marriageable age. I could make an honest woman out of her."

Aurelia began to breathe even harder as the tip of the blade reddened her father's skin. She needed to do something, even if it was only a distraction to allow her father time to escape.

Glancing at the dagger in the man's hand, she judged the distance between her and her father. Even if she threw herself between them, she could at least buy him some time.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the tips of her fingers against the wall at her back, readying herself.

The door to the study suddenly opened, making everyone look up in surprise.

Aurelia let out a breath and braced herself, feeling slightly faint.

The butler took a step back, seemingly startled at the sight. His pale brown eyes darted from the Earl to the men holding him down.

"What is it, Jameson?" The Earl swallowed hard, relieving his skin from the blade for a split second.

"Forgive me, My Lord, but there is a visitor… Should I…"

The butler barely finished speaking when a large hand landed on his shoulder, pushing him aside. His stick-like figure stumbled back into the hall.

Aurelia's mouth fell open as a formidable figure stepped into the room.

The man's short, wavy hair had a subtle, effortless texture, with strands that gently curled to frame his face. His tall, muscular figure filled the doorway, blocking the butler from view as his deep green eyes scanned the room.

Her heart skipped a beat as something deep inside her fluttered. She could barely make out his features from the side, yet he exuded danger. A strong sense of attraction pulled her toward him, like a magnetic force.

His eyes suddenly fell on her figure beside the door, lingering for a moment as he took in her form. His eyes briefly paused on her chest, where the edges of the shawl had fallen open, exposing her milky white, slender neck.

Realizing that her chest was exposed beneath the thin fabric of her night dress, Aurelia hastened to cover herself. Glancing back at her father, she noted the paleness of his skin. Something about the man's presence seemed to have frightened him even more than the blade pressed against his cheek. Or perhaps his presence had brought him comfort, allowing the shock of the situation to sink in.

She had no idea how to read the room.

Even the ruffians holding down her father seemed to have stiffened in the presence of the newcomer. Their leader's tongue drew over his cracked lips and he loosened his grip on the knife.

"Leave us. I will take things from here," the handsome stranger commanded, his voice echoing through the room. His words sent a shiver down Aurelia's spine that wasn't exactly unpleasant.

Despite the intensity of his words, the rich, deep timbre of his voice caressed her ears like a gentle whisper.

Who is this man?

She noted the fear in the ruffians' eyes as their leader scrambled to his full height, changing his tune considerably. Even as he stood up straight, his height was in no way comparable to that of the towering stranger, who looked down at him with scorn.

"Your Grace, we have been sent to collect the debts that are owed to our employer. I am afraid that we cannot leave without getting what is owed to us."

Your Grace?

Aurelia racked her brain, trying her best to place the stranger. She had never seen him at a ball or any social gathering, yet his presence commanded respect, even from her father. She felt certain that she would have remembered him if she'd seen him before.

Tilting his head to the side, he cracked his neck before taking a step forward and towering over the cowering man. "Are you aware of whom you are addressing?" His chiseled jaw stiffened as he narrowed his eyes at the man.

Even from her position beside the door, Aurelia could tell from the tone of his voice that his expression remained as stoic as it had from the start.

"O…Of course, Your Grace. I meant no disrespect. We were only…" The leader of the thugs stopped talking and cleared his throat, taking a step backwards as he placed the knife back in his pocket.

Your Grace? He's a duke?

The handsome stranger motioned his head toward the door, and the thugs jumped to their feet and hurried out of the room. They jostled one another, fighting to be the first to escape the room.

Aurelia's stomach fluttered uncontrollably as she continued to wonder who the stranger was. Whoever he was, he had certainly come at the right time.

The broadness of his shoulders blocked her father from view, yet she knew that he needed her by his side.

Rushing forward, she kneeled beside her father, pulling him up to a sitting position before checking the small cut on his cheek. The wound didn't seem to be very deep, yet a thin line of blood trickled down his jaw.

"Thank you, Your Grace. I am not sure what we would have done if you hadn't come." Aurelia used the edge of her shawl to wipe her father's cheek before smiling gratefully at the stranger over her shoulder.

The fear in her father's eyes made her stiffen again as she noted how his blue eyes, very much like her own, never left the man's face.

"I wouldn't thank me just yet if I were you, Lady Aurelia." The man's voice sent a shiver down her spine as she slowly let go of the edge of her shawl.

"Who are you?" She rose to her feet and stared into his deep green eyes, feeling the heat of attraction creep up the back of her neck.

His jawline seemed to be chiseled from stone. Her eyes drifted to the hard muscles of his chest that were visible through his open navy-blue coat. Not even his white cotton shirt could hide the strength of his physique.

"Philip Ellington, Duke of Oakdale." His eyes drifted down her body again, stirring unexpected feelings of desire in her veins.

Under different circumstances she would have swooned at his feet. Yet, the look in his eyes made her feel as if she was facing a formidable opponent.

"And why should I not thank you for saving us, Your Grace?" Her voice was softer now as her mouth fell slightly open, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths.

"Because I am here to collect a debt far greater than the one your father owes those men." His gaze dropped to her father, who scrambled to his feet and began to fidget with the edge of his shirt.

A frown creased her brow as she sensed the change in atmosphere, and a thin layer of goosebumps broke across her skin.

"I am here to collect the debt for my brother's life. A life that your father took."