A Disgraceful Miss by Elaine Golden Read Free Book Online Page A

straightened, staring at Angelica as he moved back one step, then two. Then he pivoted with military precision and impaled Julian with an accusatory glare.
    Unblinking, Julian met his gaze, guilt and dread binding like mortar in his gut.
    “My daughter , Julian?” Daniel’s voice rumbled with accusation, as deep and threatening as thunder before a violent storm. “You defiled my daughter? ”
    Julian cleared his throat to find his voice. “It isn’t like that, Daniel.”
    Shoulders back, hands fisted at his side, Daniel moved forward, eyes glittering with righteous fury. “What was it then, Julian? Are you going to tell me that you didn’t touch Angelica?”
    Of course he couldn’t. Not without lying.
    Daniel’s anger grew in the moment that Julian hesitated, the silence revealing. “Did you take her?” Daniel was hoarse with ire, his stance menacing.
    More silence as Julian struggled with words. What could he say? He’d never been in such a circumstance before, being generally more circumspect in such things.
    “You son of a bitch!” In two steps, Daniel was close enough to swing and mean it. The blow landed on Julian’s left cheekbone. He felt the skin tear where Daniel’s knuckles connected, and he absorbed the brunt of the blow.
    Julian stood still, accepting the emotion-laden punch as his due. Hoping for atonement and silently praying that this might begin the path to forgiveness.
    A flurry of silk indicated that Angelica was now awake and alert to the proceedings. “What—?”
    “I thought you were my friend,” Daniel continued and swung again. This one connected with his gut and he grunted as the air left his body. Julian forced his body to relax further, penitent. “I trusted you.”
    Swing. Connect. Grunt.
    “Daniel! Stop it! You’re hurting him!”
    “By God, I’ll do more than that by the time I’m done. Let go of my arm, Angelica.”
    “No! Please stop and listen to reason.”
    Daniel turned on her, his hands fisted at his sides, nonthreatening but indicative of the depth of his rage. “Reason, is it? What would you consider a reasonable reaction, then, for a man who’s discovered his daughter defiled in his own home. This is the one place my children should be safe. I wasn’t there to protect you as you were growing up, Angelica, and now I’ve failed you as an adult.”
    “Oh, Daniel.” Angelica began to cry, horror etched on her face. “You mustn’t think that!”
    Julian couldn’t stay silent any longer. Perhaps if he reassured Daniel that his intentions were honorable, the worst of this situation could be diffused. He took a deep breath, wincing from the pain in his ribs. “It’s not a flirtation, Daniel. I’m in earnest.”
    Daniel flinched. “Somehow, I think that makes matters worse. That you planned her seduction before me.”
    “I never intended things to go so far.”
    “Well, they have. And what’s to be done now?”
    “I’m prepared to offer for her. We wouldn’t… I wouldn’t…” A glance toward Angelica showed shock still gripped her, and she pressed a fist to her mouth as if to stifle further outburst. This was not going well. Angelica wasn’t listening and Daniel just purpled further in fury.
    “No,” Daniel said in an ominous voice as he glared at Julian with something like hatred, and Julian felt as if he’d been hit in the stomach all over again. “Don’t bother. I won’t force Angelica to anything. I know firsthand the consequences of a meddling father. If I can give her nothing else, I’ll be sure that she is free of that.”
    What was this? Daniel wasn’t going to insist they wed? But that was what Julian wanted, why he’d allowed himself to take her.
    Julian stared at his friend, helpless. He knew Daniel well enough to recognize the older man was on the verge of losing control again, and while Julian knew a sound thrashing was his due for letting matters go so far, this was neither the time nor the place to have matters out.
    If