Sleeping Engagement

XXX. Dear Brothers

If her brothers were rescuing a maiden looking all too masculine and murderous as they were now, the said maiden would have swooned. Maxwell and his shoulder-length tousled hair and bristled jaw; Nicholas and his clean-shaven face and well-groomed hair. They were a pair of men in shining armor books talked about.

The big difference, however, was that they were not rescuing just any maiden. They were set to murder the man who broke their sister's heart.

"You almost fooled us, Maggie," Nicholas said, stopping before them, eyes fixed on Cole. "Step away from our sister, Devitt."

Cole did no move, but Margaret did. She stepped between her brothers and Cole. "How did you—"

"Find you?" Maxwell droned, eyes wryly set on Cole. "Quite easily." He shrugged.

"We went to Standbury and did not find you there," Nicholas provided.

It was Maxwell who gave Margaret a level look, one that of disappointment and betrayal.

"I imposed on Tori to send me the invite."

Nicholas scoffed. "Of course. Your friend was quite ready to defend you." He took another step forward, shoulders slightly hunched as he continued to look at Cole. "Let us talk about that later, Maggie," he said through his teeth. "After we kill him."

Margaret nearly flinched in alarm when Cole stepped forward to stand beside her.

"What say you, Devitt? Are you ready for another duel?" asked Nicholas.

"Nick will come as my second," Maxwell declared.

"No, you come as my second. I want to kill him myself," Nicholas objected.

"I'm older."

"I'm better with swords."

"I'm the best with pistols," Maxwell retorted, the corner of his mouth curling with amusement. "And I suggest we use pistols."

Margaret finally had enough. "Stop this nonsense." She pushed Cole to the side and forced her brothers to look at her. "No one is killing anyone."

"Ah, look how she keeps defending the bloke, Max," Nicholas mockingly said. "It's quite sickening," he added, nose flaring and eyes shooting daggers. "You step aside, Maggie."

"I will not let violence be a part of this," she said, her voice shaking. "Not again."

"Ten years ago, you successfully stopped a duel to save this man's life, Maggie," Maxwell coldly said. "And he still left you. Or have you forgotten?" Maxwell rarely brought up the past, or even anything important. He would always be the one to sit in a corner in silent amusement while everyone argued and fought. While Ben always held the final word, Maxwell held the best argument and Ben would rely on it most of the time. He was the silent king as Ralph would claim, and everyone agreed, even their mother. Maxwell rarely gave words to his thoughts, but whenever he did, it would be the truest. And it would most probably sting.

"This is enough. You are both being unreasonable. I came here on my own volition. I was not invited. Lord Ashmore was kind enough to offer me a room when I insisted," she stonily said, stepping closer to her brothers.

"Unreasonable, you say?" Nicholas asked with a sardonic laugh. His eyes veered back to Cole. "Have you any idea what you put her through? You don't, do you? Why is that, you bastard? Ah, I remember!" He said, smiling dangerously. "You disappeared from her life, you bloody coward."

Margaret pushed Nicholas back. "While we all try to remember what happened in the past," she gritted out, her own eyes burning with anger and frustration, "let us also be reminded that Lord Ashmore lost his sister ten years ago." Her words were spoken only for her brothers to hear. They both snapped their heads to glare at her. "He did only what any of you would have done if I was Leah," she added under her breath. She gave them a look that told them there was more to this than they thought. "Now, stop this foolishness. I came here for a reason." When they remained silent, she stepped back and squared her shoulders. "No fight shall ensue. You are both taking me home." When they did not move, Margaret arched a brow. "Now."