Page 18 of Stolen By the Heartless Duke

Zachary snorted. “Did he?”

“He did.”

“Perhaps that explains why armed men carried him away in front of half the ton,” Zachary said.

Lady Wynten gasped.

Jane’s blood heated instantly. “How dare you.”

Her uncle shrugged. “It is hardly my fault.”

“He was kidnapped,” Jane said.

Zachary said, “And one must wonder why.”

Jane stood. Her chair scraped loudly against the floor. “Colin has done nothing wrong.”

“According to you.”

“He is a good man,” Jane said.

Zachary laughed. A short, unpleasant sound. “Good men are rarely dragged away by criminals.”

“Enough.” The word escaped before Jane could stop it.

Her uncle’s eyes narrowed. “What did you say?”

She had come this far, so she felt she must continue. “I said,enough.” Jane stepped forward. “You have been here five minutes, and already you are insulting Colin.”

“Jane,” her mother said nervously.

“No.” Jane lifted her chin. “If Uncle wishes to discuss my brother, then he can do so respectfully.”

For one long moment, Zachary simply stared at her. Then his face darkened. “What an unfortunate habit.”

“What?” Jane asked.

Her uncle said, “Speaking when wiser people are talking.”

Jane’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing. The room seemed to shrink. Her uncle took a step toward her. Then another.

“You always were too bold,” he said.

“And you always were too cruel.”

The movement came so suddenly that Jane barely registered it. One moment Zachary’s hand was at his side. The next it was rising.

Lady Wynten cried out and threw herself between them. “Stop!”

Zachary froze. His hand remained suspended in the air. The sight seemed to embarrass even him. Slowly, he lowered it.

A dangerous silence followed. Then his expression twisted. He grabbed Lady Wynten’s arm and shoved her aside. Hard enough to make her stumble.

“Mother!” Jane rushed forward.

Lady Wynten caught herself against a chair.

“How dare you touch her?” Jane demanded.