“Fie, sir! You speak of the base pleasures of the flesh.”
“That I do!” returned Trevor.
“But I refer to the lofty expression of love. Of man and woman in the pure state of godly adoration.”
“Oh, I adore. I assure you, I adore.”
The crowd roared at that, but Melinda felt her body tense for an entirely different reason. These two men were playing a game here. It was all a farce of fighting, of Ronnie’s proposal and her godly adoration, whatever that was. They acted as if her marriage was a stage play where all the county got to watch and laugh. She hated it, and she hated both men for subjecting her to it.
So with a grunt of disgust she started to turn away. But she had forgotten that everyone here knew who she was. She was covered in a cloak, but that did nothing to hide her identity among people who had known her for half her life. The minute she turned away, she found the path blocked. No one wished for her to leave, and it took only a moment’s commotion to attract Ronnie’s attention.
“My fair darling, pray don’t abandon me in my hour of triumph!”
She gave up trying to push between the baker’s wife and his three daughters. So she turned around and threw back the hood of her cloak. She might as well enjoy the sun on her face while she was made a laughingstock. “You clearly have no need of me here, Ronald.”
“Nay, fair maiden, but—”
“Leave off, Ronnie. You weren’t insulted by Mr. Anaedsley. You barely even have a bruise.”
“This is anaffaired’honor!”
“Then I say, your honor be damned.”
There were gasps all around at her language, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t a lady, and she certainly wasn’t someone who enjoyed this type of spectacle. Meanwhile, Trevor came up beside her.
“It’s just good fun, Mellie. There’s no harm in it.”
Good God, he still didn’t understand! Ronnie was enjoying prancing about now, but in a few minutes, her cousin was about to bloody Trevor. And then what type of good fun would it be?
She turned to her cousin and spoke earnestly. “He’s the grandson of a duke. You cannot hurt him.”
Ronnie actually grinned. “Oh, I mean to hurt him quite a lot, my love. Quite a lot.”
She bit back a curse, but it was Trevor who kept her from really speaking her mind. “Don’t take this so to heart. I had meant to let him have his fun for a bit longer, but for you, I shall end it quickly now.”
“Good Lord…”
“Hush and step back. You have to trust me.” He led her to a spot beneath a tree near enough to see clearly, but far enough away so as not to interfere. Or so she presumed. And right as if this had been rehearsed, the crowd parted to keep her and the combatants in view.
Clearly Ronnie didn’t like Trevor acting the gallant. But given that he never thought to escort her anywhere, Mellie hardly cared, especially as it gave him yet another public jab.
“Play the dandy all you like,” he taunted. “My lady fair will know her true heart before this morning’s work is done.”
Trevor executed an elaborate bow, pitching his voice to the crowd. “If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it were done quickly.” A nice touch, she thought, quoting Shakespeare’sMacbeth, though the reference was likely lost on most everyone there. Everyone, that is, except herself and her cousin. Ronnie just grinned, apparently liking that Trevor had cast himself in the role of betrayer. That cast Ronnie in the role as the king.
“The love that follows us sometime is our trouble,” quoted Ronnie from the same play. “Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you!” Then he took up a position in the middle of the field.
Trevor stripped off his coat and jacket, ready to set it down in the grass, but Grace stepped up. “I’ll keep it nice and tight for you, me lord.”
Trevor grinned. “I have always felt safe in your arms,” he returned as he delicately set his clothing in her arms. Grace grinned while the rest of the crowd jeered. And then Mr. Anaedsley took up his position before Ronnie, his fists raised.
Except, apparently Ronnie wasn’t satisfied. “A little to your left, if you would, sir.”
Trevor frowned. “What?”
“Just a step, if you would.”
Trevor’s expression flattened into a grimace of distaste. “If you insist.”