“Good morning!”

Harmonia looked up and smiled as her sister walked in and sat down at the dining table, quickly followed by her father.

“You are awake early, Harmonia,” her father commented, as the footman served him his usual breakfast plate. “Are you quite all right?”

“More than all right, father,” Harmonia assured him, aware that he was worried about her since her confrontation with Luke some days ago. “I was simply awake early this morning.”

Her father studied her for a moment longer before nodding, turning his attention towards his breakfast.

“Would you care to come out for a walk with me?” Amelia asked, pouring herself a cup of tea. “I thought to get a new ribbon for my daughter and perhaps a new book for myself.”

“That would be lovely,” Harmonia replied, with a quick smile. “I can be ready in a few minutes.”

Her father cleared his throat. “You will be careful, will you not?”

“Of course, papa,” Harmonia said at once, reaching for his hand and pressing it lightly “We shall take a footman with us, if you wish it.”

“Yes, do,” the Duke replied, some of the tension leaving his features. “And let me know the moment you return home. I confess I am still a little anxious over Luke’s behavior towards you.”

Harmonia could not pretend that she did not feel the same anxiety as her father, but she was determined that it would not keep her hiding away indoors. “I am sure Luke will be sound asleep, papa,” she said, as Amelia nodded in agreement. “After all, most of the ton will still be abed even by the time Amelia and I return home!”

The Duke gave her a small smile and let go of Harmonia’s hand. “Very good. Do not be too long, however. My nerves are not what they once were!”

Getting up from her chair, Harmonia kissed her father’s cheek and, with a promise to be back within a couple of hours, quit the room in search of her bonnet.

“Do you think that Luke will be in town this morning?”

Amelia, evidently surprised at the question, glanced over at Harmonia. “No, I should not think so but, even if he is, we have the footman and the maid with us.”

Letting out a long breath, Harmonia tried to shake off some of the tension she felt. It was strange to realize just how much of an impact Luke’s words had made on her.

“Are you still worried about him?”

Harmonia nodded, looping her arm through her sister’s. “Yes, I am.”

“That is quite understandable,” Amelia replied, calmly. “But I think that he is mostly talk. He tries to intimidate those he wants to do his bidding with his words and with his ire, but you have not given in.”

“Does that not mean that his determination to get what he wants will only grow steadily, so that he then turns to things other than mere words?” Harmonia asked, expressing the worry in her heart. “He is not the man I thought him, Amelia.”

There was a short silence which told Harmonia that her sister was deep in thought. She waited until Amelia had found the right words to say, seeing her sister sigh heavily.

“You may be right,” Amelia admitted, after a time. “I am trying to reassure you, I suppose, but the truth is that Luke is not the man any of us knew any longer. I am not able to predict what he will do next which is why father is right to ensure we take a footman. Although I do not believe that his intimidation should frighten us to the point that we refuse to step foot outside!”

“No, indeed,” Harmonia agreed, her tension still steadily rising. “He wants that to happen, I know, but I will not allow it to do so.”

“Then you are quite content to go to the recital tonight, and then Lady Watlington’s ball tomorrow evening?”

“Yes, of course,” Harmonia declared, her mind suddenly filled with none other than Lord Newford. “I know that Newford will be attending, and I would not miss dancing with him for the world.”

Amelia laughed, and the worry Harmonia felt began to dissipate. “Good,” she replied, as they approached the milliners. “Now, come along and let us choose a nice new ribbon for your bonnet since you are to go walking with Lord Newford this afternoon.”

Harmonia chuckled. “I do not think that Lord Newford would notice,” she laughed, as Amelia began to coo over the new ribbons in the window. “Although I think I shall certainly purchase myself a few new novels.”

Pausing for a moment, Amelia regarded Harmonia thoughtfully. “Then why do you not go into the bookshop? You may take the footman with you and I shall keep the maid.”

The smile faded from Harmonia’s face.

“You will be quite safe, I am sure of it,” Amelia continued, softly. “It is early enough that Luke will not be about and, even if he is, you have the footman and the bookshop owner. Neither of them will allow any harm to come to you, I know it.”

Trying to draw courage from her sister’s words, Harmonia lifted her chin and drew in one long breath. “Yes, you are quite right. I need not live in fear.”

“But be careful to keep the footman with you at all times,” Amelia said, firmly. “You are not to so much as go to the back of the shop without him.”

“I quite understand, my lady,” the footman interjected, with a short bow. “I will not allow Lady Harmonia out of my sight.”

“Very good,” Amelia replied, putting one hand on Harmonia’s arm. “Now, you need not do this if you do not wish it. Come and join me in the milliners for a time, and then we will go to the bookshop together if that is what you prefer.”

Thinking quickly, Harmonia shook her head. The shops were right next to one another and Amelia was right to say that she need not be afraid of Luke, not when she had the footman by her.

“No, I shall be quite all right,” she said, with a quick smile. “I will see you presently.”

“I will not be long,” Amelia promised, pressing Harmonia’s hand lightly before stepping away and making her way into the bookshop.

Tension coiled in Harmonia’s belly, but she ignored it as best she could and walked into the bookshop, hearing the bell ringing as she opened the door.

“Good morning, my lady,” the shopkeeper exclaimed, looking more than delighted to see Harmonia again, for she had frequented this bookshop plenty of times before. “I have some new titles just to your left, should you be looking for something original.”

“I thank you,” Harmonia replied, quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace that had settled over the shop. “I shall browse for a few minutes, and my sister will be joining me soon once she has finished at the milliners.”

The shopkeeper inclined his head. “But of course.”

Making her way down to the end of the shop, the footman in tow, Harmonia felt her heart slowly settle into a more peaceful beat, her fear and worry draining away. Amelia was quite right. Here, she would be more than safe.

A few minutes passed, and Harmonia lost herself in the first pages of a new novel, her eyes hungrily eating up the words as she read. It was only the chime of the bell that brought her back to her world and she gave herself a slight shake, closing the book and handing it to the footman so that she might purchase it once she had finished looking at the other titles.

“My lady.”

The footman’s voice was low and urgent and, as Harmonia looked up, she saw none other than Luke leaning heavily on the shopkeeper’s desk. He was swaying slightly, clearly in his cups, and rather disheveled. Harmonia shrank back from him, her eyes fixed on his form as she stepped into the shadows.

“We should leave, my lady,” the footman murmured, as he followed her behind a shelf of books. “The door is just there.”

Harmonia shook her head, finding that she could not bring herself to move. To leave the shop would be to alert Luke to her presence and she did not so much as want to exchange even a few words with him.

“Amelia will be here soon,” she whispered, as the footman drew near her. “Then we shall leave together.”

She could tell from the frown on the footman’s face that he was not altogether happy with the situation, but she could not find the strength to walk past him. The fact that he had been drinking only added to her fright, worried that the liquor might push him to act even more inappropriately than before.

The bell rang again and, much to her relief, Amelia stepped inside. She exclaimed aloud as she saw Luke, who turned around at once.

“Amelia!” he exclaimed, swaying heavily. “Whatever are you doing here?”

Amelia shot Harmonia a warning glance, telling her to stay exactly where she was. “Looking for a book,” she said, lifting her chin. “Do excuse me, Luke.”

His arm shot out and caught hers, leaning forward to look into Amelia’s eyes. “Does that mean Harmonia is here?”

The footman moved away from Harmonia at once, pulling Luke away from her – but that left Harmonia entirely alone. When Luke stumbled away from Amelia, his eyes landed on her and, with a triumphant shout, he began to lumber towards her.

Harmonia found herself frozen to the spot, her heart thumping in fright as he caught her around the shoulders, pushing her back against the wall.

“I’ll have you as my wife,” he leered, his putrid breath brushing across her face. “Your refusal means nothing to me.”

Trying to push him away, Harmonia screamed as his mouth sought hers, his head lowering. The footman, Amelia, the maid and the bookshop keeper all arrived at once, hauling Luke away as he scrabbled to keep hold of Harmonia. Pulling herself back, Harmonia heard her dress tear as Luke fell backwards but, thankfully, he released his hold.

“Get him out of here!” Amelia shouted, her face red with fury. “How dare you assault her, Luke! Whatever has become of you!”

As the footman and shopkeeper physically encouraged Luke towards the door, Amelia hurriedly rushed to Harmonia’s side, looking into her face with concern.

“I am all right,” Harmonia whispered, trying to get her breath back. “Truly, Amelia.”

Amelia shook her head, her face still a bright shade of red. “When the footman came to aid me, Luke gave us both such a shove that it took us a few moments to right ourselves. Are you sure you are unhurt?”

“My dress only,” Harmonia replied, glancing down at the large tear in her sleeve.

Throwing off her shawl, Amelia wrapped it around Harmonia’s shoulders, her lips muttering frustrations over what Harmonia had experienced, despite their best efforts to keep her safe.

“We should go home at once,” she declared, firmly. “Come now, I am quite sure the footman will have ensured that Luke is long gone.”

Feeling herself begin to tremble, Harmonia drew in a few steadying breaths, telling herself that everything was now quite all right. Going outside, however, felt like stepping into the very mouth of danger, and it took a few encouragements from Amelia to get to her to do so.

The footman and bookshop keeper were waiting for them.

“In a hackney, heading for home, my lady,” the footman said, bowing low. “I am sorry that I did not manage to stop him soon enough, Lady Harmonia.”

“It is not your fault,” Harmonia said at once, swallowing her fear and trying to smile. “You did all that you could. Thank you both for your assistance.”

The shopkeeper nodded and offered to walk them back to their father’s house but, seeing that Luke was now heading in the opposite direction as well as the fact that the streets were, by now, a little busier, Amelia thanked him but refused. She looped her arm though Harmonia’s and, walking quickly, they began to make their way back home.

“If you like, we can hail a hackney,” Amelia said softly, as they walked together. “I would not like you to faint half way there.”

Harmonia shook her head. “No, I think I would like to walk, Amelia. The fright was great, I own, but I think walking will help me shake off some of my shock.”

Amelia nodded, her face grave. “We shall have to tell papa the moment we get home,” she said, shaking her head. “I am afraid that he will want to call Luke out – which, of course, is to be expected but –”

“We cannot allow him to do so,” Harmonia interrupted, decisively. “He is much too senior for that and it could easily cause a scandal.”

A smile crossed Amelia’s face as she hugged Amelia for a moment. “You are stronger than I give you credit for, little sister,” she said, quietly. “I am very proud of you for handling all this with such decorum and grace, especially after what must have been a terrible fright.”

Harmonia drew in a long breath and managed a smile. “Thank you, Amelia. I just hope that father will not be too difficult to convince. Then, of course, I must inform Lord Newford, which may mean another lot of convincing! I do not want either of them to duel, not on my account.”

“And yet you may find Lord Newford less easy to convince than papa,” Amelia murmured, with a knowing look. “After all, gentlemen are known to do great things when they consider themselves to be in love.”