Martin and Luc launched themselves over the chaise.

Lady Osbaldestone got in one good kick with her cane as she closed a claw about Amanda's arm and yanked her free, dragging her to safety-helped on by a shove from Martin-as he and Luc wrestled Edward to the floor.

Reggie watched from the chaise, egging them on.

"Hah!" Sighting one of Edward's hands groping on the floor, Lady Osbaldestone stamped on it. "Sniveling coward!"

Devil forcibly drew them aside.

The door burst open. Jules, a scimitar gleaming in his hand, his expression ferocious, rushed in, followed by Joseph. Vane quickly crossed the room to reassure them.

It was over quickly; neither Martin nor Luc were in any mood to pull their punches. Battered and bloody, Edward lay sniveling on the floor as his brother and his cousin slowly rose to their feet.

Martin turned to Amanda; Lady Osbaldestone released her with a surreptitious push. Not that any push was necessary to send her into Martin's arms. He hugged her hard, then tipped her face up and examined her throat. "The bastard nicked you."

Fury vibrated in his voice. "I can't feel a thing," she lied. The cut was stinging, but stinging was a lot better than what might have been.

The reality suddenly hit her; she sagged against Martin, glad of his strength, his solidity. He looked across the room, nodding an affirmation to Jules that all was well. He and Joseph departed. Vane closed the door.

On the instant, a furious knocking, followed by the bell pealing incessantly, heralded what sounded like an invasion. Everyone in the library froze, listening, hoping Jules and Joseph could hold the line…

That hope proved futile.

Feminine tones, decidedly autocratic, penetrated the room. Amanda knew them well. She glanced at Devil, saw his jaw harden. He looked, pointedly, at Lady Osbaldestone. Who narrowed her eyes back.

"Wasn't me," her ladyship declared. "Must be one of you two"-she waved her cane at Devil and Vane-"who can't keep his secrets."

"We haven't even seen them since you grabbed us," Vane growled.

The door opened; Honoria, Patience and Amelia swept in. Honoria's gaze swept the room. "Now this is more like it! Amanda, you are going to have an enormous job decorating all this before the wedding."

Descending on her, Honoria hugged her without removing her from Martin's embrace. "Patience-here. She's been cut and it's bleeding."

Honoria turned to Lady Osbaldestone, who, Martin now noticed, had paled; the old harridan allowed herself to be guided to a chair. Patience took over with Amanda, taking her to sit on a chair near the window so she could tend her wound. "We don't want any unsightly scars."

Martin let Amanda go, and watched, amazed. They were only three women, yet… within seconds, they'd seized the whiphand.

Amelia had settled Reggie, also rather pale, back on the chaise. She inquired after the bellpull, then crossed to tug it; when Jules appeared she ordered warm water in a basin and cloth to tend her sister's cut. After glancing at Luc, she also ordered an ice pack.

Martin looked at his cousin. A large bruise was spreading over Luc's chiseled jaw. It was from a blow Edward had aimed at Martin; Luc had intercepted it.

After one pointed look at her spouse, Honoria had dispatched him to get a glass of something for Lady Osbaldestone. Vane had been similarly dealt with, and ordered to supply drinks to all others in need. From what Martin overheard, Honoria, Patience and Amelia had worked out their plan for themselves; they'd kept watch from a carriage in the lane beyond the courtyard wall. They'd heard Amanda's scream and come running.

Having had all his hostly duties usurped, Martin crossed to Luc, still standing over Edward, prone and moaning on the floor.

"Leave him." Martin looked down at Edward. "If he moves, Lady Osbaldestone will just hammer him again."

Luc laughed shakily. "I still can't believe she did that."

"She's a terror with that cane." Vane handed them glasses, then nodded toward the fireplace. "Let's go over there-there are things we need to discuss."

Devil brought a glass of wine for Reggie. "No spirits for you, so I was instructed." Reggie humphed but accepted the wine.

Jules returned with a basin and cloths; Amelia hurried to take them, then went to help tend her sister. The men gathered before the hearth, Reggie beside them on the chaise, and got down to business: how to deal adequately with Edward, and how to minimize the social damage his perfidy would inevitably cause. The first was easy enough, the second anything but.

Then the ladies joined them, disposing themselves on the chaises. Honoria looked at her husband. "What have you decided?"

Devil glanced at Martin, then stated, "Neither the law nor society will accept anything less than banishment for life." He looked at Edward who'd dragged himself up to slump against a bureau. "He can choose where, but we'll need to see him off English soil, and that as soon as may be. Too many people knew the revelation was to occur this afternoon. A result will be expected."

Honoria looked at Luc. "You agree?"

"Yes." Luc glanced at Edward. "I'll see him on the packet myself."

"Very well." Honoria's gaze rested on them all. "Now, what about the rest?"

"That," Devil admitted, "was as far as we'd got. We need to do something to protect the Ashfords, but what…?"

Honoria humphed. "Indeed."

"Quite ridiculous," Lady Osbaldestone opined. "This business of the sins of the brothers being visited on their sisters and all others in sight, no matter how undeserved. In this case, it's quite clear the felon"-she bent a vengeful glance on Edward-"was in no way insane or unstable. He was simply rotten to the core, and that's all there is to it. An unfortunate throwback to the less admirable side of the paternal line, but you"-she pointed at Luc-"will clearly relieve future Ashfords of the taint."

Luc blinked, looked nonplussed.

Lady Osbaldestone ignored him. She looked at Honoria. "Well, my dear? You're a duchess, Amanda here is an almost-countess, and I'm not entirely without influence myself. I suggest we get busy." She glanced at the clock, sent a sly glance Martin's way. "Unfortunate timing, but I daresay you and I alone can reach enough ears to ensure that the important dinner tables hear of the wonderful relief."

The men exchanged glances; it was Devil who asked, "Relief?"

"Good gracious, man! Of course relief! Just think how unhappy the situation would have been if the Ashford girls had received offers before this dreadful business had been resolved! A positive morass of potential uncertainty has been avoided! Now those girls can come out and gentlemen can marry them with confidence that there's no rotten apple left in the family's basket, that all has been settled and everything's as it should be." Her ladyship surged to her feet. "You just have to think of these things from the right angle."

Leaning on her cane, she looked at Patience. "You know Minerva Ashford well enough, I believe?"

Patience nodded. "I'll go there immediately and explain it all."

"She's a level-headed woman for all her once-wild ways. She'll see quick enough how we mean to go about it and know just how to have her girls behave." Lady Osbaldestone nodded. "Right, then! We'd best set to."

She stumped toward the door. Everyone else sprang into action.

Martin rang for Jules; Jules summoned Joseph who with Devil helped Lady Osbaldestone out to her carriage, left waiting in the mews.

A quick discussion decided that Luc and Jules would escort Edward to Dover and put him on the packet. Vane, parting from Patience, who left with Honoria to spread the social word, returned as Edward started a moaning, carping monologue; Vane leaned down and said something-Edward shut up.

Straightening, Vane regarded Edward through narrowed eyes. "I'll come with you. You might just need an extra-totally disinterested-hand."

With that settled, Jules and Luc hauled Edward, growing more vocal by the minute, to his feet. One look from Vane and he shut up again.

Joseph arrived somewhat belatedly with an icepack. Amelia grabbed it and raced after Luc.

"Here." She caught him at the door and hauled him back. Vane took his place and bundled Edward on. Amelia framed Luc's face with one hand; with the other, she molded the icepack to his injured jaw. He winced, but she held him still. "There! Now hold it in place until the ice melts. The others can manage Edward until then."

Luc took the icepack, held it in place. His eyes touched hers.

Amelia smiled, turned him to the door and pushed. He went, pausing in the corridor to glance back at her, nod his thanks, before following the others away.

Amelia sighed, then returned to the chaise as Amanda reappeared after seeing Honoria and Patience out. Amelia glanced at her, then slipped her arm under Reggie's and helped him to his feet. "Come on. I'll have them find a hackney and you can tell me all about your head on the way home."

"Like how much it hurts?" Reggie managed a weak smile for Amanda and Martin, then let Amelia lead him away.

"You haven't even told me how you got hurt. I haven't heard all the details."

Their voices faded as they headed down the corridor. Joseph looked in and raised a brow. Martin waved him away; Joseph closed the door after him.

Martin looked at Amanda, then opened his arms. She walked into them; he closed them about her and buried his face in her hair.

Later, when night had claimed the courtyard beyond the library windows, they lay on the daybed, skin to naked skin, the fire roaring in the hearth, the platters of delicacies Joseph had brought hours before on a low table before them.