Saturday Snippet
This week’s them is “Everyone wants to rule the world (villains)” One of the nastiest villains I ever wrote about was the Earl of Wilshire in my regency romance, No Recourse. I thought I’d share an excerpt from that story today.
Snippet
“Good evening, my dear,” he said deeply.
Hayley jumped slightly. “Lord Wilshire.”
“Forgive me, I certainly did not wish to alarm you. You looked so lonely out here on your own. I wondered if there was something wrong.” His voice was cool and menacing and she glanced over his shoulder toward the balcony doors in hopes of seeing Jack. It had been foolish to separate herself from the crowd. She didn’t like being alone with the earl. His cold eyes drifted down over her body, lingering at her breasts as if assessing her worth. Her skin crawled in his presence and she shivered slightly. “Cold, my dear?”
“Yes, a little. I think I’ll return to the ballroom. Dancing will certainly warm me up again. By the way, I saw the guest list and you weren’t on it. I assume you can find your own way out?” She started to pass him, but he grabbed her upper arm tightly holding her close to his side. “Let go of me.”
“Not yet,” he whispered. “I have plans for you. Very important plans.”
Alarmed, she struggled in earnest to release her arm from his punishing grip. She opened her mouth to scream, but closed it quickly as Wilshire pressed a knife to her ribs.
“I would not scream if I were you,” he threatened. Turning her toward the balcony stairs, he dragged her down to the back gardens. Several couples were strolling, but they were too far away to see her distress.
“You and I are going to take a little drive,” Wilshire said in a hushed voice. “We have plans to make–plans for our future.”
“You and I have no future,” Hayley hissed. “You are a lecherous, disgusting old man and I won’t go anywhere with you.”
“Ah, but my dear, I need an heir.” Wilshire waved the knife in front of her face. “And as I hold you personally responsible for the disappearance of my betrothed, you will be the woman to provide one for me.”
“How can I provide you an heir when I won’t let you to put your filthy hands on me or say anything even remotely sounding like a wedding vow to you?” Hayley hoped she’d put enough strength into her words. She didn’t want the earl to suspect the paralyzing fear coursing through her veins. He was obviously walking a thin line between sanity and insanity.
“I intend to correct my previous mistakes. You and I will couple first. Once you have proven you can bear my child, we will marry to save you the inconvenience of bearing a bastard. I will not be trapped with another barren wife.” His voice was laced with bitter malice and she realized the true danger she was in.
“Ah, but your wife wasn’t barren. She conceived a child. Perhaps the problem lies with you,” Hayley replied. She dug her feet into the ground, hoping the earl was too weak to drag her to the carriage. However, her arm soon throbbed with pain as he tightened his grip, propelling her farther away from the ballroom with ease.
She fought down the panic threatening to take over. Don’t show fear, she thought, it’s what he wants. Visions of her drunken father floated in front of her eyes as she remembered him grabbing her, slapping her, pushing her down on the bed.
Wilshire dragged her deeper into the garden, down a secluded path, while Hayley kicked and struggled the whole way. It was a moonless night and the path was becoming increasingly difficult to see. She stumbled over a root but Wilshire’s incredibly strong hands caught and steadied her and brought home the direness of the situation. She needed to fight him before he took her away. She swung her arm around, catching Wilshire on the side of the head. Unfortunately, it was a glancing blow that only served to infuriate him more.
“You little bitch!” He tightened his hold painfully. “You will pay for that, but not now. Now you’ll go to sleep.” He raised the hilt-end of the knife, bringing it down on her head before she could evade the blow. She fell to the ground and the world went dark.
No Recourse is available at , Amazon, Fictionwise, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance Ebooks.
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