My Fair Lily by Meara Platt Page A

to do it.
    Fortunately, the man’s companion got to him before Ewan did. She leaned over the villain and promptly burst into tears. Loud, wailing, seemingly genuine tears. Lily knew that Ewan wouldn’t shove a lady out of the way, even if she wasn’t a very nice one. “It’s done. I’m fine.” Lily placed a trembling hand on his taut arm. “Let’s go. Please.”
    She had to tug on his arm to gain his attention.
    Ewan finally turned to her.
    She tossed him a weak smile.
    He glowered at her, not in anger, but in that man-protecting-his-woman sort of way, that strong, aggressive way a lion might look after chasing away male interlopers who’d wandered too close to the females of his pride. Not that she was one of Ewan’s lion pride. “I’m fine,” she repeated, her heart leaping into a happy dance at the hot, hungry glances he was giving her.
    “Lass—” He stopped, his voice raw and rugged, for he could surely tell by the pain reflected in her eyes that she wasn’t fine at all. Her shoulder was throbbing, and the spot where the cane had struck now felt as though it were on fire.
    Ewan clenched his hands into fists, obviously deciding that the villain hadn’t learned enough of a lesson and really needed to be tossed through the shop window. At that same moment, two burly men marched in. Madame de Bressard quickly identified them as Bow Street runners hired by the local shopkeepers to watch for criminal activity on the street. They were older men, their dark hair mingled with gray, and their dark eyes sharp and assessing. “We’ll take care of this unruly pair, sir. Sorry they frightened your pretty wife. Are you hurt, m’lady?”
    “I’m not—” Lily was trying to tell them that she wasn’t Ewan’s wife, but they mistook her protestations.
    “Now, don’t ye deny it,” one of the men said, holding up a large, callused hand. “Just glad yer husband got here in time to prevent something worse. Now ye just forget this bit of nastiness and let him take care of ye.”
    She sighed. “Of course.” And burrowed against Ewan so that he had no choice but to put his arm around her. Oh, he felt good. Warm and solid and good. But that wasn’t her true purpose in burying her body against his... crumpets , she had to concentrate on anything but that animal heat radiating off his body. Right, concentrate on her true purpose, which was to keep him from doing permanent bodily harm to this villainous stranger.
    At first, she didn’t think her plan was working, for Ewan’s body grew tenser the closer she burrowed against him. However, when he finally spoke, he managed to speak calmly. First he thanked the Bow Street runners, and then he turned to the young couple. “Stop crying, Evangeline. I won’t kill your brother. Not this time.”
    Evangeline? He knew this beautiful young woman? Not that she cared. Not that it was her business. But Evangeline’s brother had attacked her. Well, that made it her business.
    Ewan turned to stare at the young man who was shakily rising to his feet. “Desmond, you bloody bastard. Set a hand on Lily again, and I’ll kill you. Come near Meggie, and I’ll kill you.”
    Evangeline glowered at him. “Who are you to speak that way to my brother? You’re not good enough to polish his boots. Do you think you can come here and turn Grandfather away from us? You disgusting heathen. We all know you’re only after his wealth and title. You’re nothing but a filthy, Highlands pig. Grandfather couldn’t stand the sight of your mother and he can’t stand the sight of you, so go back to your Scottish hovel before you humiliate yourself. You have no place here among your betters.”
    Lily’s fingers dug into Ewan’s hand with enough force to leave the imprint of her nails on his flesh. She was bracing herself to hold him back, for Evangeline was goading him. Especially the remark about his mother. She’d felt Ewan’s heart leap into his throat at that cruel snipe, but he’d