When Strangers Marry (Vallerands #1)(87)

“Are you all right?”

She nodded briefly. “Where is Max?”

“Someone went to find him—” Philippe broke off as the chattering crowd fell silent. The congregation parted to make way for Max as he pushed his way through their midst. There was no sound. Even Justin was still.

Max stopped, his gaze darting from Lysette’s flushed face to Justin’s. Turning, he saw Etienne Sagesse, propped up in the midst of relatives, and Lysette went cold as she saw the bloodlust in her husband’s eyes.

“Max, no,” she said sharply.

He didn’t seem to hear her as he stared at Sagesse. “By God, I’ll kill you,” he said in a murderous voice that curdled everyone’s blood, including Lysette’s. Before anyone could react, he had reached Etienne in two strides.

Lysette put her hands over her mouth to suppress a scream as she saw her husband turn into a stranger. Tearing through the Sagesses, Max leapt on the drunken man and smashed his head against the floor. It took the combined efforts of Bernard, Alexandre, Justin, and Philippe to pull him off.

Severin Dubois broke through the tumult, while Max strained against the arms that held him back. Dubois spoke in a calm, authoritative voice that reached through Max’s blind fury. “There is no excuse for the insult to your wife, Vallerand. Etienne was entirely at fault. On behalf of the Sagesse family, I offer the humblest apologies. All I can do is swear that it will not happen again.”

“No, it won’t,” Max sneered. “Because this time I won’t make the mistake of letting him live. Get him a sword. I’ll finish it now.”

“You cannot duel with him,” Dubois countered. “He is not in a fit condition. It would be murder.”

“Then tomorrow morning.”

“It would be murder,” Dubois repeated, shaking his head.

Suddenly Etienne’s slurred voice interrupted. His relatives had helped him up from the floor. His nose was bleeding, but he made no effort to blot it. “But Max has a taste for murder.”

Max’s arms struggled against his brothers’ restraining hands. “Let me go,” he growled, but Bernard and Alex only tightened their hold on him.

“Etienne,” Dubois said sharply, “be quiet.”

Sagesse staggered forward with a half grimace that resembled a smile. “For years you’ve lied to yourself about what happened to Corinne,” he said to Max. “Why can’t you stand the truth? The pieces are all there. And yet you’ve never put them together. You could find the answers under your own roof, but you don’t want to.” He cackled as he saw the sudden blankness on Max’s face. “What a fool you are—”

“Etienne, enough!” Dubois snapped, taking hold of Sagesse’s collar and dragging him away.

Max stared after them as if in a dream. Abruptly he shook off his brothers’ hands and glanced around wildly for Lysette. She stood alone near the gallery railing, her hair falling from its pins in wild curls. He reached her at once and seized her narrow shoulders in his hands.

Lysette could not control her trembling. “I believe he knows who killed Corinne, Max.”

Max gripped her head in his hands and spread rough kisses of reassurance and ownership across her face. “Did he hurt you?” he asked hoarsely.

“No, not at all.”

His large hand roamed over her shoulders, back, and hips. Lysette knew that people were staring, but she relaxed against him, not caring what anyone thought. His body was rigid, his heart thundering with alarm and aggression.

“This won’t happen again,” came his scratchy whisper. “I’ll kill him if I have to.”

She jerked her head back, startled. “Don’t say that. Everything is all right, Max.”

His eyes were black and fathomless, his face pale beneath its swarthy tan. “It’s not,” he replied softly. “But it will be.”

Her lips parted to reply, but he eased her away from his body and pushed her toward Alexandre. “Take her home.”

“What are you going to do?” Lysette asked.

He refused to explain. “I’ll be home soon.”

“Come with me now,” she begged.

Exchanging a glance with Alex, he turned and left.

“Max!” she cried, following him.

Alexandre caught her arm. “Don’t worry, Lysette. Max is only going to talk with Severin and one or two of the Sagesses. I am certain that Jacques Clement will be there to help mediate.” His attention turned to Bernard, who was standing nearby. “Are you going with him?”

Bernard shook his head. “I’d be of little use,” he said, and added venomously, “especially since I wish we had let Max kill the insolent bastard.”

Justin’s voice cut through the silence. “If Father doesn’t, I will.”

They glanced at the boy, who had been forgotten in the disruption. Alex frowned, while Bernard laughed scornfully. “Little braggart,” Bernard said.

Lysette went to the boy immediately, taking his hand and pressing it between her own. “Justin, don’t say such things.”

“I watched Sagesse all evening,” he said roughly. “While he was watching you. When you disappeared, he went to look for you. That was when I followed him, and—”

“Thank you,” she interrupted gently. “Thank you for rescuing me. Now it is all over, and we can—”