An oath was all he uttered.

Then he swung round and caught Garnache's sword from the chair beside him, where it still rested, and Garnache in that moment cursed the oversight.

Whipping the long, keen blade from its sheath, Marius bore down upon the rash meddler.
"Par Dieu!" he swore between his teeth.

"We'll see the colour of your dirty blood, you that lay hands upon a gentleman." But before he could send home the weapon, before Garnache could move to defend himself, Valerie had slipped between them.

Marius looked into her white, determined face, and was smitten with surprise.