Page 82 of Last Night with the Duke
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, Griffin, it was Lord Henry,” she cried and flung herself against his chest. The brandy sloshed over the glass.
“What are you talking about?” He put down the glass and wrapped his arms around her. Good lord, he’d never had a day where three women were crying in front of him. “What happened?”
“It was Lord Henry all along.” She sniffed. “He’s the one who was up to mischief.”
The Earl of Berkwoods’ son?
Griffin took her by the arms and forced her to look at him. “Tell me what happened.”
Vera sniffed and suddenly looked defiant. “After we left Hyde Park where Lord Henry was a perfect gentleman, he took me to a secret alleyway.”
“He didn’t!”
Her tears dry, she nodded. “That wretched man said he knew I loved him and that with the looks I’d been sending him I’d been begging for his kisses since the moment we met. He said he aimed to kiss me, so I slapped him first on one cheek and then the other. That made him angry with me. He said someone needed to make good on the gossip about ruining our reputations, and since the cowards who’d said they’d do it hadn’t, he might as well do it himself.”
“I’ll kill him,” Griffin muttered under his breath.
“I think I may have already done that.”
His hands tightened on her arms. “What do you mean?”
“I didn’t like what he said so I started hitting him on the head and shoulders with my parasol and he started bleeding. Blood ran down his face and onto his collar. It was horrible.”
“Never mind about him. What I want to know is did he hurt you?”
“Only my pride,” she admitted with another sniff. “He wanted to bring me home but I told him I’d rather have my reputation ruined by walking home alone than ever being seen with him again. He’s a bore and an oaf.”
“And if you didn’t kill him, I still may.”
Her lips twitched with a little smile. “I don’t want you to do that, Griffin. I’m not hurt. Just tired from walking. You are such a good brother, Griffin.”
He wasn’t feeling much like one. “Go upstairs and ask your sister if she feels I’m a good brother.”
“I don’t want her to know what Lord Henry did.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want her to know she was right about him. She didn’t like him after she met him, and she told me I should set my hat for someone else. I don’t want her to know she was right and I was wrong.”
“Just go talk to your sister. I think she would like that and it will make you feel better, too.”
“You won’t actually kill Lord Henry will you, Griffin?”
He smiled and patted her cheek affectionately. “No, but I’ll do my best to make him wish I had.”
Chapter 26
Don’t be afraid to admit when you are wrong.
MISSMAMIEFORTESCUE’SDO’SANDDON’TSFORCHAPERONES, GOVERNESSES, TUTORS,ANDNURSES
Griffin sat at the table with the newsprint in front of his face. The draperies were pulled wide from the window, but the day was so gray it did little to brighten the room or lift his temperament. For the third time he tried to focus on the article about why there was a delay in getting gas lights on more of London’s streets, and for the third time his thoughts turned to yesterday. And Esmeralda.
His gaze strayed over to the letter that had been delivered that morning from Lambert. With an overabundance of words, the man had apologized for his ungentlemanly treatment of Lady Sara and then professed his love for her and hopes that he could offer for her hand in marriage.
Frustrated, Griffin wadded the newsprint he held and threw it across the floor. He didn’t know if Lambert was serious about his marital intentions toward Sara or if he was just trying to keep Griffin from enacting some form of revenge on him for ravishing her.
