Page 81 of Last Night with the Duke
She looked worried. No, more than worried—panicked. But then she had good reason to panic. She’d been caught neglecting his sisters. “If you’d been here, you would know.”
She blinked rapidly. “I had to go to Josephine.”
“So I heard. You had to go to your sister while you are being paid to watch mine.”
He heard her suck in a deep breath. “That’s not fair.”
“Is it true?”
“Yes. I left Lady Sara to go after Josephine, but Sara was fine when I left her.”
At least she wasn’t denying her guilt.
“When I came in she was wrapped in Lambert’s arms with her dress off her shoulder. Thankfully I arrived before things went too far.”
Her eyes widened as she took a step toward him. “But how did that happen?”
“Do you really want to ask that, Esmeralda? We know how quickly things can go too far, don’t we?”
Her gaze dropped to the floor. “Yes, we do. Was she harmed?”
He knew his harsh words had stung her, but she’d left Sara vulnerable to something far worse.
“It doesn’t appear so, but obviously he was out to harm her. I guess you were wrong about Lambert’s intentions.”
“Yes, I must have been. I’m sorry. I should have been here.”
She looked up at him with those gorgeous golden-brown eyes, full of remorse, pain, and tears. Something moved inside him that he’d never felt before. He didn’t know what it was but he knew this woman was the last person on earth he wanted to hurt. He almost reached for her, but his anger was too raw.
Instead, he said, “Your one job was to watch after my sisters to keep this very thing from happening. You let them down and you let me down.”
She sucked in another deep breath, but it was so deep no sound came out. “I know,” she whispered.
“You felt Josephine needed you more than Lady Sara?”
Her chin lifted. “At that moment, yes.”
“Your services are no longer needed.”
A soft moan passed her lips. Once again, Griffin almost reached for her, but Sparks walked into the room.
“You’re Grace, I’m glad you’re home.”
“So am I, Sparks. Make arrangements to see to it that Miss Swift and her sister are taken back to their home this afternoon. You can have their things delivered to them tomorrow.”
Sparks looked at Esmeralda and seemed about to speak when Esmeralda said, “Thank you for doing that for us, Sparks.” Without looking at Griffin she turned and walked out of the room.
“Your Grace, I—”
“Damnation, Sparks, just do what I said!”
Griffin swore again the second Sparks left the room. Already he wanted to go after Esmeralda and tell her he didn’t want her to go. But he couldn’t. She was wrong to leave Sara and Lambert alone together in the house no matter the reason. He walked over to the side table and poured himself a generous portion of brandy. The first drink burned all the way down.
Griffin heard a door close. He looked toward the entranceway. Was Esmeralda leaving already? He felt his stomach wrench. Still, he took another drink.
A few moments later Vera walked into the drawing room. “Thank goodness you’re home.”
She looked almost as wary as Esmeralda had.
