In Bed with a Rogue (16 page)

She turned her hand palm up and twined her fingers with his. “I know.”

Did she really? He supposed he would have to have faith in her too if there was any hope for them. “We shouldn’t have left Eve alone this long. There is no telling what kind of mischief she has gotten into,” he said.

He grinned, knowing his younger sister wasn’t inclined to get into trouble. She was uncommonly astute for a girl of one and twenty. And he had taught her to stay in the ballroom under the watchful eyes of the matrons while not allowing any particular gentleman to monopolize her time unless she would welcome a match with him.

When he and Helena entered the ballroom arm in arm, he didn’t immediately see his sister, but she wouldn’t have gotten far. As he and Helena completed a turn around the room, his confidence began to falter.

“There is Sir Jonathan. Perhaps he knows where she is,” Helena said.

The man was in conversation with the Duke and Duchess of Foxhaven and the Earl and Countess of Ellis.

Splendid.
Just what he needed, another encounter with his former fiancée and her husband. Well, there was no help for it. If Eve was missing from the ballroom—as it appeared she might be—Sir Jonathan could know where she had gone.

Gabrielle’s brother, the duke, greeted Sebastian with a friendly smile, which was the decent thing to do since Sebastian hadn’t sued for a breach of contract. To be fair, the duke hadn’t killed him for compromising his sister either, so Sebastian considered them to be on good terms.

Ellis took Helena’s hand and placed a respectful kiss on her knuckles. “Good evening, Lady Prestwick. Lord Thorne.”

He ignored Ellis’s greeting on principle and turned to Sir Jonathan. “Have you seen my sister, sir?”

“Uh…” Sir Jonathan glanced around the ballroom, his weathered forehead wrinkled in confusion. “She was dancing a moment ago. Some gent recently returned from Delhi asked for her dance card. A former acquaintance, I believe.”

“An acquaintance?” Eve’s social circle was small, so whoever had danced with her was likely one of Sebastian’s associates. But he couldn’t think of anyone who had been abroad recently.

Sir Jonathan nodded. “The gentleman intimated it had been a long time. I believe his name is Hillary?”

Sebastian’s gut seized. There were several Hillary men—all brothers—but only one could claim to know Eve.

Ellis met his eye; a knowing glance passed between them. The earl clapped Sir Jonathan on the shoulder. “Sir, have you spoken with Lord Hollister about your expedition to Egypt? He is quite fond of hounds. I’m certain he will be enthralled with the history of Anubis.”

The gentleman brightened. “I haven’t had the honor.”

Ellis pointed to Lord Hollister and nudged Sir Jonathan in the man’s direction.

Sebastian nodded his thanks. His old friend had deftly handled Sir Jonathan. The fewer people who knew Eve might be with Benjamin Hillary, the better.

Ellis fell in step with him as he stalked for the terrace. “They couldn’t have gone far,” he muttered. “We will find them.”

A low growl rumbled in Sebastian’s chest. “When did that coward return?”

“Two days ago. He was listed on the ship’s manifest in the newssheet.”

Damn!
Sebastian would have to begin reading the paper again. “I’m going to kill him.”

Benjamin Hillary, the man who had abandoned Eve at the altar, was worse than dead. Sebastian was going to rip him limb from limb.

“Anthony, wait.” Gabrielle hurried after them with Helena close behind.

Sebastian halted midstride and turned to the women. “You will only draw attention if you follow us,” he whispered fiercely.

Gabrielle raised a haughty brow. “As if two grown men dashing off like hounds after a fox is inconspicuous.”

Sebastian’s sarcastic retort died away when Helena threaded her arm with his. “She has a point, my lord, but escorting ladies to the terrace shouldn’t raise any alarms.”

Her touch calmed the storm brewing inside him. He didn’t wait to see if Ellis took his wife in hand. Instead, he forced himself to smile pleasantly at the lady on his arm and pretended he wasn’t going mad with worry.

Once they cleared the ballroom and found the terrace abandoned, Helena dropped his arm and gave him a gentle shove. “Check the garden.”

Surely Eve wasn’t that dim-witted. Hillary had already proven he had no honor. She couldn’t expect him to do the right thing if they were discovered together.

Sebastian raced down the steps into the dark garden. A sliver moon peeked between heavy clouds, shedding little light on the garden path.

Ellis caught up to him at a fork in the path. “I’ll search the west side and you take the east.”

Sebastian nodded sharply. He veered to the east, going deeper into the garden. Fireflies were random beacons in the darkness. He could see nothing but the outlines of bushes. The spiced scent of myrtle was thick on the humid air. A rustle sounded to his left. He froze.

“Go away, Ben. I mean it.” Eve’s exasperated command from the bushes set Sebastian’s blood on fire. With red shrouding his vision and muscles tensed for a fight, he stormed toward the large shrub.

“I’m not leaving until you come back inside, Evie.”

“Just leave me be.”

A stick snapped under Sebastian’s boot.

“What was that?” Eve whispered harshly.

Hillary shushed her. What the hell was the bastard thinking, taking her into the gardens?

Sebastian barreled around the bush, sighted a taller shadow, and slammed the man to the ground. The impact shuddered through him, but he felt no pain. He scrambled to get his feet under him before Hillary could recover from surprise, grabbed the man’s cravat, and drove his fist into his face. Eve’s scream was like a mosquito buzzing in Sebastian’s ears.

He had two years of pent-up fury for the man who had broken his sister’s heart and ruined her. Hillary fought back and got a solid connection with Sebastian’s cheekbone, but the hit only fueled his rage.

“Sebastian, stop!”

He landed another facer and slammed his opponent in the ribs before someone grabbed him and jerked him off Hillary. He struggled to break free of the arms trapping his.

“Not here, Thorne,” Ellis growled in his ear. “Ladies are present. Your
sister
.”

Eve
. Sebastian stopped fighting. His chest jerked with each breath. Hillary attempted to push up from the ground.

“Stay down,” Ellis said. “Or so help me, I will let him tear into you again.”

Hillary plopped back down.

“Release me.” Sebastian broke Ellis’s hold and stalked a few paces away, trying to gain control of his temper. He shoved a shaky hand through his hair.

A lithe body rounded the shrub and collided with him. It was Helena. Her scent eased his anger, and he pulled her close.

She reached a hand toward his cheek. “Are you hurt?”

He angled away from her, but she touched him anyway. Her fingers were gentle and she took care to avoid his cut. His remaining anger drained from him.

“You are going to soil your gloves,” he murmured.

“I have plenty more.”

Once she had determined he would survive, she joined Eve on the grass where his sister sat hugging her knees. Helena wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Eve was uncommonly composed, considering what she had witnessed. He heard no evidence of tears and she hadn’t swooned.

“Did he hurt you?” he asked.

She waved away his concern. “No, I can only imagine what you must have thought, but this isn’t how it seems. Benjamin—”

“Not now,” Helena said with a quick hug. “You can explain later.”

“He was only trying to coax me to come back inside. I should not have left the ballroom alone. I wasn’t thinking.”

She had been trying to escape from Hillary, no doubt.

Gabrielle tentatively peeked around the bush, then hurried to Ellis’s side when he held out his arm.

Sebastian dusted off his breeches and straightened his jacket. Hillary was still seated on the grass, seemingly following Sebastian’s movements.

“Choose your second wisely,” Sebastian said.

Hillary nodded sharply.

“No!” Eve struggled to her feet. “There has been a mistake. Nothing improper occurred. Please, Bastian.” She clung to his arm, her face turned upward.

“This man left you at the altar and ruined your reputation. He will answer for his deeds.”

“But you are talking about
killing
.” Her voice broke and the sobs came at last.

Faith
. Her tears always had a way of ripping into him.

Helena came to offer his sister comfort. Eve turned into her shoulder, her cries muffled. “Dueling is illegal, my lord,” Helena said. “Isn’t there another way to settle this?”

“Thorne is within his rights to defend his sister, Lady Prestwick,” Ellis said. “Mr. Hillary wronged Miss Thorne when he jilted her. The only way to restore her reputation is to beat him on the field.”

Sebastian felt a smile of gratitude on his lips for Ellis even if he was loath to acknowledge it. Before their dispute over Gabrielle, he and Ellis had been decent friends. Many times the earl had taken Sebastian’s side in disagreements and helped even the odds when more than one man tried to get in licks in a fight with Sebastian. He had forgotten that fact for a time.

“You will need a second, too,” Ellis said. “If you will allow me…”

Gabrielle huffed. “What in God’s name is wrong with you men? Why must you always resort to violence and bleeding? It’s a most unattractive trait.”

Ellis held his hands up as if surrendering. “Now, now. Don’t get in a dither. I have a suggestion that might appease everyone.”

Sebastian frowned. He didn’t much care for Ellis’s suggestions. They usually made one or both of them look foolish, like the time he wagered he could knock an apple from Sebastian’s head with a rock in less throws than it took Sebastian to hit Ellis’s apple. Sebastian had better aim than his friend, and Sebastian had sported a bloodied nose to prove it.

Ellis inclined his head toward him. “Allow Miss Thorne to choose the weapons.”

Sebastian and Gabrielle cried out in protest. That was the most asinine suggestion he’d ever heard. How was Eve to feel any better about choosing the weapon that would lead to her former betrothed’s death?

Eve’s tears began to dry and she sniffled. “Anything I want?”

“If Mr. Hillary agrees,” Ellis said. “He has been challenged, so he has final say in the matter.”

Sebastian’s frown deepened. He had mistakenly thought Ellis was taking his side.

Benjamin Hillary slowly stood. “I place my life in your hands, Miss Thorne.”

She sniffled again and swung her head toward Helena as if seeking guidance.

“Anything you like, Eve. I know you will choose wisely.”

Eve turned back to Sebastian. “Do you agree to the terms? You can have your duel, but I will choose the weapons and terms?”

“No one said anything about the terms.”

She crossed her arms. “Well, who decides the terms?”

Ellis raised his hand. “It is my responsibility to negotiate it with Mr. Hillary’s second, but I promise to take your wishes into consideration.”

“Judas,” Sebastian grumbled, but no one paid him any attention.

“Very well.” Eve sniffled once more then lifted her chin as if daring Sebastian and Hillary to argue with her. “I choose gloves.”

“Gloves?” Sebastian and his opponent said at the same time.

Helena and Gabrielle laughed. They probably thought his sister was clever, but he could easily wrap his gloved fingers around Hillary’s neck.

“What type of gloves, Miss Thorne?” Ellis asked.

“Well, I don’t suppose ladies’ evening gloves would have the desired effect. I assume the goal is to hurt one another.” She drummed her fingers over her lips as she considered the question. “Perhaps leather riding gloves? Gentlemen’s, of course.”

Ellis had the gall to chuckle too. “Gentlemen’s leather riding gloves. Excellent choice.”

“But they cannot wear them. Knowing Bastian, he is already searching his mind for a loophole.”

Sebastian scowled, irritated that his sister knew him so well. “And how are we supposed to duel with gloves?”

Eve tugged off her glove, held it aloft, and whacked it against his cheek. “Like
that
.”

“A slapping duel?” Even Hillary sounded appropriately appalled.

“Yes, but remember, no hands inside the gloves.”

“I’ve never heard of anything more ridiculous,” Sebastian said.

Her hands landed on her hips. “Trying to kill each other over nothing is twice as ridiculous.”

“It’s not over nothing,” he ground out. “He ruined—”

“I am
not
finished speaking.” She shook her finger at him as if he were the younger sibling. “What would happen to Mama if you weren’t alive to take care of her? Surely you don’t expect Sir Jonathan to take on responsibility for both of us.”

“But—” Sebastian’s argument died away as her meaning became clear.

Her laugh was breathy. “Sir Jonathan indicated he wishes to speak with you soon. He knows about my broken betrothal, and he doesn’t care.”

Hillary’s groan reminded Sebastian of a wounded animal. The blackguard didn’t know the meaning of pain, but he would once Sebastian was finished with him.

He glared at the man. “You heard my sister. Have your second meet with Ellis to settle the terms. And, uh…” Heat flooded his face and he was thankful for the dark. “Gloves it is.”

When Ellis laughed, Sebastian wanted to slap him too.

Fifteen

The sun was just peering over the eastern horizon when Sebastian arrived at the edge of the field to face Benjamin Hillary. In the light of day, Eve’s demands weren’t any less absurd, but he had given his word.

Sisters.
The chit had him wrapped around her finger. He almost felt sorry for Sir Jonathan Hackberry, except he knew the man would be receiving a prize when he married Eve.

A crowd had gathered to witness the spectacle, their jovial manner grating on him.

“What are they doing here?” he grumbled to Ellis.