Bloody, Bloody hell-hounds. He had to get Alice away from the scoundrel. “Betrothed himself to a Cit’s daughter to keep the banks happy but court a lady for her dowry and her bloodlines. He needs to be shot.”
“I agree, but not by you.” Mamma downed half of her glass. “If anyone is going to challenge him to a duel it must be someone from her family.”
Giff would rather just run him through. That was much neater than shooting the scoundrel. “You’re right, of course. But something must be done. I’ll speak to Worthington this evening.”
“That would be for the best.” She finished the whisky. “I shall accompany you to the ball.”
“I will be honored by your presence.” Giff stood. “Thank you for the information.”
His mother gave him a sly smile. “I admire Lady Alice a great deal and would be most pleased to call her daughter.”
He inclined his head and strolled slowly back to his parlor. He could write to Worthington, but even if he sent the letter by messenger, it might not be read until tomorrow. No. The best thing to do was to inform him what Normanby was up to and let Worthington take care of it. He would tell Alice, who would be hurt and furious. Yet, she would have her family and Giff for comfort. He would not be able to ask her to marry him as soon as he would like. But propose he would, and hopefully she’d have him. But what if the devil was going to ask her tonight? He’d have to find a way to keep her away from the cur. The only way to do that was to remain close to her all evening. Giff grinned to himself. That would be no hardship at all.
A few hours later, he and his mother entered the ballroom, and he immediately found Alice and her family. Fortunately, Normanby was not with them. Giff scanned the room until he saw the worm standing with a few of his friends across the large assembly room space from the Worthington family.
He made his way to Alice’s circle intending to speak with her guardian when she noticed him. “Good evening.”
“Good eve, my lady. That fan goes quite well with your gown.” That was the tone to keep. Light as if nothing was wrong. Giff tried to catch her brother-in-law’s eye, but he was speaking with someone else. Aside from what he had to tell Worthington, Giff wondered how the vote went today.
“Thank you.” Her smile was merely polite, but her eyes danced.
The music started, and a gentleman came over to claim her for the set. Giff positioned himself where he could watch Normanby. There was no way he was going to catch Alice alone.
* * *
Alice finished her set with St. Albans and glanced around for Lord Normanby. She was certain he was going to propose. She just wished he would do it soon. He met all the requirements on the list she and her sisters had written and even exceeded some of them. He was certainly the most attentive gentleman she had ever met, well almost. Alice glanced across the ballroom. Normanby was standing with two of his friends in front of a grouping of plants. Not that he could have avoided the trees and shrubs. There were a profusion of them. The theme was a tropical garden. They looked to be in close conversation, and she would like to know what they were discussing. Perhaps his friends were giving him advice on when to propose. It would not be at all difficult to slip behind the shrubbery and listen to what he was saying. Alice started weaving her way through groups of people and behind the plants. A few minutes later, she was directly behind the gentlemen. She felt, rather than saw, someone come up next to her. A tingling sensation and a light scent that reminded her of the woods reached her. St Albans. She put her finger to her lips, and he nodded.
“When are you going to ask her?” one of the gentlemen said.
“It has to be damn soon,” Normanby replied. “I need to get out of Greenway’s grip. Him and his daughter’s. I will not be wed to a female who is not a lady or one related to a Cit.”
“It’s a deemed shame your father mortgaged the estates and your mother gambled away the rest.”
“My mother’s a fool.” He spat the words. “Thankfully, I was able to make her understand that she was better off married to her cicisbeo. She and her gambling are his problem now. He took her to the Continent.”
“Leaving you with her debt,” the other gentleman commented drily.
“As soon as I wed Lady Alice, the debt and the mortgages will be settled. And I’ll be free of my betrothal to Miss Greenway.”
“You actually proposed to her?” The first man sounded shocked.
“I didn’t have a choice if I wanted to keep the creditors away. However, Greenway’s mistake in agreeing to the betrothal was that he thinks the rules for people like him are the same as for us, and that I won’t jilt her. She’s not a lady and doesn’t need to be treated like one.”
Alice’s jaw dropped. She shut it. How could he? He is planning to use my dowry to pay his debts! And he’s going to jilt some poor woman. The bounder. The blackguard. She wished she had stronger language to use. It was all she could do to remain quiet. St Albans must have felt her rage, for he gently touched her arm.
“It’s a shame you have to marry to afford to pay them,” the first man said.
“I have to wed at some point, it might as well be now,” Normanby said. “Once I get my bride with child, I can leave her in the country. It shouldn’t take long, her family breeds like rabbits.”
Alice’s jaw was starting to hurt from being clinched so hard. There was no way on earth she would have him now.
“Will her family let you do that?” The second gentleman sounded concerned, and he should be. Matt would never allow her to be treated shabbily. First of all, he would never allow her to wed a man who would not agree to her keeping her property with him as the trustee. What would Normanby do then? Jilt her?
“What can he do? She’ll be my wife. My property.” The superiority in Normanby’s voice caused her hands to form fists. “Aside from that, I have no intention of giving my beauteous Celeste her congé.”
A mistress? He was going to keep a mistress? Alice should not be surprised. After all, he was going to jilt another woman and marry her for her money. The cad was thoroughly rotten. To think she had thought he was kind. She was going to hit him hard enough that he fell down.
St. Albans touched her arm again, shook his head, and whispered, “Allow me. You do not want to bloody either your gown or gloves.”
Alice did not know how St. Albans knew what she planned to do, but he did have a point. She inclined her head, and he removed one of his gloves. The next thing she knew there was a crunching sound. St. Albans grabbed her hand, and they ran behind the plants to the terrace doors before they stopped. He then donned the glove, and she tucked her hand in the crook of his arm as they strolled onto the terrace.
As soon as they reached a part of the terrace that was not crowded, Alice covered her mouth with her hand as she started to laugh. It was a while before she could speak. “Thank you for defending me. What did you break?”
“You’re a bloodthirsty minx.” He grinned like a boy. “His nose. I was tempted to go for his jaw, but his nose was easier and faster.”
“I’m very glad he does not know it was you. He is exactly t the type of person to call you out.” Just the thought of St. Albans in a duel gave her chills and not the good kind.
“Hence the reason we didn’t stay around.” He pulled a face. “It was a rather sneaky thing to do. Not very honorable.”
“He did not deserve to be confronted with honor.” Anger surged into her again. “Not after what he was planning.” She had an idea. “I can put it around that I hit him and did not wish to cause a scene.”
St. Alban’s lips twitched.
“What?” He should know by now that she had many skills. “I know how to punch a man.”
“I am quite sure you do. The only question is if anyone saw the hand that perpetrated the deed, they would know it was not yours.”
She glanced at his hands and hers. How had she not realized how much larger they were? “Oh. I see your point. I suppose it will have to be our secret.”
