Adela frowned. “Drat, can they not say for certain?”
Gory shook her head. “No, but does it not make sense? Where else was he going to hide the book between the time he stole it from the Huntsford library and arrived at the tavern? The book was likely hidden in the tavern all along. Perhaps buried up in the rafters or under a floorboard. I tried to tell Captain Thorne that we ought to go back in there and search for your notes since those might also be hidden there.”
“I was not about to risk your lives to retrieve them,” he said with a growl.
“The Fellows in the Royal Society are scoundrels, not killers. They would not have done us serious harm,” Gory insisted. “At least, I hope not.”
The Duke of Lotheil’s expression was now thunderous, as well. “Give me the names of those who accosted you. I shall see them tossed out. It is one thing to forbid women into our membership, but quite another to attack a woman!”
Eloise rose. “No, you shall not take this any further. Adela and her friends were as much at fault. Did Huntsford not tell you to come straight back here? And yet, you ignored his warning. A warning issued out of concern for your safety. How do you think he will respond when he hears what you have done?”
“Call off the wedding,” Adela said in a tight whisper. “I’ve certainly given him ample reason. But how can I not do all in my power to get that book back to him? It is all my fault it was stolen. No matter what happens, he deserves to have Jovian’s masterpiece returned.”
“My brother is not going to call off the wedding,” Octavian said with a note of amusement mingled with his anger. “Nor does he care about the return of that book if it places your life and that of your friends at risk. I’m sure he will be along once he has attended to Dr. Nordberg, and then all will be resolved.”
Adela fought back her tears because she knew exactly how this incident would resolve…Ambrose free again to find himself a proper wife and glad to be rid of her.
Octavian ignored all three of them as he addressed Eloise and Lotheil. “I cannot wait around here for Ambrose to arrive. I’ll escort both of these young ladies to Dr. Farthingale’s infirmary and then I will deliver them home. Lady Dayne, where do they live? I do not trust them to tell me the truth.”
Sydney gasped. “We would not lie to you!”
He arched an eyebrow. “Beyond the lies you have already told?”
“Oh…that…” Adela’s friend clamped her lips shut and nursed her hand, making not the least fuss when Octavian took her gently by the elbow and did the same with Gory.
But they had not taken a step out of Eloise’s parlor before Watling hurried back in and announced, “The Duke of Huntsford and his brother, Lord Julius Thorne.”
Ambrose took one look at Octavian’s black eye and Sydney’s swollen hand, and his expression darkened. To make matters worse, Gory now had a bruise forming on her jaw.
Adela stepped forward. “Um…I can explain.”
He cast her a murderous look. “Do not bother. Where is Marigold? Is she all right?”
“Yes, we would never let her come to harm,” Adela assured, realizing how lame she sounded while her friends stood beside her nursing their injuries. “She’s safely back with John and Sophie.”
“Blessed saints,” Ambrose muttered, staring at her.
These Thorne men had the most expressive silver eyes…that is, when they chose to reveal their feelings and not hide them behind a wall of steel. Ambrose’s were not so much silver now as stormy gray.
Quite dark and ominous.
She had never seen a man so furious, other than Octavian.
The two of them were frightening, even though she knew these men would never raise a hand to her or her friends.
Still, she shook inside.
These Thorne men had lost all respect for her, Syd, and Gory.
All Adela could do was brace herself for the tempest about to unleash.
But Ambrose merely stood there, seething.
Adela did not mind that he looked as though he wanted to throttle her. She could endure his anger. It was the hurt…the look of utter betrayal in his eyes that shattered her.
Yes, betrayal and disappointment.
She had lost his trust.
