“I suggest, Lord Dolan, you calm down,” Jack warned.
“Don’t you tell me to calm down. Your lowly brother has dared to attack my character.”
Sam wanted to pummel him but stopped himself. “I have no reason to attack your character.”
Dolan scowled at him. “You are jealous of me, Kincaide. First you take Abigail from me and then you dare to marry my betrothed, a lady far above your station. You are nothing but a lowly schemer. Everyone knows that.”
There were the thoughts that rattled around in his brain spoken out loud. He should have been furious, but he felt disgust for the lord standing before him. He may never be a lord and spent his childhood living in squalor, but he would never care what someone like Dolan thought of him. It wasn’t that Sam finally realized that he was better than a lord but that his character regardless of where he came from would never be as dark as Dolan’s.
“Where is Abigail?” he asked, calmly.
Dolan's eyes widened in surprise at Sam’s direct question. He recovered and smirked at him. “Why would I care where she is?”
“She is the only one that you and the Claremores didn't bully into signing something at the end of your relationship with her.”
Dolan chuckled. “No one would ever believe any lies from her. She is nothing, just like you.”
Sam moved towards him. Jack placed his hand on Sam’s shoulder. Sam jerked away and leaned in so only Dolan could hear him. “Everyone is looking for her and if anything happens to her, I will destroy you.”
Dolan stared coldly back at him, the fury barely concealed in his eyes. “It is such a pity that Lady Clara didn’t make the right choice. Such an exquisite being to fall so far.”
One of Devons’ men stepped next to Dolan and quietly said, “My lord, I must ask you to leave. Devons said your patronage is not welcome here.”
Dolan glared at him then spun around, storming out the tavern door. Sam pounded his fist on the table. Jack sat back down and said, “You need to calm down. Is Clara protected?”
Sam nodded, “She has a guard with her.”
“I think you need to make sure she understands how much of a threat he is.”
Sam scowled and bit out, “Of course, she knows. He chased her down in a damn garden while a ball was taking place a few yards away.”
Jack nodded. Sam did his best to control the fury he felt over the fact he had no power to stop Dolan all because he was a lord.
Chapter 30
Clara entered her home with Henry, hoping Sam was there. She was startled to hear voices coming from the drawing room. Henry looked at her confused, and she smiled reassuringly at him.
Henson appeared and said, “Mrs. Kincaide, Mr. Kincaide’s family is visiting.”
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, and she said, “All of them.”
He nodded, and she held her hand out to Henry. “Well let’s go greet them.”
Henry nodded with excitement. Clara’s stomach churned, unsure how Sam would greet her. She was happy he was home and had so much to tell him, but it would have to wait until they were alone.
Henson opened the door, and the room instantly grew silent. All the Kincaides stared at her. She felt nervous, even though they had become close over the past few months. Sam's eyes found hers and his mouth tilted up in a soft smile. Her stomach fluttered. He hadn’t looked at her that way in far too long. She missed it. She wanted to rush to him and tell him they needed to talk now. They’d both been so foolish but instead she said, “Hello.”
Sophia jumped up and embraced her. “Clara, we have been waiting for you. Sam has some news he must share with us but refused to do so until your return.”
She lifted her eyes to him, and he nodded, “I am glad you are home, and I see Henry is here for a visit.”
Henry rocked back and forth on his feet excited. “For a while Clara said.”
Sam looked at her questioningly and Henry’s face fell. It broke her heart that Henry worried so much about being wanted. Sam also noticed and said, “Well how lucky are we. We will have to make a long list of things to do back at my country estate. Do you like to fish? We have a pond.”
Henry nodded excitedly. Sam smiled at him with his usual charm and quickly became his hero.
“For now, though, how about I have Henson take you to the kitchen for a tart. What do you think?”
