“Unhand that poor boy. You’re frightening the lad.”
“This is no lad.” Levi reached forward and removed the cap Caroline had set on her head. Her dark tresses tumbled about her shoulders—she’d pinned them up so carelessly that the slightest disturbance had set them loose. There was something shocking and intimate about seeing her with her hair undone out in public like this. It made him feel quite strongly as though heought to put the hat back on her head. He did so, but her hair remained loose about her shoulders. Her cheeks were stained crimson.
Gregory stared. “Is this…typical?” he asked. “Do you often don the attire of young servant men and sneak into gentlemen’s clubs, Your Grace?”
“It’s just Caroline,” she told him. “And no. Not often.”
“Not often, except that this is how you and I initially met,” Levi told her. “I begin to see a pattern in your behavior, Caroline.”
“Well, there’s no need to make a production of it,” Gregory said with a smile. “A bit odd, perhaps, but as she’s here, let the duchess join us at our table.”
“You would have me sit down to drinks with my wife in a gentlemen’s club, Gregory?” Levi glared at his friend.
“I would think you’d at least consider the notion,” Gregory said. “What would you do? Send her back out on her own?”
“Far better than keeping her here in a gentlemen’s club. She has no business in a place like this.”
“Oh, let her stay.”
“Absolutely not, Gregory, and I’ll thank you to keep your opinions out of my business,” Levi said. He still hadn’t let go of Caroline’s arm. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave you with the bill. I’ll make it up to you next time.”
“There’s no need to make anything up. You pay far more frequently than I do.” This was true. Levi knew his own pockets were deeper than his friend's, and he didn’t relish the idea of making Gregory pay for anything. Of course, Gregory often insisted upon paying, and on occasion Levi allowed it. He didn’t want to make his friend feel less of a man, either. Gregory deserved his dignity.
But today, thoughts of dignity between men went by the wayside. The important thing—indeed, theonlything that mattered—was to get Caroline out of this wretched place. He liked the gentlemen’s club, ordinarily, and did not view it as wretched, but the sight of his wife here brought home to him just what a hovel it really was. It was appalling to him, suddenly, that even he had come to this place.
“Your Grace,” Gregory said to Caroline, “it was a pleasure to see you—and to get to know this side of you. I must say, I had no idea Levi had married such a feisty young lady. I’ll look forward to seeing you again and to being regaled with tales of your past exploits.”
“Don’t encourage her,” Levi snapped. “In fact, Gregory, go and sit down and leave us be. I need to deal with my wife.”
“Don’t be too hard on her,” Gregory said. “She’s adventurous, and you could use a bit of that in your life, Levi. A bit of high-spiritedness…it will do you good.”
“That’s enough,” Levi said. “I didn’t ask for your opinion on how to manage my household, Gregory, and you’ve overstepped. I’ll speak to you later.”
Gregory, to his credit, seemed to realize that he had taken things as far as he could. He nodded a farewell to Caroline and turned away.
Caroline was wide-eyed, and Levi realized that Gregory had been right about one thing, if not about any others—hehadscared her. He felt a twinge of guilt, but it didn’t last. She should be frightened, dressing in this costume and coming into a place like this! What had she been thinking? She was fortunate that it was only he who had put his hands on her, fortunate that it wasn’t anyone who had meant her harm. Anything might have happened, and a healthy dose of fear was probably the best thing for her.
He led her out of the club and into the road, glad for the contrast of broad daylight at first. It felt safer here, and he was more at ease, suddenly—more confident that no harm would come and that they would make it home without trouble. “How did you get into town?” he asked her.
“I borrowed a horse.”
“You stole one of my horses?”
“Borrowed. Of course I was going to bring it back, Levi. And besides, aren’t they my horses too? Aren’t I Duchess of Mowbray?”
“Don’t split hairs with me,” he growled.
“Don’t accuse me of theft.”
He had to respect the way she stood toe-to-toe with him and didn’t back down. It never failed to amaze him how sure of herself she could be. It was nothing he had ever expected to find in a lady, and he often felt as if he was holding something very precious in his hands, something he might shatter without knowing quite how he had done it. He couldn’t help feeling angry with her for her behavior today, and he knew he needed to let her know. He needed to rein her in. But what if his words or his chastising dampened that spark within her that he had come to admire so much? What would he do if she became flat and predictable? Was that what he wanted in a wife?
Regardless, she couldn’t be allowed to behave like this. “Never mind the horse,” he said. “Do you realize what might have happened to you today?”
“I was dressed as a lad. I was fine.”
“I saw through your disguise. And not just because I know you well, Caroline, don’t fool yourself. I saw through it the very first time I laid eyes on you. If I could see you for who you truly are, someone else might see it too—someone of less integrity than I.You might not be as safe as you believe yourself to be, and you don’t want to find that out the hard way.”
“I’m fine,” she said, but she trembled slightly, and he wondered. How long, and how many times, had she been out like this? Had she ever come face to face with men whodidguess at who she really was? Had any of them ever tried anything?
