The butler gave Colbert a small bow then hastened down the hall.
Mr. Frank Colbert turned to Lydia. “Just a moment, and we will have you taken care of.”
Sound came from down the hall. A door opening. Voices.
Lydia registered the face of an older version of Mr. Frank Colbert in the few seconds before, without warning, Mr. Frank Colbert grabbed her by the upper arms, pulled her close—
And kissed her.
Chapter 36
“Unhand me at—” a femalevoice cried. Afamiliarfemale voice.
Lucas pushed from the desk so fast that his chair was knocked to the ground. He jumped over it without thought, Colin startling to a stand beside him.
Lucas’s long strides took him to the entrance hall in seconds, knocking aside Lord Colbert, who was blocking the path. And he did not stop when his heart stuttered at the scene in front of him. Miss Faraday was locked in an embrace with Mr. Frank Colbert. But her hands were pushing at his chest, and combined with the yell he’d heard, he wasted no time.
His hand grabbed the back of the man’s cravat, yanking him from Miss Faraday with strength borne of years of boxing. The man gave a strangled yell in protest but could do nothing to stop Lucas. Anger boiled up from places Lucas had not even realized existed. Emotions he’d buried for years. Frustrations, sadness, pain—it all rose in that moment to join his scathing loathing for the man’s treatment of Lydia.
He threw Mr. Frank Colbert to the side. Colbert scrambled to his feet, palms up, yelling, “What in the blazes do you think you’re doing, man?”
Lucas retreated to Miss Faraday, hands shaking with anger. With effort, he turned from the man he wanted to pummel into nonexistence and looked her up and down. Her arms were still raised partially in front of her, bent in a way that nearly looked like a boxing stance. She met his gaze with wide eyes filled with her own blazing emotion.
He reached for her, unable to stop himself. His hands grasped her shoulders, pulling her to him. She came willingly, burying her head in his chest with shaky breaths that nearly had him spinning to punch Colbert.
“I have you. I have you,” he murmured, reassuring himself as well as her.
She pulled back to meet his eyes and nodded a little, saying without words that she was well enough for the moment. He nodded back, keeping her behind him as he turned to the room.
“What is going on here?” Lord Colbert bellowed at Lucas. Heshouldhave been yelling at his son.
Lucas strove to keep his voice even, but the dam was broken, and there was no fixing it while emotions rushed through in an unending tide. He reached back and grasped Miss Faraday’s hand. “You saw it yourself. Your son was...” He could not even say it. “Your son forced himself on Miss Faraday.”
Lord Colbert did not look nearly as upset as he ought to. He raised a brow to his son then spoke to Lucas. “I am certain there has been a misunderstanding.”
Lucas scoffed. “This is not the sort of thing that can be misunderstood.”
“Regardless, I cannot see how it is any of your concern.”
“Miss Faraday is entirely my concern,” Lucas ground out.
Lord Colbert’s raised brows now seemed to have interest carved into them. “Perhaps the lady welcomed his advances?”
Miss Faraday started to exclaim from behind him, but Mr. Frank Colbert spoke over her. “Have no fear, Lord Berkeley. We do not wish to offend your family. I understand your confusion, but I have recently proposed to Miss Faraday—there will be no taint to her reputation. I will do the honorable thing, of course.”
“Then all is settled,” Lord Colbert agreed.
“You will do no deuced thing!” Lucas’s free hand lifted at his side, as if he could physically shield Miss Faraday from the man’s insinuations.
Miss Faraday’s hand squeezed around Lucas’s, as if to anchor herself. She stepped beside him as she spoke to the father and son. “I can assure you that I willnotbe accepting any proposalfrom Mr. Frank Colbert. Not now. Not ever.” She nearly spat the words, and seeing her so angry pushed Lucas even farther toward the breaking point. He took a step toward the young man, justitchingfor an excuse to cave his face in.
“Your reputation will be ruined, Lydia,” Mr. Frank Colbert said, stepping closer.
Miss Faraday veritably exploded, pushing past Lucas’s hand and slapping Colbert across the face. The room froze in stunned silence.
“Donotuse my Christian name! You have not received my permission, nor will you.”
Mr. Frank Colbert sputtered, but Lucas waited not another moment. He met Colin’s eye. The man offered a small nod. “Nor will we be remaining to finish our discussion. I trust we made our position clear, Colbert. I will remind you of the power I possess and would wish you a good evening, but I sincerely hope it is anything but.” Lucas turned to Miss Faraday, pulling her close to him. “Might we escort you home?”
