“Please.” She moved for the door without another word, pulling Lucas with her. He came willingly, Colin at their heels.
They were followed by Mr. Frank Colbert’s shout. “You will be ruined, Miss Faraday!”
Lucas turned back long enough to punch the man in the nose. It did not even pain his hand a bit. He stood over the man, glowering as Colbert held a hand to his face, stemming the flow of blood. All Lucas could see was Colbert’s crazed eyes.
“She couldneverbe ruined,” Lucas snarled.
Once they’d left the house, Lucas was about to demand she tell him if the man had done worse than he’d seen, but she cut him off, picking up her skirts and running for their carriage, yelling over her shoulder, “Please hurry! Your brother and Sir Henry need our help!”
Under normal circumstances, Lucas would have stumbled over the sudden change in plans, but with the way his blood was currently coursing through his veins, he easily jumped into action. Frankly, he’d have done anything she asked in that moment, especially if it could clear his mind of the image of Colbert kissing her—or distract him from the desire to return to the house and leave the man bloody. Or, bloodier.
“To your club,” Miss Faraday said as she ducked into his carriage.
“You heard her,” he told the coachman then followed her within.
***
By the time they arrived in front of the club, Miss Faraday had filled him and Colin in on the situation, and Lucas had curbed his emotions somewhat.
Somewhat.
Miss Faraday did not remain in the carriage when he and Colin got out. No one was outside the club, so Colin quickly ducked inside to look there.
“I am so sorry that I left Charlie and Sir Henry here,” Miss Faraday said, her features shrouded by the moonlit night, her tone full of remorse.
“I can think of a great many people who ought to apologize just now, and you are not one of them.”
Colin came out, shaking his head. “More thugs arrived and overpowered my men. They’re all right but say that the newcomers ran inta some men outside the club, and fled after after some neighbors joined the fight.”
Lucas let out a breath. “See?” he told Miss Faraday. “Charlie and Henry are well. No apologies necessary.”
Miss Faraday gave a weak laugh.
“I am going ta stay here. I need ta see to the club and ensure those men dinnae come back.”
“Do you need help?” Lucas asked.
Colin shook his head. “You get home. See to your family.”
Lucas crossed to Colin, grabbing his hand in a firm shake. “Thank you for everything. I will return tomorrow to discuss what we can do moving forward.”
“Why don’t I come to you instead? First thing.”
Lucas hesitated, nodded, then watched as his friend disappeared back into the club.
Silently, Lucas helped Miss Faraday back into the carriage.
“I have been in a great deal of carriages tonight,” Miss Faraday said, her tone offhand, almost light, but an undercurrent of fatigue colored it. “I am more than ready to trade them for my bed.”
He sat across from her. “Are you well? Truly?”
She opened her mouth but said nothing.
“I will murder him,” Lucas ground out.
“No, it— That is...” She sighed. “Frankly, I rather agree with you, but I know I should not.”
“I disagree. You should.”
