Peter disentangled himself from his kids and gestured for Lucas to proceed him to the front door. Miss Faraday was still nearby, but as they reached the small hall, she turned to him.
“I will take my leave so that you might have your conversation.” She grasped the doorknob, and Lucas fought the desire to ask her to wait a moment.
What for? To have the honor of taking her to her carriage? Yes. He wanted even that small thing. What in the blazes was happening to him?
When he said nothing, Miss Faraday met his eye with a sad sort of smile. He didn’t know what to make of it. “Goodbye, Lord Berkeley. I have... I have enjoyed my acquaintance with you.”
Startled, he nodded. That was all. He only did his dashed nodding in response to her farewell. And why did her farewell sound like such a serious, perhaps permanent, thing?
And she was gone. The door closed behind her, and Peter turned to him in full, not realizing the extent of the inner turmoil Lucas was experiencing.
But his words demanded attention.
“I wanted t’ warn ye, Lord Berkeley.”
“Why is that?”
Despite being within his own home, Peter glanced over his shoulder. “There’s been problems with my ol’ employer. A few men have told me t’ keep ma head down. I s’pose they been lookin’ for men who left andquestionin’’em.”
Lucas’s brows furrowed. “Has anyone been hurt?”
Peter hesitated. “I don’t wan’ t’ get in the middle of anything, but... yes. Nothin’ major. But John got roughed up, and Patrick—”
“I heard about Patrick.” Lucas itched to pace, but the dim, cramped hall was far too small. “Dash it all. Thank you for telling me, Peter. Seems these men aren’t happy to be losing their employees. You’ll tell me if you hear anything else?”
“A’ course.”
“Thank you.” Lucas made to leave but paused. “And do as they recommend. Keep your head down. I’ll see what I can do on my end.”
Peter gave a crisp nod. “Sorry for th’ trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all. I am sorry.” And with that, Lucas left. He had a great deal to do of a sudden. He would need to follow up on the rest of the men he’d helped recently—make sure it was only one employer doing this. If it was the Heatherdown Company, then he’d find out why they were doing it. And all before anyone else was hurt.
Chapter 23
Lucas looked out the windowof the carriage later that night. His hands itched to be put to work, to fight an opponent or, at the very least, get back to his tracking down of the men they’d helped—particularly those still in the city. Instead, his hands were folded tightly into his arms, and the only action they would see that night would be in the form of handling cards or holding a glass of punch.
Social events were the truest form of torture.
“I have decided what to do about Charlie’s predicament,” Mother said from her side of the carriage. She looked to Lucas’s father. “We intend to be unofficial sponsors of a sort for Miss Faraday.”
“I knew you would come up with a brilliant plan, Mother,” Charlie interjected with more enthusiasm than was warranted. Likely, he was just glad to be free of any excessive thinking on the topic.
Mother’s responding look was dryly amused. “I appreciate your excitement, Charles, and assume that means you were unable to think up any option.”
Charlie’s overt enthusiasm dimmed into chagrin.
“What exactly do you intend?” Lucas asked. And what would it mean for him and his barely concealed affection for the woman? He’d warred between relief and fear that he may not see her again.
“Miss Faraday clearly has all she is in need of from her guardian, but for a handful of weeks, we intend to help elevate her in Society, to reverse any ill effects of Charles’s... unofficial courting. We will see that she is invited to several of the best events, introduce her to the highest connections, and the like. I think it would be best if the two of you were to keep your distance, though, and allow your father and I to do theinteracting. That way, the gossip surrounding you can fade, and we can simply present the picture of putting our stamp of approval on Miss Faraday.”
So he would have to see her but not interact with her? That might be even worse than not seeing her at all.
But safer. Much safer. He would cling to that, and... and perhaps it was time to put more effort into Father’s request to seek a wife. The thought left a bad taste in his mouth, but he’d have to do it one way or the other. He’d attempted to create an unofficial list of possible marriage candidates the night before.
It was a short list. Very well, it was empty.
But he’d gotten the paper out and looked at it for a while.
