“You”—Henley turned back to Buxby—“have some explaining to do.”
“I thought I already had.”Bux groaned and slumped onto a bench.
Henley stared at the floor, frustration and pride warring inside him.He was good—bloody good.But it didn’t matter.A man had died by his hand—or because of it.Even if it happened days later, they still blamed him.
The whispers had followed.The ton had judged him without a trial.It was only their short attention spans and the next scandal that gave his family any breathing room.
That—and Henley walking away from boxing.
Yet here he was again.
“I have to go.”
“I figured you’d say that.”Buxby clapped him on the back.“But I wanted you to remember.”
“Remember what?That I ruined my family once already?”Henley shrugged him off.
“No.Remember that you’re a fighter.You don’t take second place.That’s what you need more than anything.”
Henley gave a weak nod.“Still doesn’t matter.”
“It might not matter here,” Buxby said, walking toward the hallway.“But out there?Winning always matters.I’ll see you.Come back when you want.”
Henley stood alone, Buxby’s words echoing in the empty room.
He’d forgotten how to fight—really fight.How to read an opponent, use their weakness against them.
But not anymore.
He’d learned a thousand life lessons in the ring.
It was time he started applying them outside of it too.
Chapter Nine
Lady Anna closedher eyes, letting the sun’s warmth soak into her skin.It had been a rainy few days since she’d last seen Lord Devon during her at-home hours.
“It does feel nice, doesn’t it?”Her mother sighed contentedly as they rode at a lazy pace through Hyde Park.
Anna shifted in her sidesaddle and smiled in agreement.As she adjusted her position again, she mentally designed a new riding habit—one with slightly more fabric in the skirt for comfort.It was a wonder no one had done it before.Then again, if all the designers were men, it made perfect sense.
A sage green muslin with gold stitching, she mused, already planning her next order.
“Look to the left,” her mother said, drawing her mare closer and nodding ahead.
Anna followed her mother’s gaze and spotted Pere first, her smile widening—then faltering when she realized Pere was accompanied by both her eldest brother, Lord Devon, and her younger brother, Lord Allendale.How could three members of the same family provoke such different reactions?
“Shall we?”Her mother had already begun to guide her horse toward them.
Anna followed, watching as the Allendale siblings strolled leisurely along the path near the Serpentine.
“Good day,” her mother greeted warmly.
Anna glanced toward Lord Devon but found his attention on her mother.When she looked to Lord Allendale, instead, she found his eyes already on her.They were unreadable, but something in them sparked a slow, coiling heat low in her belly.She quickly shifted her attention to Pere and greeted her with a bright smile.
“Good day,” Anna echoed, then turned to Lord Devon.
A sparkle kindled in his eyes as they skimmed from the hem of her gown to the top of her hat, as if committing every detail to memory.
