“You’ve always been different with her,” Michael said.
“Because she’s bloody annoying!” The words exploded from his mouth. “Now, I need to go. I shall meet you all in the boxing saloon at midday.” He left knowing they’d be discussing him before the door closed.
He refused to consider what his brothers had said about Dimity. She was no different to any woman; he treated her as he did all the others.
Liar.
“She’s not down yet then, Fairfax?” he said when he arrived in the front entrance of his townhouse.
“No indeed. I’ll go and alert her that you are ready, my lord.”
Gabe slapped his hat against his thigh as he wandered around the entranceway. Standing under the painting Zach said he disliked, Gabe studied it. His brother was right; it was ugly. He wondered what had possessed him to purchase it.
“She has gone, my lord.”
Spinning on his heel, Gabe looked at his butler, who was running down the stairs.
“Slow down or you’ll fall.” Gabe raised a hand. “How is it she has gone when you were stationed at the front door, Fairfax?”
“My guess is she used the servants’ entrance, my lord.”
Why had he not thought of that? She knew where it was, of course, having worked here. Cursing himself for being a fool, he said, “Lead the way there then, Fairfax. We will question the staff to ascertain if indeed this is the way Miss Brown left the house or she’s hiding somewhere.”
“I doubt she’d be able to hide with Walter.” His butler hurried with Gabe on his heels.
“There is that.”
His staff were seated around a large table, eating. All look horrified when he stepped into the room. Raising a hand, he bade them to stay seated.
“Please do not rise, I merely wish to ask if any of you have seen Miss Brown and her dog?”
“She was here, my lord, but has now left.”
These words were from one of his footmen, Hogan. Something niggled in his memory. Abby had mentioned that he and Dimity had been friends.
“Did she tell you where she was going, Hogan?”
“I’m sorry, no. I tried to get her to stay and asked her where she was living and working, but she said she couldn’t stop but would return soon to visit with us.”
“I’ll find her.” Gabe left. Temper dogging each step, he stormed back to the front entrance. “Foolish bloody woman.”
Chapter Nine
Dimity ran down the street away from the Deville townhouse as fast as she could. At least the rain had stopped. It was still cool, but the promise of the return of good weather hung in the air. Walter galloped happily beside her with a full belly, thinking it a great deal of fun. Dimity didn’t think it fun at all—in fact, she was gripped with panic.
She needed employment desperately and a place to stay. Those had to be her focus, and not the angry earl she’d left behind.
Fleeing his house hadn’t been the action of a rational woman. But then, Dimity often did what she shouldn’t, and her pride couldn’t take much more pity or help from Lord Raine. She would of course contact Abby when she had her life set to rights again. Hopefully by then, Gabriel Deville’s anger would have eased too.
Slowing to a walk when she was sure she had put enough distance between herself and the Deville townhouse, she wondered where she should go first? Dimity was resourceful, had slept a full night and eaten. For today she was taken care of. Tonight, however, would be another matter entirely.
She and Walter walked into a small park. She would spend a few minutes thinking here, formulating a plan. Finding a bench beneath a tree, she sat. She needed money, and then perhaps she should leave London.
High-pitched yapping came from her left, and soon appeared a small brown furry dog. Running at speed, ears flat, clearly it had escaped its owner. It sprinted straight for Walter, who instantly sat on Dimity’s foot and started shaking.
He was not terribly brave when it came to other dogs.
The little dog stopped abruptly and started jumping up and down beside Walter. He lifted his head and ignored it.
