“You should stop this from happening. I have no wish to see him hurt.” Dimity grabbed Mr. Sinclair’s arm.
“Two things that will help you immensely going forward, Miss Brown. Firstly, never suggest a man cannot hold his own in a fight, and secondly, once set on a course of saving a woman’s reputation, a man will not back away.”
“I’m not worried for Lord Raine,” she said. “It’s the other one who will suffer. You must ensure he doesn’t kill anyone.”
Chapter Sixteen
Gabe heard Dimity’s words as he approached Lord Laidlaw. She was a mouthy woman and could clearly hold her own, but not against four men. When he’d seen one of the men holding her as she struggled, rage had filled his body. How dare anyone touch her!
He’d had no dealings with Laidlaw and his cohorts, and in fact had given them little thought other than they were men of high spirits. Zach spent time in their company, but that would stop.
“Laidlaw, is there a problem?” Gabe taunted him.
“I have explained this is a public thoroughfare, Raine. Hardly the place to conduct such affairs.”
Looking about him, Gabe saw they had quite a crowd now watching.
“But it was the place to abuse a woman, who is a friend, and a dog I happen to also like?”
The Deville siblings had left the Duchess of Yardly’s home and were in their carriage heading to theirs when he’d seen Dimity sprinting down the road from his window. Stopping it, he’d told Abby to stay and set off after her with Michael on his heels. He’d heard Dimity scream, and his blood had run cold.
“Dimity, are you all right?” He heard his sister’s voice.
Of course Abby had not stayed in the carriage as Gabe had ordered her to do, but it had been a faint hope at best.
“I am, and I was just explaining to Mr. Sinclair that they must ensure your brother does not harm those men.”
“Yes, my brothers can certainly take care of themselves and be quite ruthless when provoked.”
“We are the same,” Mr. Sinclair said. “My brother ensured we could all fight, and then James, pardon me, the Duke of Raven, taught us other moves.”
“What other moves?” he heard Dimity ask.
Gabe tried to concentrate on the man before him and not listen to the conversation that was going on behind him.
“I believe their origins are Ancient Greece,” Cambridge said conversationally.
“Leg kicking?” Dimity asked.
“That and more.”
“He does that.” Gabe knew Dimity was pointing at him.
“Does he really? How interesting,” Cambridge said.
“Laidlaw, I am waiting,” Gabe said testily.
“Listen, Raine, there really is no need for this.” Suddenly the man he faced was not looking quite so confident. In fact, his face was pale and sweaty.
“Apologize to the lady or you get my fist in your face.”
“She is no lady, as you very well know,” the idiot said. “In fact, given your defense, I would suggest she is perhaps your doxy.”
Dimity’s shriek filled the air, and before he could react to Laidlaw’s insult, she’d run by Gabe and punched him in the nose. The man stumbled back and fell, landing on his ass, blood now running from his nose.
“I am no man’s doxy!” She stood over him. “And never will I be.”
God, I want her,Gabe thought and was glad the words were only in his head. She was magnificent.
