Nathan heaved a sigh, his damp clothes making him shiver.
“I am pleased she turned out to be the woman you always believed her to be, brother,” Zach said softly.
“Are you going to talk at me until I calm down?” he said, knowing that in fact the anger was already easing.
“Is it working?” Michael asked.
“Some.”
“Excellent.”
They pulled up behind his family’s carriage. Nathan leapt out and squelched into the townhouse with his brothers on his heels, no longer fatigued.
“I will have a bath drawn,” Fairfax said, taking in Nathan and Zach’s state.
He thought about simply finding Beth, then realized a bath and clean clothes would be a better option. Anger still simmered in his belly. Anger and fear.
He wasn’t sure he could cope with this love business, the feeling of having his heart stabbed repeatedly when the source of your love was endangered.
After he had bathed and dressed, he went to find her.
“She is in Abby’s room.” Gabe met him in the hallway. “She said she’s changing and then wants to have the carriage take her and her mother home.”
“I will see her home.”
“I’m sorry she was endangered today, Nathan. My thought was only to reach you, and when she refused to get out of the boat, I had no time to argue with her.”
“I know she can be fierce when she believes it is required, Gabe. I do not blame you.” He gripped his brother’s hand.
“I like this new Miss Carlow,” he said. “She will not make your life easy, methinks.” His brother smiled.
Nathan left, shaking his head, and was soon knocking on Beth’s door. When she didn’t answer, he entered.
“I did not ask you to enter.”
“Yet here I am.”
She sat in a chair by the fire drying her hair. She wore one of Abby’s day dresses of lemon and cream muslin, and no longer resembled a wet rodent.
“I did what I thought was best to keep you safe, Beth.”
“You promised to not leave the house without telling me.” Her tone was cool, and she refused to look at him. There was no resemblance to the woman he’d made love to last night.
“I didn’t, actually; I evaded the truth.”
“It is one and the same.” She leaned closer, and the fire shot gold sparks through her hair where it hung in a long satin fall.
“You should not have come to Vauxhall, so we are both disappointed in each other.”
“I am leaving,” she said, rising.
“No.” He stepped in front of her. “You are not going anywhere.”
“We are angry with each other. It is best I go.”
“Do you believe we will not argue when we are married, Beth?”
Her eyes shot to his, then away. He saw the flare of hope.
