“Well done, Ruby.” He leaned in to whisper the words in her ear, then stepped from the carriage and held out a hand to her. She took it, and he felt the usual jolt of awareness run through him. His daughter launched herself at him.
“I have yet to read!” Lord Plunge cried. Walter, thinking the handkerchief he was fluttering was a game,leapt out of the carriage and at him. He caught the handkerchief and the man, who fell with Walter landing on his chest. The dog snatched the handkerchief and galloped away.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
“My suggestion is to run if you ever see her pull a copy of that book out of her reticule again,” he said to Ruby before releasing her hand. “However, you do read beautifully.”
“Up you get, Plunge.” Zach helped the peer rise. He was unhurt, other than his dignity.
Ruby exhaled. “Thank you. I think I will take your advice.”
“It was terrifying.”
She looked at him. “You found it terrifying also?”
“Of course. I am not made of wood, Miss Knight. Many things terrify me. And reading in public is definitely one of those things.”
“Yes.” She shuddered. “I have no idea how people do it.”
“Gabe is good at it because he has spoken in the House of Lords.”
She nodded, her eyes going to his eldest cousin. She then dropped into yet another curtsey.
“I shall find Ella, Mr. Howarth. She appears to have gone back to the other children.”
He watched her walk away. Why did he feel like his insides were all twisted when she was near? Why had watching her read to a crowd of people who clearly unsettled her made his chest burn again?
“She did very well, considering she was terrified.” Gabe moved to his side.
“She did.”
“If you will now cast your eyes to two o’clock, cousin.”
He did as he was asked.
“Do you see that man?”
“There are men everywhere.”
“Focus, Forrest,” Gabe said. “The man attempting to blend into the tree.”
He searched the men before him until he located the tree and the man. He was half behind it and clearly watching them.
“I see him.”
“Excellent. He is one of our informants, but this one is a very important man. He saved Michael when he was beaten up that night.”
“Nix?” Forrest remembered the man who’d turned up at their house with Michael bloodied and beaten.
“We are forever in his debt.”
“I understand.”
“And clearly he has news and wants to talk with us.”
“Do you have many of them?”
“Yes. We all have our informants. Most we share, a few are ours alone.”
