It was a fine piece. Not the attire of a common criminal. Though she supposed a thief might have simply dropped his wares gathered from some other unsuspecting mark.
She closed her hand around the item, gripping it tightly as she made her way up the path back toward the house. She needed to get to Morgan’s chamber with the rest, to ensure he was well, and then she’d certainly find a chance to ask him about the item. Perhaps together they could determine from the item who had attacked him.
She climbed the stairs to the terrace. There was a crowd there, buzzing and gossiping and staring. All her life, she had hated those eyes. She’d shrunk from her name being whispered across the room. But today she barely paid attention. Morgan was all she could think about, all she could focus on.
But the crowd wouldn’t let her through without comment. Her arm was suddenly grasped by Lady Jocelyn, who had spoken to her earlier in the ball. The woman’s gaze was lit up with interest, a desire to get at the heart of what had happened so she could spread it and embellish it.
“Your brother’s man is quite a bit of trouble,” she cooed. “I hope he isn’t badly injured. Was he drunk and fell?”
Lizzie yanked her arm away. “You needn’t trouble yourself, my lady. Now excuse me. I must return to my duties. You ought to go back into the ball. I’m sure Amelia and Hugh will be back soon enough.”
Jocelyn arched one of those fine brows just as Lizzie turned away. “Oh, Lizzie, dear?”
Lizzie clenched her hands at her sides and forced a smile as she looked over her shoulder. “Yes?”
“You’ve that bastard’s blood all over your skirt,” she sneered. “You might want to wash it out before it stains.”
Lizzie glared at her. She’d wondered when women of this ilk would bring up the subject of Morgan’s birth. She, herself, had mentioned he was one of Robert’s brothers and the world knew of his famous bastard siblings. Jocelyn wouldn’t be stopped from bringing that up if it would sting.
She moved a long step back toward Jocelyn. She had spent years ducking her head to this woman, including as recently as an hour before. She’d feared her, cowed to her, hidden from her because Jocelyn had power in their circles and Lizzie just prayed not to be seen.
But in that moment she didn’t give a damn.
“I told you earlier, Jocelyn, we are lucky to have a man of Morgan Banfield’s quality to serve at my brother’s side. And if you wish to be invited to this house again, you will think before you speak about him again.”
Jocelyn’s eyes widened. “You—you think you matter to me, little mouse?” she stammered.
Lizzie shrugged. “I matter to very few. But I think everyone knows that the wives of my brother’s friends matter very much in Society. Three of them are here now. It would take me half an hour to write to the rest. I choose not to destroy you because it isn’t in my nature. But speak on him, and I will speak on you. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
To her surprise, Jocelyn actually looked…frightened. She backed away and nodded. “You misunderstood me, I assure you. I was only asking after the gentleman’s well-being and making certain you knew about the blood.”
“Very good,” Lizzie said, and then left without so much as a farewell. Her hands shook as she hustled into the house and through the ballroom. She had never set another person down like that in her life, despite the fact that her shyness sometimes brought out the worst in those around her.
And yet protecting Morgan had caused her to do for him what she hadn’t ever done for herself. Stand up. Protect.
Why? Well, the answer was clear now. She had fallen in love with him. And she had no idea what to do about it, because if she knew one thing and one thing only, it was that when she fell, it didn’t end well. And it couldn’t end well this time, either.
Chapter 15
Morgan shifted as Robert and Ewan helped him onto the narrow bed in his chamber. Robert stepped away immediately, running a hand through his thick hair as he said, “What happened?”
Ewan sent Morgan a look, and Morgan forced a painful smile as he signed,“Thank you.”
Ewan’s eyes widened and he inclined his head and signed back,“Any time.”
“Are you going to answer me?” Robert snapped.
Morgan finally met his brother’s eyes and saw, to his surprise, not the anger his harsh tone might have implied, but fear. Terror, on Morgan’s behalf. His hands shook and Katherine took his arm, but it seemed to make no difference.
“Please,” his brother said, a little softer.
It was in that moment that Brighthollow entered the room. “I’ve sent for a doctor and the guard. I think we all deserve an answer to your brother’s question, Morgan. Was this some random act of violence committed in my garden? Do I need to protect my house? And if so, is it from some chance encounter or from something you brought upon it?”
As he asked the question, Elizabeth slipped into the room. She met his eyes as she quietly closed his door. He could see the flutter of her hand as she stared at him. As if she wanted to touch him. To make sure he was unharmed. He didn’t deserve that, of course. He hadn’tdeservedanything he’d taken this night.
The attack was just a reminder.
“You know I have a past,” he said, breaking his gaze from Elizabeth and shifting it to Robert. “You knew I had a past when you came and fetched me from gaol.”
