“Good… God!” whispered Gideon. “’Twould make sense, except—”
“Except that it makes no sense at all!” Anger sparked in her eyes. “La, but I think your father’s obsession has overcome your power of reason, sir!”
“I shall hope that my son retains sufficient of that commodity to offer me agoodreason for your presence in my house, madam!”
The acid voice brought Gideon’s head jerking around.
Sir Mark, a proud and commanding figure, stood in the doorway, with Newby smiling beside him, and a troubled Gwendolyn peeping between them.
“There was an accident, sir,” said Gideon. “Lady Lutonville is—”
“Is much beholden to you, Captain Rossiter,” she intervened glacially. “Despite your mental aberrations, I owe you my life.”
“Why you are here at all, ma’am,” said Sir Mark with contempt, “is more than I can fathom.”
“I will explain later, Father,” said Gideon tersely. “Naomi, if you—”
His father’s resonant tones overrode his effort. “We saw the wrecked coach, and I regret you were shaken up, ma’am. But if you are sufficiently recovered, I expect your noble father would not wish that you linger here.”
“No more I shall, sir,” she riposted, very pale, but with her little head high. “I bid you good even.”
Sir Mark stood aside and she swept through the doorway with the poise and pride of a queen.
Gideon was after her in a flash. “Naomi! Wait! You’ve no carriage!”
Sir Mark caught his arm and snapped, “I ordered my coachman to wait. He will convey her ladyship to her destination.”
“Not without my escort, sir,” said Gideon, meeting his father’s enraged glare with a flashing look of his own.
“You are worn to the bone. Newby will see the lady home.”
Newby bowed low. “With the greatest delight.”
“Thank you. No,” said Naomi. The footman placed her cloak about her shoulders, and contriving to keep the slipper hidden in the folds of her gown she started away.
Gideon moved quickly to open the door. As Naomi swept past, she declared haughtily, “I will not occupy the same coach with you, Captain.”
“Naomi—for the love of God!”
“Let be, dammit,” cried Sir Mark, his face brick red with rage. “Newby!”
Fearing lest this ghastly quarrel should deteriorate into an exchange of blows, Gwendolyn cried in her clear little voice, “Perhaps you could take Newby’s horse and ride escort, Gideon.”
He threw her a grateful glance.
“Certainly not!” Newby stood firm until Gideon was level with him, then he shrugged nonchalantly and stepped back.
Tummet hurried to the foot of the steps. “I bin talking with the jervey, Guv. Proper aside of ’isself, ’e is!”
“So he should be! Does he know this lady was nigh killed in that disgraceful accident?”
“Likely not, Cap’n. Seein’ as there wasn’t one.”
Halfway down the steps, Naomi paused, and stared at him. “Do you say I imagined this whole horrid business, Tummet?”
He touched his brow to her respectfully. “I says as it wasn’t no accident, melady.” With a sober glance at Gideon he said, “That pole was near sawed through, Guv. If it ’adn’t of been good English oak, it’d likely ’ave snapped orf afore you got out, and we’d be planning two funerals this very minute.”
“The devil!” whispered Gideon.
