“Did he tell you so?” Benedick demanded.
Quite the opposite, actually. Not that she would tell the two men standing in the parlor that the awful man had promised that he would come for her when she least expected it unless she returned his property—a fallen dove by the name of Ruby who had been forced to work for him.
The bruises on Victoria’s arms were barely a mark compared to the blackened eye and cut lip Ruby had arrived with, and Victoria would never return Ruby to that miscreant no matter the danger to herself.
“Post guards at my home if it will make you feel better,” she returned. “But Mr. Valentine will not be guarding me within my house.”
She couldn’t believe Sinclair had even made the suggestion. Just because she was a spinster of a certain age and old enough to have collected dust because she’d been on the shelf for so long, did not mean she wanted to risk her good reputation by having a man remain in her home overnight until the person who had confronted her was caught.
Perhaps if it was someone else, she might reconsider, but Benedick Valentine, the rogue who had shattered her heart, did not want to be near her any more than she wanted him there.
When Sinclair sent word for Benedick to meet him at Westbrook House, he had not known that it involved Lady Victoria Westbrook.
Even though he had cause to be at Westbrook House in the past, he had not met Lady Victoria because she’d never been present. Therefore, it was understandable that he would have not realized that the woman he met last summer, who went by the name of Valerie, was Lady Victoria until her mask was removed and he learned her true name.
He should never have attended such a ridiculous house party and still could not fathom why he had received an invitation. He was not a lord, but a member of the Thames River Police. Further, his father had been a stable hand, not that many were aware, because Benedick had been raised by a vicar of modest means. He had no right to attend a house party given by Viscountess Grisham.
Benedick had even voiced his concern to the hostess when he arrived, wearing one of the foolish blue masks that he had been given when he stepped into the carriage and agreed to her terms. Each person had been assigned a color. His had been blue and Lady Victoria’s was purple.
Lady Grisham had assured him that despite her title and wealth, her guests came from all over England and from different stations—lords, ladies and commoners. She had then announced to the gathering once everyone had arrived her reasoning, “People rarely meet those outside of their circle, profession, church or family. With such limited social circles, one cannot help but have a narrow view and be judgmental of those who come from circumstances different from their own. When masked, everyone is the same, which makes it impossible for prejudices and judgments to guide a person’s behavior toward another. Many people have left my house parties having become friends with people they would have never otherwise met, everyone had their world widened and perhaps opinions altered. Some have even found love.”
“This is not a party set to matchmake, is it?” he had demanded.
“Of course not,” Lady Grisham had promised. “But if love finds you, where is the harm?” She had laughed then wandered off, leaving the guests to become acquainted.
He almost left then, but the very idea of anonymity had intrigued him. Further, he well understood how prejudices could limit and sometimes destroy another person’s life. It had been the case with his mother, who had fallen in love with a stable hand. Her father, a marquess, did not approve so the two ran off to Gretna Green to wed and then returned. It was then that his mother was disowned by her father at the urging of his brother-in-law, a duke. The two were forced to London where they lived in Cheapside while Benedick’s father worked in the mews until he died and left Benedick’s mother a widow.
Even though Benedick was not a lord and had never been acknowledged by his grandfather the marquess, who was now dead, he knew he was guilty of judging those in Society because of what his grandfather and uncle had done to his mother.
He had remained at the house party because he thought that it would be a benefit and help him be less judgmental of those he did not know simply based on rank.
That was when he had come to know Valerie when he had been Benjamin.
Her blue eyes so often twinkled with mischief and humor as a smile pulled at her coral lips, the only part of her face that he could see. Blonde hair, golden in the sunlight, cascaded, curls brushing her shoulder, and gowns, while modest, displayed her assets in the most delicious manner.
He should never have gone because then he would not have fallen in love for the first and only time in his life, then been rejected as soon as the truth was revealed.
And now, he was being asked to protect the very woman who had fled the moment his mask was removed and his name announced, never to see or speak to him again—until now.
“Certainly, there is someone you can hire,” she argued.
Even now she could not wait for him to be out of her presence, as if they had not spent delightful days and glorious nights together just seven months ago.
There had been nearly instant passion and desire between them and looking back, he was shocked at how quickly they succumbed to both and never had he experienced such pleasure with a woman without being completely intimate with her.
“There are others who could guard you,” he answered. “But the ones that I trust the most are not available. As for the others, I do not know them well enough and therefore, would not trust them to keep you safe.”
“Would you hire them for someone else?” she asked.
“Not if a life was in danger.” It was her life he cared most about and Benedick wanted to find the man who had harmed her and inflict his own damage. Once he was finished, the reprobate would be incapacitated for a good long while. Long enough to realize that his life could come to an end if he ever harmed a woman again.
“I can stay with my sister and her husband,” she announced with a smile to Sinclair. “Thus, there is no need for guards.”
“Olivia and I are leaving for the country very early in the morning,” Sinclair reminded her. “Besides, you would be no safer there than you are in your own home.”
“Do you really want to take the risk that he might sneak into your home late at night?” Benedick did not voice what could happen to her but assumed Lady Victoria imagined enough on her own since she gave a shiver and took a deep drink of brandy.
“I have servants aplenty,” she reminded them.
