“She’s your ward.”
Tony trembled, his body shaking with a combination of shock, discomfort, and anger. “My what?”
“Your ward, milord. You are her legal guardian now Markham’s gone and lost his finger and well… probably his life. Stafford said I were to fetch her straight away. So, I did.”
“She is not my ward. Markham would not be so foolish as to put me in such a position. There must be some kind of mistake. Stafford knows I live with my brother. She cannot stay here. Take her to Stafford’s. There, at least, Lady Stafford can keep her company until we figure this out.”
“But Stafford told me to fetch her here and give you this note.”
He glared at Beckett. “A note? Don’t you think you should have given this to me earlier?”
Beckett shrugged, a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
Tony looked over his shoulder into the parlor at the sleeping girl. She was pretty, had glorious auburn hair still braided for sleep and a pale, small-featured face. She was in her nightclothes, too. This only made it even more inconceivable.
Tony read the note from Stafford in the flickering light of the candle. The note quite clearly stated that the young woman, Lucinda Sterling, was now his ward and under his protection until Markham’s fate was confirmed.
This was a nightmare. He did not have time to be the guardian of anyone; Markham needed him. What was he supposed to do with this young woman? Take her shopping?
He grabbed Beckett by the sleeve. “She’s got to go. You must take her to Stafford and explain I will call on him tomorrow regarding Miss…”
“Lucinda.”
“Yes, Lucinda.”
It took him a moment to realize it had not been the man in front of him who had answered. He spun around to find the young lady standing in the doorway, a shawl wrapped tightly about her. Her expression was wary, her eyes huge in the dim hall, but she stood proud and still under his stare.
“I see I am not expected, my lord. Let me assure you I am as shocked as you are. Mister Beckett hustled me into a carriage before I was fully awake. I do not even know where I am.”
Tony bowed, which felt odd dressed as he was. “My apologies. You are in London. At the house of the Duke of Warrington. I am Anthony Ashton… your new guardian… apparently.”
Her brow furrowed. “Why? What happened to the captain?” Her voice was full of confusion, her eyes filled with shock.
He understood her uncertainty; he felt it too. “I will explain all tomorrow but first I must keep your existence here a secret until I can talk to Lord Stafford… and Warrington.”
“Leave the servants to me. I’ll see there’s no gossip,” said Beckett.
“I am afraid the servants are not yours to command.” The Duke of Warrington stood at the top of the stairs, his usual grim countenance firmly in place. How long had he been standing there? How much had he heard?
Beside him, Tony heard Lucinda’s gasp. He wiped his hand down his face and closed his eyes, but when he opened them, his brother was still there, glaring down at him. The light from the candle illuminated his face in a ghoulish fashion.
Stafford’s man bowed. “Of course, Your Grace.”
Warrington nodded and descended the stairs in his usual unhurried manner. “Now, Anthony, do introduce me to the young lady here.”
“This is Miss Lucinda Sterling.” Tony cleared his throat. “My ward. Miss Sterling, may I present my brother, the Duke of Warrington.”
She gave the duke a dainty curtsey.
The duke lifted an imperial brow. “Your ward?”
“Yes, as of about five minutes ago.”
“You do seem to collect the oddest things, brother. I assume there is a reasonable explanation for this?”
Tony handed him the note from Stafford. “Ah. Well, my dear boy, it seems you are to take on some responsibility, after all. Motherwillbe pleased. Not about the poor captain, of course, but she does so love a project.”
He bristled. If only they all knew what lengths he went to, to keep them all safe. How he appeared to shrug off responsibility, all the while responsible for them all.
