“I certainly hope not, my lady.”
“Well, why ever not? Lady Sutton prides herself on her swoons. But I didn’t come over here to talk about Lady Sutton.”
Ah. So therewasa point to this discussion. “No?”
She frowned at him. “Of course not. Why would I? No, I came because the scandal sheets have linked your name with Lady Hadley’s, Captain.”
Julian’s back went rigid. The bloody scandal sheets again. “How curious. I can’t imagine why they would.”
“Can’t you? I should think it was obvious. First the theater, and then some minor scandal at a gaming hell, wasn’t it? Something about stolen jewels. Well, it’s high time someone called you to account, so here I am. What are your intentions toward Lady Hadley, sir?”
“My intentions?” Julian choked back a sudden urge to laugh. Charlotte was a widow, and a sullied one at that. Could a man evenhaveintentions toward a woman of her damaged reputation, aside from the obvious? “I’m afraid I don’t understand you, my lady.”
She huffed out a breath. “Well, for goodness’ sake, why not? I understand you’ve a heroic turn. So, are you going to save Lady Hadley, or not?”
Save her?Christ, he’d rather be stung by bees or face a horde of stampeding chits than endure this line of questioning. “Save her from what?”
“Why, from herself, of course!”
He gaped at her. “I can’t do that, Lady Chase.”
The old lady scowled at him as if she’d like to sting him herself. “Well, what nonsense. You saved some soldiers in your regiment, didn’t you? Why shouldn’t you do the same for Lady Hadley?”
“I may have kept a man or two from being shot a second time or run through with a blade, but that’s not at all the same thing.”
And even if it was…
Julian searched for the mauve gown and saw Charlotte at the edge of the terrace, still engaged with Iris Somerset.
This ends here, Julian. After today, you will not come near me again.
“Men are useless creatures, Captain, but you’re not quite as helpless in this as you’d have me believe.”
“Hardly helpless, my lady. Please do feel free to call on my services if Lady Hadley should be threatened by mortar fire, though I confess I think it unlikely.”
“You don’t give thetonmuch credit, do you, Captain West? I assure you, they can do much more damage than mortar fire. Now, the gossip says you’re the man to help Lady Hadley, and I wish you’d get on with it before she does something that can’t be undone, like take up with that disreputable lord who follows her about. Lord Demon—I believe that’s his name.” She leaned closer and her voice dropped to a whisper. “They say he murdered his own brother to get the title and fortune, you know, and perhaps he did, because he inherited it all when his father died last year. Of course the brother died some time ago, and nothing ever came of the murder accusation, though if you ask me, he’s guilty as sin.”
Julian had nothing to say to that, and he was ready to put an end to this conversation. “Lady Hadley has made it clear she doesn’t wish for my help, and even if she did, I wouldn’t be at liberty to discuss the particulars with you, my lady.”
Lady Chase dismissed this with a rap of her cane. “Certainly you would. She’s my family, and I learned long ago not to turn my back on my family.”
“Hardly family, is she? You’ve the merest thread of connection between you—”
“My two eldest granddaughters are married to her brothers, and all five of my granddaughters are excessively fond of her. That’s more than a mere thread to me, Captain. Now then. Your intentions, you young rascal?”
Well. He’d gone from hero to rascal rather quickly, hadn’t he? Instead of answering her, he posed a question of his own. “One might think you’d have turned your back on Lady Hadley by now, ma’am, given her reputation. That’s not the case, then?”
“I don’t approve of everything Lady Hadley does, Captain, but as you see, she’s here as a guest in my home.”
“Ah. Lady Hadley is fortunate to have so many champions.”
“She has champions amongst her family, yes, but don’t let thetonfool you, Captain. Any one of my guests here today would be delighted to indicate their disapproval by giving her the cut direct.”
Ah. So thetononly waited for an opportunity. It was no secret they disapproved of Charlotte, but her family’s wealth and social position afforded her a certain amount of protection from the more pointed sneers and cuts. But Cam and Ellie were out of the way today. If an opportunity arose to do so, Lady Chase’s guests might well decide to deal Charlotte a set down, and if they did, well… Such a painfully public humiliation might be just the thing to persuade her to leave London behind at last.
Julian’s chest squeezed at the thought of these people shaming Charlotte, but like a bee sting it would be quick—a moment of intense pain—and then it would be over. A sting wasn’t fatal, after all.
But a drowning… That was something else.
