Page 53 of Forgotten No More

Still confused, she looked up at the men surrounding her. One rubbed his knuckles as if soothing them. His words finally made sense. “You coward!”

“Me? The coward?” Rodney shouted back. “I am not the one who tried to punch a man without warning.”

“I have given you more warning than you deserve. Thinking you can sneak back into town and not make good on your gaming debts to me. You are lucky the lad stepped in my way and took the punch for you.”

Ruby could only sit there, hoping neither looked down, therefore delaying her eventual discovery.

“Sir, I am sorry you took the cuff intended for this scoundrel.” Unfortunately, her luck continued much as it had her whole life when the man decided to come to her aid. “Allow me to help you to your feet and I will get you—”

His words cut short when he realized Ruby lay sprawled on the ground, her hair tumbled freely around her shoulders, breeches clinging to her shapely legs, and a hand pressed to her face.

Before she could say anything—or the doorman for the club threw her out—arms pulled her to her feet, jammed her cap back on her head and hauled her toward the back of the club. The quick movement increased her dizziness and she wavered on her feet. If it weren’t for the strong arms securely about her waist, she would no doubt be on the floor once again, her world continuing to spin out of control.

“Do not relieve your stomach on me,” Harold whispered. “It will be hard enough getting you out of here without anyone recognizing you. It will only draw more attention if your evening meal is covering my shirt.”

She might well have done exactly that if it wasn’t for Harold, arm behind her back for support, practically dragging her from the room. Her feet sought traction on the highly polished floor, to gain her balance and relieve him of all her weight.

Seconds later, they were through the back entrance and past the stable, where servants waited for their lords, moving further into the bleakness of a service alley.

Harold drew to a stop.

“Are you bleeding? Does your face hurt? What happened?” His questions kept coming and her head swam, trying to formulate answers.

“Slow down, please,” she mumbled. Bringing her palm away from her injured cheek, she was happy to see no blood. She would never forgive herself if she’d soiled Alex’s livery uniform. “My head hurts something fierce. Did I truly get hit in the face just now?”

“Here, sit down.” Harold helped her the few feet to a crate left leaning against the back of a building. “Yes, you did. And took it better than most grown men, I might add.”

Ruby laughed. She didn’t know if she found his comment funny or the absurdity of her situation had finally caught up to her.

“Whatever were you thinking, going into White’s—and with Rodney!” Anger infused his words. “That man is a detestable excuse for a human being.”

“I did not go—”

“And in nothing more than skin-tight breeches and a cap?” He paced away from her, the shadows of the night clouding his face. “You truly are a danger to yourself.”

“How dare y—”

“How dare I? Do you understand the repercussions if someone recognized you?”

He wouldn’t let her get a word in edgewise, so she sat in silence waiting for his fury to ebb.

From down the dark alley came, “They went that way.”

They both looked toward the direction of White’s and the sound of feet headed their way.

“We need to depart. Can you walk or shall I carry you?”

She couldn’t allow him to be punished for her hare-brained idea. Hands planted firmly on the crate on which she sat, she pushed herself up. While the thought of being in his arms was welcome, she said instead, “Let us go.” Nausea turned her stomach, but she forced the bile down and remained on her feet.

He slipped his arm behind her back once more and they took off at a slow pace down the street.

Harold wanted to yell at her, berate her for her horrible choices, and at the same time he wanted nothing more than to draw her into his embrace. To convince himself that—for the most part—she was unharmed.

He wanted to confide in her that he knew what she’d been searching for and that he could help, but he knew that his assistance would not be welcome. She’d gone to great lengths to conceal her secret from him; it would be a delicate matter revealing that he was no longer in the dark.

“How did you find me?” She didn’t lift her head, keeping watch on the uneven ground as they walked.

“I’m not a fool, Ruby.” While he felt like one for arriving too late to prevent the bruise that was sure to appear by morning. “Your interest in our dinner conversation last evening was extremely apparent.”