Page 57 of The Marquess’s Forbidden Bride

He was beside her before he even realised he’d been moving, having all he could do to refrain from gathering her in his arms in front of everyone. ‘Miss Wellingford, is anything amiss? Can I be of any assistance?’

Aldersby gave him a contemptuous look. ‘She won’t be needing anything from you ever again, Richland. You can—’

‘I should much appreciate it if you would escort me to my chamber and ask the duchess to visit me when her duties with her daughter permit,’ Emma said, cutting off the baron. ‘If you would,’ she added, her voice fading to a whisper as she held out a hand.

He seized it and tucked it onto his arm, then moved to place himself protectively between her and the rest of the group. ‘Of course, Miss Wellingford, it would be my pleasure.’

Catching Lady Routham’s eyes, he said, ‘You, I will speak with later.’

Her scornful laughter rang in his ears as he led Emma away. As soon as they were out of earshot, he asked, ‘What happened? Aldersby attacked you?’

‘Please, I’d rather not speak of it at this moment. I’d appreciate you getting me to my chamber and arranging a carriage to transport me back to London. I wish to leave now. Immediately.’

‘I will, of course. But Aldersby—’

‘Please, do not approach the baron. The only way to prevent the scandal from growing even larger is to keep your distance from him. Escorting me to my room involves you more than I would like, but I could think of no other way to prevent Aldersby from doing so. I’d rather not suffer his company a minute longer unless I had a pistol or a horsewhip in hand.’

‘He did attack you,’ Charles said furiously. ‘For which he will pay!’

Now out of sight on the upper landing, she stopped and laid a hand on his arm. ‘You must do nothing. Nothing! Avoid Aldersby, say nothing to him, do nothing to him. Promise me! Once back in London, you may call and I will tell you the whole. But now, I must leave before news of the incident travels farther and comes to the attention of Lady Telford. If I can depart immediately, with the ball winding down and the guests departing tomorrow, I may get away with her not hearing of it until later—or ever.’

‘She’s already retired for the night, so I think you may safely assume that.’

She sighed. ‘Thank the Lord for that. I would not distress her for the world.’

‘What of your distress?’

‘I shall have time to decide how to handle that.’

By now they’d reached the door to her chamber. Facing him, she said, ‘Thank you for getting me this far. Thank you in advance for agreeing to arrange for a carriage and for letting Claire know there has been a…fracas that will cause talk, and that I would like to confer with her on how best to minimise the damage. Finally, I would ask that you return to the ballroom, flirt with Lady Jersey and try to behave through the rest of evening as if nothing untoward has occurred. Please?’

She looked suddenly weary, her shoulders slumping, the hand clutching her cloak slipping free to let the cloth hang open. Beneath it, he saw the torn bodice of her dress.

A red haze of rage filled his head. ‘I shall call him out for this.’

‘No!’ she cried. ‘Of all things, you must not! Not that I would shed any tears over his demise, for you would surely kill him, but that is the fastest way for news of this event to explode across the ton. It would also involve you in an ugly, ever-widening scandal. I might not have been able to plead against Aldersby’s actions tonight, but I trust that you will respect my wishes! Please, if you care at all for me, promise to leave him untouched!’

Much as it went against the grain, he couldn’t deny her that. He might agree not to call the miscreant out, but he’d find another way to deal with the baron, he silently promised himself. ‘Very well. I don’t like it, but I promise. I’ll arrange transportation, alert Claire, then return and flirt so outrageously with Lady Jersey that the only thing guests at the ball will talk about is how besotted her new cavalier is. And I will call at Stanhope House as soon as I reach London tomorrow.’

She gave him a sad, sweet smile that once again had him wanting to gather her in his arms. ‘Thank you. May the rest of your evening be calmer and more pleasant.’

At that, she slipped inside the chamber and shut the door.

Charles lingered on the threshold, a swirl of emotions competing for precedence in his head. Fury at Aldersby, which his promise not to tear the man limb from limb made burn even hotter. Wonder over what had transpired and how it had been brought about. Anguish over Emma’s pain and a fervent desire to assuage it as much as he could.

He didn’t know how this disaster could be rectified, but first he must take care of her immediate needs. Arrange for a coach to bear her home; visit Claire and inform her of the unfortunate events. Then, though it was the last thing he wanted to do, he’d return to the ballroom and entertain Lady Jersey, so as few guests as possible would discover what had happened.

His mind swirling with anger, concern and speculation, he turned on his heel and headed for the stairs.

The following day, Charles presented himself at Stanhope House as soon as he arrived back in London. Lady Telford had bid him farewell with her usual sweetness, her placid demeanour assuring him that, for the moment, she remained in ignorance of the events that had taken place in her garden. Perhaps, as Emma hoped, since the guests were all her friends, they might shield her from that knowledge permanently.

He was not shielded but rather determined to discover the full scope of the events, much of which had been admitted to him last night when he’d confronted a triumphant Lady Routham.

The sober-faced butler conveyed him at once to the small family salon, where he found Emma sitting with her sister Lady Englemere and a distraught Claire.

His gaze going immediately to Emma, he noted with relief that she appeared much recovered, her expression calm, healthy colour back in a face that last night had been deathly pale. Only the sadness in the sweet smile she gave him was evidence of the trial she’d suffered.

With the briefest of greetings to his hostess, he went at once to her side. ‘How are you this morning? Better, I hope?’