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Lord Rockliffe’s face was drawn with anger. ‘Damn you, Brabazon. Interfering again.’

‘I should call you out, you devil.’ Mr Brabazon’s voice was cold with contempt.

‘How so? Mrs Lovatt is no business of yours.’

‘Any woman you prey on is my business, my lord.’

Rockliffe laughed harshly. ‘Well, then, you’ll be kept pretty busy.’ Sybella saw Mr Brabazon’s fists clench, while Rockliffe continued mockingly, ‘I don’t think Mrs Lovatt will thank you for your knight-errantry. She and I understand each other; we are well matched and she is not immune to my particular charms.’

Sybella gasped at this effrontery and, in a flash, she saw Mr Brabazon’s right fist raised and planted violently in the middle of Lord Rockliffe’s insolent smile. Caught unawares and off-balance by the force of the blow, he went down like a felled tree.

Mr Brabazon was white with fury but his voice was quiet and menacing. ‘I warn you, Rockliffe. Don’t you have a mind to call me out, as I may just be obliged to kill you this time.’ He put his hand out for Sybella and she stumbled as they left the grotto together.

The rain had eased but Sybella was shivering and her dress still wet. Mr Brabazon stripped off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. ‘I’ll take you home, my chaise is just by the main entrance.’

The fight had drained from her body and left her feeling weak and wobbly in the legs. She held onto Mr Brabazon’s arm and he slowed his pace to match hers.

‘I must let my party know.’ Her voice was fractured by her chattering teeth.

‘Don’t worry, I’ve just seen Freddie. I’ll tell him to pass on the news that you were caught in the storm and need to get home and dry immediately.’

‘Thank you for rescuing me. You seem to be making a habit of it.’ She smiled weakly.

‘I must say, I did hesitate after my last dressing down.’ He squeezed her hand, his cool grey eyes gleaming in the light of an overhead riband of coloured globes.

Sybella was struck with the oddness of it all. Mr Brabazon had a reputation for omniscience, which she had considered a self-promoted myth. ‘How did you know I was in trouble? How on earth did you find me?’ She was leaning on his arm and she gazed up, with the ghost of her mischievous self in her half-smile.

‘I was on my way back to your supper box when I saw you leave with Rockliffe.’

‘And you thought I might need rescuing?’

He chuckled. ‘It was at that point I hesitated. I know Rockliffe’s reputation better than most.’ His face became grimmer. ‘But perverse woman that you are, you had already told me you did not welcome rescue and might indeed welcome certain dangers.’

‘But you still decided to come after us?’

‘I thought it might be necessary, yes. But I lost you in the crowd. Then that lightning flash lit you up in your silver dress, laughing.’ He was suddenly withdrawn in thought. ‘The rains came down and I lost sight of you. Knowing Rockliffe, he’d pull you into one of the sheltered grottos down that walk. So I just had to check them all.’

Sybella was overtaken with incongruous hilarity. She paused as she did not have the energy to walk and laugh as freely as she longed to. ‘You must have irritated a lot of amorous couples!’ She felt so weak, her laughter was closer to a sob.

Mr Brabazon slipped his arm round her shoulder to support her better. ‘Oh, I did. But at last I found the one I was looking for.’ They had arrived at his chaise and he woke John and then settled Sybella into the carriage. After reclaiming his coat, he carefully wrapped her in a fur blanket and told John to wait for him, while he went in search of Freddie.

‘What about your companion?’ Sybella realised how exhausted she was, and her words were shivery.

‘Don’t worry about her. She came with another party and will not be expecting to be escorted home by me.’ He looked at her intently, then smiled.

The coach set off with Mr Brabazon sitting opposite Sybella. She was now so tired and cold she could barely speak and, although there was much she wanted to say, she could manage only a stuttered thank you before she laid her head back against the comfortable upholstery and closed her eyes. Mr Brabazon sat silently watching her. Her hair was bedraggled around her pale face, and she looked surprisingly young and vulnerable.

He smiled. ‘Lord Rockliffe had a bleeding ear, were you responsible for that?’

Without opening her eyes, Sybella smiled wearily. ‘Yes. I bit it.’

‘Well done, Mrs Lovatt. I was going to apologise for being so impolite as to plant Lord Rockliffe a facer when a lady was present. But now I know you’re no lady and had already inflicted violence yourself on his person.’

Despite her exhaustion, she chuckled. At last, they reached Green Street and Mr Brabazon had to almost carry Sybella from the carriage to Lady Godley’s door. He took her hand to bid her farewell. ‘May I have the pleasure of your company if I call for you tomorrow afternoon?’ She nodded her assent. Alice had been summoned and was impatient to escort her mistress up to her warm bed. Mr Brabazon kissed Sybella’s fingers and turned to go.

‘Look after her, Alice,’ he said, before running down the front steps to his waiting carriage.

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