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“She’s leaving already?”
Lady Rosalind shrugged. “We do have a long trip ahead of us tomorrow, after all.”
Alarm splintered his composure. “What long trip?”
She looked surprised. “Didn’t she tell you? We received word this afternoon that my sister Helena has had her baby—a little boy. The three of us leave tomorrow for Swan Park, where Helena has been staying during her confinement.”
“Blast it all!”
“If you hurry, you might catch Juliet before she leaves the ball. It will take some time for the carriage to be brought.”
He started to race off without a word, then caught himself. “Thank you, madam.” Taking Lady Rosalind’s hand, he brushed a quick kiss to the back of it. “You’ve always been a friend to me. For that, I’ll be forever grateful.”
When he glanced up to see Knighton bearing down on them, he beat a hasty retreat. As he headed for the entrance hall, his heart began to pound. Juliet hadn’t even mentioned that they were leaving town. That didn’t bode well for him.
By thunder, what if he had pushed her too far at last? What if he’d lost her with his refusal to consider her earnest request? Or worse still, what if she turned to another man? By putting a stop to the gossip, Sebastian had certainly made it easy for her to find someone else.
In a flash, he saw her ten years from now—married to some respectable dolt like Havering, with a lot of little dolt Haverings running about. And he saw himself at Charnwood all alone, except for the occasional visit from his wild brother.
He might not even get that, at the rate Morgan was going. If he did manage to save Morgan’s hide this time, how long would it last? Until the next time the rascal took up with pirates? Or went spying for the Home Office or the navy?
In the meantime, Sebastian would be alone, always alone, remembering that he’d let the one woman he’d ever wanted walk away.
The thought made his throat close up. He couldn’t lose her—it was unthinkable!
He hastened his steps to the entrance hall and nearly collapsed with relief to see her still waiting there.
But she wasn’t alone. Havering was with her.
“Really, my lord,” she was telling the mooncalf in a polite, but firm tone, “I don’t need you to accompany me home. You only now arrived, and besides, it would be most improper. So if you’ll just leave me be, I will call for my brother-in-law’s carriage—”
“But there are footpads and nasty sorts about. You shouldn’t go alone. I’ll fetch my sister to go with us if that’ll make you feel better. She’s playing cards tonight, too.”
“Then I should hate to ruin her evening,” Juliet said sweetly.
“Oh, she won’t mind, I’m sure—” he began.
“Havering, what are you doing here?” Sebastian barked as he stepped forward. “I thought you were at the cockfight.”
“I was, but it was a dull ’un, not a’tall what you said it would be. So I came here and found Lady Juliet pleading a headache and heading off for home all by herself.”
“I’ll take care of accompanying Lady Juliet home.”
Juliet glared at him. “Nobody is accompanying me home.”
Turning to a footman, Sebastian ordered his own carriage brought round.
“Now see here,” Havering protested, “if anybody’s taking the lady home, it’s me.”
“As she said, that would be improper,” Sebastian growled.
“No more than for you to take her—” Havering began.
“Listen, Havering, you don’t want to provoke a man who handles pistols well, not with your checkered experience.”
Havering blinked at the sudden change of subject, then colored. “I…um…don’t know what you mean exactly.”
“I’d be happy to show you what I mean at dawn tomorrow if you’re so inclined.”
