A Duke in the Night(73)

“My sensibilities survived.” He met Clara’s gaze over her shoulder. “They might even have learned something along the way.”

Clara looked down, feeling the heat creep into her cheeks. She was also avoiding the gaze of both Harland and Rose, who were both staring at her in silent contemplation.

“Oh, good,” Theo said. “Shall we see if dinner’s almost ready?”

“Indeed,” Tabitha agreed. “The girls are already waiting for us in the dining room.” Tabitha joined her sister, linking her arm through Theo’s.

August made his way farther into the hall with the appropriate greetings, returned happily by Tabby and, as promised, pleasantly by Harland and Rose. He hung back until the four others had preceded him and extended his arm to Clara. “I’ve been looking forward to this all evening,” he murmured.

“Dinner?”

“More like the dessert.”

Clara blushed again. Bloody hell, but she felt sixteen years old.

His hand caressed the skin on her forearm, sending shivers of anticipation dancing through her body. “Do you suppose we can skip dinner altogether?” he whispered. “Do you think anyone would notice?”

“They might.” Clara swallowed with difficulty, a pulsing desire pooling low in her belly.

“I can’t get enough of you. And I can’t stand the wait—”

“What are you two whispering about back there?” Rose asked, turning to look behind her suspiciously.

“I was just telling Miss Hayward how much I was looking forward to this evening,” he said smoothly. August stopped at the doorway, his eyes scanning the dining room, where the chatter of seven young women filled every nook and cranny. “Where is Anne?” he asked, turning to Clara.

Clara frowned. Anne and Phoebe were both missing. “Perhaps they are late for dinner.”

“Who’s late?” Tabby had stopped and turned as well.

“Anne and Phoebe.”

“That’s odd,” said the woman. “Those two are usually so punctual.”

“I’m sure they just lost track of time,” Clara said, though a strange trepidation was starting to blossom in her gut. “I’ll have one of the footmen go up to their rooms to see if they’re there.”

“I’ll go,” said Rose, sliding past Clara and giving August a long look. “It’ll be faster.” She disappeared back the way they had come.

“I haven’t seen Anne since this afternoon,” Tabby said. “Right after Mr. Stilton dropped you off from your drive.”

Clara went completely still. “I beg your pardon?”

“When you came back from your drive with that horribly dressed Mr. Stilton. He may be a friend of yours, but I declare that man is completely color blind. I saw Anne and Phoebe talking to him out on the driveway.”

“Mr. Stilton did not drive me back to Avondale,” Clara said carefully, afraid that, if she let herself consider the full implications of what Tabby had said, she might give in to panic. “His Grace did.”

“When was this?” August demanded in a voice that Clara had never heard him use. “When was he here?”

Tabby paled slightly at his tone. “I don’t know. Perhaps three?”

“Did my sister get in the carriage with him?”

Tabby blinked. “I don’t know. I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure. I just saw them briefly out the hall window. Miss Phoebe had that doctor’s bag of hers. I just assumed Miss Hayward was there—”

“Miss Hayward was not there,” August said so quietly that Clara barely heard him.

“Why did Holloway bring you home, Clara?” This time it was Harland who spoke in a voice that sent fingers of ice down her spine.

Again it was August who answered. “Mr. Stilton expressed his desire to…further his friendship with your sister. He did not take her refusal well.”

“What did he do to you, Clara?” Harland’s face was like granite, and his fists were curled at his sides.

She felt her face burn in mortification and anger. “He tried to…kiss me and—”

“That was all he tried. I made sure he didn’t have a chance to try anything else,” August snarled.

Harland’s eyes pinned August in fury. “And you’re telling me this now?”

“I told him not to,” Clara snapped. “It was handled. And it’s none of your business.”

Her brother turned. “None of my business?” he growled. “I beg to differ.”

“Your Lordship?” This came from the butler who was now standing at the door looking harassed. “There is a…boy here who says he needs to—”

He was cut off by the sudden appearance of Jonas, who skidded into the hall. The butler made a grab for him, but August waved him off. The boy’s eyes were a little wild until they lighted on August.

“There’s a bloke who has yer sister, sir,” he sputtered, a little out of breath.

“What?” August asked, frowning fiercely.

“Miss Anne. The one who works at the Swan.” He blinked at the expression on August’s face. “She said it was our secret, her bein’ yer sister an’ working there an’ all.” The words were tumbling out of his mouth at a torrential rate. “But this bloke, he had a gun. I figured she’d want you to know.”