Bound by Bliss (Bound and Determined #2)(98)

“So what’d you do witsh her?” a slurred voice asked.

Duldon turned his head. Lord Temple. What a bother. The man never had been able to hold his liquor or his temper. He seemed to spend his life wanting to be somebody he was not. Duldon did not have the time to spend on this now.

He started to turn away. “Pardon me.”

Instead Temple grabbed his arm, his fingers mashing the heavy fabric. “You always were too good to sharesh. Even in school you got the besht.” The slur had grown worse.

“Forgive me, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have business I must attend to.”

“You know damn wellsh know what I am talking about. Only one type of business a man takes care of at Madame Rouge’s. And with Blissh. I always liked Blissh. Wasn’t nice of you to tell me to stay away. Well-named our Blissh is. And now thish.”

A dull roar began behind Duldon’s eyes. “I don’t know what you are referring to.”

“No use pretending. It’s not like she has a reputation to protect. She is a Dansher.”

Duldon turned and stared down at the younger man. “I suggest you forget anything you think you’ve seen this night. You are quite mistaken.”

Temple laughed, leaning back against the balustrade. “I don’t think so. It’sh not like it’sh the first time I’ve seen her here—only the first time I’ve shampled the wares. She does like to lead a man on a chase, does Blissh. She almost makes a man believe she doesn’t want it but we know better, don’t we?”



The roar became an inferno. “Where is Bliss?” Temple could not mean what Duldon feared that he did, could he? Had he brought Bliss into far more danger than he realized? That had been Bliss he’d seen running out, hadn’t it? The fire in his brain warred with the ice that formed in his belly.

“Don’t you know? You mean she’sh escaped us both? And just when the fun was beginning.” Temple gave way to a nervous giggle.

“What have you done to Bliss? Have you hurt her?”

Temple’s giggles continued.

Duldon’s fist connected with Temple’s nose, stopping the laughter.

Temple staggered back, blood pouring from his nose, a look of amazement staining his face before pain took over. “What did you do that for? It’s not like she’s a virgin.”

The other fist came up, another blow—and then another. Temple tried to throw one punch and then slid to his knees. “You alwaysh were a bastard, Duldon.”

“I don’t think I am the bastard in this situation and from what I know of your mother, you’ve always been one. Now tell me what you’ve done to Bliss. Where is she?” He should have gotten answers from Temple before he’d let his fists fly, but clear thought had not been his first response. “What have you done?”

“Don’t you know?” Temple slid farther down until he sat in a broken pile on the stairs, leaning back against the wall. “Thish really is too funny.”



Duldon failed to see any humor in the situation and he doubted that Temple would either once he sobered up enough to feel the pain and to realize that his nose would never be straight again. “If I did know I would not be asking you. What did you do to her?”

“Not as much as I’d have liked to. The bloody chit left before I’d done little more than have a bit of a feel. I didn’t even get to try the toys on her. I should have done that before anything else. It’s not fair. Why did she leave before I got to play? I’ve been waiting for a chance to play. Did you take her?” He shook his head. “No, you’d have her if you’d taken her and not be asking me. It’sh all because the bloody maid didn’t bring the brandy. Why didn’t she bring the brandy? Do you think I should punish her? Is the maid pretty, do you know? It’sh so unfair.”

Duldon didn’t know whether to give the man a further beating or to simply pick him up and toss him in the gutter. He doubted either would have much effect.

This whole night was turning into a bloody nightmare. How could something that had begun so well end so badly?

And what had happened? Had Lady Perse truly just driven by in the small hours of the morning and whisked Bliss away in her carriage? It barely bore thinking about.

He stared down at Temple for one more moment, then with a determined step turned to head for home.

Bliss had agreed to marry him. He would concentrate on that.

If Bliss was with his aunt, with Lady Perse, and despite the seeming impossibility of the situation he was sure that she was, she was certainly safe—although he wasn’t sure about himself if Bliss should reveal the whole story. He feared very little in the world, but Lady Perse just might be the exception.



—

Lady Perse stared out the window for a moment as the carriage began to pull away, her expression arrested, her white hair nearly glowing in the lamplight. “Now, isn’t this interesting. Not at all what I thought. Duldon and you, both at Madame Rouge’s. Could it really be? I know Ruby hinted that she needed to talk to me, but this I never imagined,” she murmured quietly, clearly expecting no answer. And how did she know about Ruby?

Bliss huddled back on the seat, wishing that she could disappear into the upholstery. She could only hope that no one had seen her flee into the night. Could she have escaped that, only to face ruin anyway? Not that it mattered once Temple talked—although what could he say? He was not exactly going to announce what he’d been doing this evening.