Page 22
Chapter Nine
Their carriage joined the line of others in front of the Boutwell estate, and Grant glanced outside to see how much longer it would be before reaching the entrance. Meanwhile, the wealthy widow, Lady Melinda Gardiner, scrutinized him. Tall and willowy, she remained a beautiful woman and was well aware of it.
“I hear you were in attendance at Lucinda Roberts’ last soiree.” Her pale green gaze met his.
“I was.” He’d made it a rule not to lie to his benefactresses. If anything, he was brutally honest to ensure they could not later state he’d taken advantage of them in any manner.
Her lips pursed. “Is it true? About the frivolity that occurs?”
“What you have heard is true,” he replied lazily, not caring that he confirmed rumors. If the woman asked, it was because she already suspected or knew.
He met her gaze. “Why do you ask?”
“I am not sure to approve of your participation in such… distasteful things.” She lifted her pert nose. “Do you not care about your reputation? Or not wish to be held in high regard?”
He almost laughed. Instead, he allowed himself only a soft smile. “I am a well-known rogue, my dear. My tarnished reputation did not keep you away. Honestly, I do not care about the regard of others.”
Instead of a verbal reply, she arched a perfectly-shaped brow. “You should care. In this world, one’s standing in society counts for much.”
By the time they’d arrived at the entrance, Grant had lost any desire to go inside. Instead, he wished to be home reading, or even having a tooth extracted, instead of facing the myriad of false morality and judgement inside.
“Would it bother you greatly if I leave after escorting you inside?” he asked his companion who visibly tensed. “I will not be good company tonight. Besides, you may not wish to be seen with someone of my reputation tonight.”
The woman’s cold gaze raked over him. “You are not as important as you think you are. You have a handsome face and make for an attractive companion, but you are not much more than an accessory. Do not bother yourself with walking inside with me.” Just as she was assisted out of her carriage, she turned to him one last time. “Never contact me again!” With that, she hurried into the ball.
Grant sat back against the cushion of the carriage feeling lighter than he had in a long time. He looked out to speak to the driver. “Take me to The Grant.”
Maybe he’d find at least one of his friends there.
He peered out of the window and saw a woman dash around a corner, and spotted two men in pursuit of her. Wren! What was she doing out at night, alone? He immediately hit the roof of the carriage with his fist. When it came to a stop, he called up to the driver. “Follow them. The ones chasing after the woman.”
The carriage jolted forward, and he clung to the squibs when he almost fell sideways. It didn’t matter; he only wanted to catch up to the men and stop them. In moments, the carriage had pulled alongside the men, and Grant leaned out of the window. “Halt at once!” he called to them.
Unfortunately, the carriage driver mistook this for a command and stopped the carriage. Grant had no choice but to jump out and run after the men when they rounded the carriage and continued after Wren.
He gave chase, the carriage suddenly rumbling alongside. “Sir, what are you doing?” the driver called down. “Do you know them?”
“Go up and collect the girl,” he shouted, just as the two men stopped and turned to face him.
When Grant held his fists up and prepared to fight, they grinned.
“A dandy like you will not be much of a challenge,” one said.
The other shrugged. “It will be fun, at least.”
With a flurry of swings they advanced, and Grant was glad to note that neither was much of a fighter. Thankfully, he’d often trained with Miles, a fan of boxing. As a result, he was able to get a couple of good hits in. An uppercut to the first opponent brought a howl of pain as the man covered his nose, blood streaming down his chin. The other received a punch to his stomach, followed by a second to the side of his face.
When the second one doubled over, the first charged toward Grant. He jumped sideways, punching the man’s side as he lost his balance.
A furious, high-pitched growl made him turn to the second man just as Wren appeared from behind him, holding a brick in both hands. She slammed it across the back of the man’s head. Before Grant could catch his breath, he was hit from behind by the first man who’d fallen and obviously gotten back up.
“Sir,” the driver called out breathlessly as he left the carriage and hurried to them. Then all went black.
*
Wren wasn’t surewhat to do. She had to get the doctor to see about Laurel’s aunt, and now she had a barely conscious man across from her in a carriage that didn’t belong to her.
The driver hadn’t seemed worried about Grant as he’d helped him into the carriage. “He will wake up with a headache, but he’ll be fine,” the man had told her.
