Sweet Rogue of Mine (The Survivors #9) - Shana Galen Page 0,96

gaze on Pru. She didn’t want to contradict the earl, but she didn’t want to agree with him either. “Might we speak alone for a moment, sir?” she asked Mr. Payne. Then she turned to the earl. “Mrs. Brown is bringing tea, my lord. She will be just a moment.”

Instead of retreating to the library or the dining room, Mr. Payne went back out the front door and closed it behind Pru. “What the devil happened?” he asked.

Pru swallowed, keeping her tears in check. How had this day gone so wrong? Everything had been going so well and now...

“The earl arrived suddenly and without warning. I think the loud noise and the shock of it triggered some sort of protective response in Mr. Pope.”

Payne nodded. “He can be jumpy on the best of days. Where is he now?”

“In his bedchamber. Clopdon is helping him dress.”

Payne’s eyes narrowed. “Why wasn’t he dressed?”

Pru didn’t answer, and Payne swore. “Bloody hell, what a fiasco. I was hoping to keep this quiet until he asked you to marry him, but now I suppose everyone will find out.”

“What did you say?” Pru all but shrieked, reaching out to grasp the door frame so as not to fall over.

“You heard me. Did you think Nash would just...er—bed you and then put you aside? He’s not that sort. He might not know it yet, but he’ll ask you to marry him.”

He might not know it yet...

“You mean, you’ll force him to ask me.”

Payne laughed. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but no one forces Pope to do anything. He wants to marry you. He either hasn’t realized it yet or has some asinine reason for waiting to ask. Probably something to do with honor.”

“He’s afraid I won’t be safe with him,” Pru said quietly.

“Yes, something like that. I’m sure the events of this evening will do nothing to reassure him.”

“The earl will surely send him to an asylum now,” Pru said.

“Let me worry about that. You had better go home. It will be dark soon, and the vicar will begin to worry.”

“But I can’t leave him,” Pru said. “He needs me.”

Payne gave her a sympathetic look. “I’d rather you stayed as well, but the earl just found you in bed with his son. He isn’t likely to think of you as more than a...well, he isn’t likely to think very highly of you at the moment. I’ll deal with him and with Nash. Do you need a horse or cart to take you back? I can see if we have a groom to ready a vehicle.”

“No,” Pru said. “Go back in and help Nash. I don’t mind the walk. In fact, I can use a walk to clear my head now.”

Payne nodded. “Come back tomorrow. I’ll have everything in hand by then.”

Pru nodded and watched Mr. Payne go back inside. She stood outside, as usual. She was always on the outside, so it was a familiar feeling even if she understood the need for it tonight. She’d return in the morning, and all she could do was hope that Nash wouldn’t be taken away in the middle of the night.

Twenty

Nash paused outside the parlor. His throat felt tight—partly because Clopdon had tied his cravat within an inch of its life and partly because he could hear his father railing behind the parlor door.

“My lord, this is not a time to make hasty decisions.” That was the low, calm voice of Rowden.

“Hasty! My son pointed a pistol at my head. I think the time to drag one’s feet has long since passed.” That was the angry bark of his father.

“Sir,” Clopdon said from behind him. “You must go inside now. They are waiting for you.”

Nash turned back to the door.

“My lord, what happened was unfortunate—”

“Unfortunate! Mr. Payne, I have given you plenty of time to take control of the situation. What is unfortunate is that my son cannot be controlled. He is a danger to others and himself. He must be taken away.”

Nash held out a hand toward Clopdon, who he could feel still standing behind him.

“Sir?” Clopdon said, pretending he didn’t know what Nash wanted.

Nash snapped his fingers and finally Clopdon placed his pistol in his hands. The weight of it was instantly reassuring, even though Nash knew the valet had emptied it of balls and powder. Nash put the pistol in his pocket and pushed the door open.

As soon as he entered, all conversation ceased. Nash wished he could see the faces of the two men