Benedict's Challenge - Carole Mortimer Page 0,46

certificate.”

Gordon’s face went white, then took on a grayish tinge, as if it had finally dawned upon him that his past and present actions could, and would, result in him serving a long prison sentence. “She is a willful and disobedient child and—”

“Chloe is not a child,” Benedict snapped. “Nor, where you are going, will she be any of your concern.”

“You— I— She—” Gordon leveled his vindictive gaze upon Chloe. “Your mother was a harlot who lured my brother into—” His words ended abruptly as Benedict, no longer able to tolerate the older man deliberately hurting Chloe, landed a punch upon the shorter man’s jaw.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head, the blow having knocked his head back against the wall behind him, before he slowly slid down to land on the floor in a crumpled and unconscious heap.

Chapter Sixteen

One week later,

Bayliss House, London

“Lord Benedict Winter, my lady,” Cotton, the butler of Chloe’s Aunt and Uncle Bayliss, announced evenly.

Chloe’s heart gave a leap at the knowledge Benedict was here.

At last.

Because she had last seen Benedict a week ago, when he delivered her here the morning after that scene at Club Venus.

Her step-uncle had been removed from Club Venus by two burly policemen who had been brought there by Mr. Glover. Lord Gordon had been locked away ever since, awaiting trial and sentencing by a judge. Mr. Glover had assured Chloe that, with the testimony of Lord Winter, the Earl of Andover, and Lord Metford, it would be a very long time until Lord Gordon once again saw the light of day. That legal gentleman had also ensured Chloe’s inheritance was returned to her from Lord Gordon’s vast bank account.

Chloe was now a very wealthy young lady.

And she had never felt so miserable in her life.

It had been a long but productive week. A time during which she had been tearfully reunited with her aunt and uncle. Once Chloe was recovered enough from her ordeal, her aunt had taken her out to the shops to order a dozen dresses to be made and to buy pretty things to complement them. A maid had been engaged to assist Chloe with styling her hair and caring for those gowns and accessories, to make her ready for when she was presented into Society on Saturday and also to ensure Chloe was appropriately dressed to visit her aunt and uncle’s friends and to be included on the evenings they entertained at home.

Yes, it had been a very busy seven days—and Chloe had missed seeing Benedict for every single minute of every one of them!

She knew from staying with him at the Winter estate in Surrey that Benedict was a busy man, and no doubt the demands on his time in London were even higher.

Nevertheless, Chloe would have welcomed even a brief letter from him asking after her welfare and perhaps informing her as to his own health and that of his friends. But there had been nothing. No note, and certainly no visit from him.

But he was here now!

Part of Chloe was so excited, she could barely breathe, and the other half of her was furious with him for having just delivered her here and then, for all intents and purposes, abandoned her. As far as he knew, her aunt and uncle might be even crueler guardians to her than Henry Gordon had been.

They were not, of course, but Benedict had no way of knowing that.

“Send His Lordship in, Cotton,” her aunt instructed as she rose to her feet, the two women having been occupied with their embroidery. “I do not believe you need me here, so I am going to leave you and Lord Winter alone to talk.” She smiled when Chloe gasped at this flouting of the social etiquette that an unmarried man and woman should not be left alone together. “The two of you traveled here quite alone on the morning he delivered you to us. I believe the two of you might be alone again here now,” her aunt teased at Chloe’s surprise.

She felt the warmth of the blush entering her cheeks, because in the past, she and Benedict had done so much more than simply be alone together. Her aunt and uncle had not asked her about the time she had spent under Benedict’s care, but it would seem they had drawn their own conclusions nevertheless.

Except Chloe was so nervous at seeing Benedict again, she didn’t know how to be alone with him. “Please, Aunt, do not—”

“Lord Winter,