A Deceptive Wager (Marriage by Design #3) - Ruth Ann Nordin Page 0,81

ribs, but he managed to stop her.

“What do you say?” he asked Aaron. “Do I deliver her to you, or do I take her with me and you never see her again?”

“You’re worse than I thought you were,” Kitty hissed. And her opinion of him had already been as low as she’d thought it could get.

“Any agreement with you would be meaningless,” Aaron told him. “How many other gentlemen have you deceived in the past?”

“I didn’t deceive you,” Willard said.

“You used your sister’s dowry to pay your debt.”

Kitty noticed that Aaron was slowly stepping toward her. Before Willard could notice, she made another attempt to wiggle out of his arms. The ploy worked. Willard was so busy keeping her with him that he didn’t realize Aaron had reached them until Aaron grabbed his arm so she could get away from him. She quickly darted to the other side of the veranda.

Willard swung his fist at Aaron, but Aaron ducked in time to miss him. Willard stumbled forward. He managed to regain his balance just in time for Aaron to punch him in the jaw. Willard stood still for a moment then fell into an unconscious heap in front of him.

“Well done,” Lord Edon called out behind them.

Surprised, Kitty turned toward the open doors of the veranda where Lord Edon and Mr. Robinson stood. To the side were Emilia, Benjamin, Gretchen, Michael, and a few other people she didn’t recognize.

Kitty’s cheeks warmed. She’d been so busy trying to get away from Willard that she hadn’t even realized people had been watching them.

“I’m not inclined toward marriage myself,” Lord Edon continued, “but I have to admit that I’m touched by such a display of romantic devotion, Lord Northton.”

“Yes, it was wonderful to see,” Mr. Robinson added. “If this had been in the play I watched the other night, I might not have fallen asleep from boredom.”

“What do the rest of you think?” Lord Edon asked the onlookers. “Wasn’t that an honorable thing Lord Northton did for his wife?”

He began to clap, and others followed his lead.

Kitty’s face warmed even more, and she had to turn her gaze away from them. She wasn’t used to being the center of attention, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.

Aaron went over to her and took her by the arm. “My wife has just been through an upsetting experience. She should have some time to compose herself.”

“Oh, of course,” Lord Edon said. He gestured for everyone to clear the doorway. “We’ll give you and your wife some privacy.”

Aaron waited until everyone was done stepping back before escorting Kitty into the room. She found herself edging closer to him on instinct. She thought she heard someone murmur that this incident was going to end up in the Tittletattle in the morning, but Michael and Gretchen approached them before she could give it too much thought.

“I thought once Lord Northton got to know his wife the way I did, he would realize she was worth fighting to keep.” Gretchen smiled at Aaron. “It’s a pleasant change to see you this way.”

“Yes, it is nice,” Michael agreed. “Now we don’t have to wonder if you two will kill each other without someone there to stop you.”

Gretchen chuckled and patted his arm. “I had no idea you were such a cad.”

“Well, the two did argue whenever they were together in the past,” he said. “I had a good reason to be concerned.”

“You didn’t think Lord Northton would let Lord Halloway abduct her. You knew he was going out there to rescue her.”

“I suspected, but it was hard to know for sure.”

Gretchen sighed but turned her gaze to Aaron. “I knew that you were an honorable gentleman. Michael knew it, too.”

Kitty glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention to what they were saying, but only Emilia and Benjamin were nearby. The others, thankfully, had chosen to leave them alone.

“Yes, he did know it,” Benjamin chimed in. “My uncle was greatly encouraged by how things were going when he realized you were coming by to visit Kitty under pleasant circumstances.”

“The important thing is that your brother didn’t harm you,” Emilia told Kitty. “I’m going to find the butler to make sure Willard leaves this residence.”

“I’ll come with you,” Benjamin agreed and went with her.

“I need to get out of this ballroom,” Kitty said. “I want to be somewhere quiet.”

“That’s a good idea,” Aaron replied, sounding relieved for a chance to get away from their friends’ teasing. “I’ll take you out