as he attempted to rein in his emotions and focus on what he had learned. Until now, the only man he’d fought was his instructor.
“I say, he’s actually good,” Ben said as Daniel lunged. “I’ve never seen anyone the equal of Finn and Alex, but Daniel has excellent technique.”
“Feet, young Dillinger, use them!” Will demanded.
His shirt soon stuck to him, and Finn was no better. They lunged and parried, and he used everything he’d learned at the hand of Pierre; it was not good enough. Finn was better, and in the one instance Daniel let his guard down, the other man took advantage and struck home. His heart thudded hard inside his chest as he looked at the marquess with a great deal more respect than he’d had when he’d entered the building.
“Well done.” He took the hand Finn held out to him. “We must do this again, and I know Alex will want to challenge you also. I can’t remember enjoying a match more than that one.”
“Except when you fight me,” Alex drawled, handing Daniel a cloth to wipe the sweat from his brow. Finn grunted something by way of reply.
“And now, as you are breathing like a runaway bull, I shall take on Alex and whip him also,” Finn said, smiling. “Sit and watch, young Dillinger.”
“He likes to throw around orders,” Will said, waving Daniel to take a seat again.
He watched and learned as the marquess fought his brother, and he realized he was enjoying himself. Could he come here again? Could he do this with these people? Part of him wanted to, and yet the part of himself he kept safe didn’t. Only in a work capacity did he put himself in a position for someone of noble birth to belittle him, but rarely out of it.
Abby slipped into his head again. Any connection with her would put them both in the path of people who believed they knew better. Daniel would not allow either of them to suffer through that.
Chapter 15
One thing her short time in society had taught her was how to hide behind a cool facade. It didn’t always work, but today it must. So much emotion could not be good for a person. After her confrontation with Daniel, she’d returned to Dimity and the others, hoping she could keep the despair from her face. Her friend had given her one look and realized all had not gone as it should have. Dimity had then chatted, laughed, and generally annoyed Mrs. Secomb, which she truly excelled at, so Abby was left alone with her dark thoughts.
“What did he do to you?” Dimity had whispered as she hugged Abby goodbye when they had returned to the carriage.
Abby had said only that Mr. Dillinger had expressed his disappointment that she’d deceived him. She wasn’t ready to share any details about that kiss yet or the words they’d spoken.
And lord, what a kiss. The feel of his lips pressed to hers had been so different than the other kiss they’d shared. She’d tasted his desperation, as he had hers, she was sure. Unrequited love had never been something Abby thought to experience, and in truth never wanted to. All those poems about people weeping and wailing for what they could not have had, quite frankly, seemed a great waste of time. Not that she loved Daniel, or he her, but still, for the first time her in life she understood what it was to want to be close to a person when they did not wish the same.
“Are you well, my lady? You sighed.”
“I am, thank you, Mrs. Secomb.”
Daniel of course had every right to be angry with her; she had lied to him. Not a small lie, either, this was an extraordinarily large one, if she was being honest with herself, which she always tried to be. Had their roles been reversed, she doubted she’d react any differently than him.
She should have told him before her brothers confronted him. The result may have been the same, but still the words would have come from her lips.
As they rolled to a stop before the townhouse, Abby wondered if she could simply go to her room and lose herself in a book. A day spent reading and wallowing in self-pity would do wonders for her sagging spirits.
The carriage door opened, and the footman she’d thought would be there was in fact two of her brothers. Gabriel and Michael.
“That will be all for now, Mrs. Secomb. We are taking