He waved that aside. “More because she…lost interest. I don’t think I was who she expected me to be. For my part, I found her not to be as thoughtful as I had originally imagined.”
“Perhaps she thought you were rich because you are a gentleman. A Hungarian nobleman who is also a hero is quite an exotic prize to show off to friends.”
“She never introduced me to friends,” he said impatiently. “But if I am the foreign gentleman, whose baby was she carrying?”
“I don’t know, but the maids told me her pregnancy was not far advanced. It must have been someone she met after you. In fact, she probably lost interest in you because she met him.”
“Possible,” Dragan said doubtfully, adjusting his course to stay parallel with Annabelle’s party. “Did her friends have no clue as to his identity? Even a first name? A hair color?”
“None that they told me. But I don’t believe they ever met him, and Nancy seems to have been very secretive for such a talkative girl. I had no idea of her interest in politics or social problems.”
“I had the impression she was curious,” Dragan offered. “A little like you. But I never discovered what, if anything, was behind it.”
“Flirting, probably.”
He glanced at her in surprised amusement. “Why would you think that?”
“My dear sir, we women are all but trained to look interested in whatever you men are talking about and to ask questions to encourage you.”
“Alas, we are sadly easy to manipulate,” he agreed without obvious offense. “However, while you might be taught that is the way to catch a desirable husband, I imagine Nancy’s education was a little more practical.”
Griz thought about that for a little, before her mind jumped back, and she said abruptly, “I hope you did not mind Annabelle’s questions. She did not mean to be rude. Or to flirt.”
“I know. She was trying to find out if she needed to protect you from me. And since we have fallen further behind, we should—”
Without warning, something catapulted out of the trees on their right and cannoned straight into Dragan, knocking him to the ground.
Chapter Six
Frozen, Griz could only watch in astonishment as an anguished, furious man reared up, raising his fist, clearly ready to smash it down on Dragan’s face. Sudden recognition broke her paralysis, even as Vicky snarled and tugged forward.
Griz clung to the lead. “Jack Payne, don’t you dare!”
She didn’t even have to shout, for he was barely a foot away from her. His head jerked round, eyes widening in horror, even as Dragan heaved beneath him, throwing him off. Jack went with the momentum, leaping off and bolting for the trees.
Before Griz could say a word, Dragan sprang to his feet and gave chase like a hound after a fox.
“Oh, the devil!” Griz muttered. She spared the time only to glance at Annabelle’s group, some yards parallel to her and a little ahead. None of them were looking in her direction. She walked quickly toward the trees with Vicky, trying to appear casual to any observers.
In the admittedly feeble cover of the trees, she broke into a run, but they were not difficult to find. Dragan had caught up with the shorter but burlier Jack, dragging him around to face him. Jack swung a wild punch, which Dragan easily dodged, then caught Jack’s wrist as the next blow descended. There was a flurry of skidding feet, and Dragan twisted. He held the furious Jack immobile with one arm wrenched up his back.
“Move, and I’ll break it,” Dragan said shortly. His gaze fell on Griz.
She advanced, holding her skirts clear of the mud. “I thought you cavalrymen fought on horseback.”
“Not always. You know this man?”
“Jack Payne. His father is one of our Sussex tenants. We played together as children. At one time, he and Nancy had an understanding.”
Dragan did not relax his hold, although the hard look on his face vanished.
Griz addressed her old playmate. “If Mr. Tizsa releases you, will you talk without fighting?”
Panting, Jack stared at her, then looked away and nodded.
Dragan released him without stepping back. His erstwhile captive shook himself.
“What are you doing in London, Jack?” Griz demanded.
“I came to see Nancy,” Jack muttered. “Make her see sense. But when I got to the house, they told me she was dead, killed by some foreigner that you knew. I found out his name, where he lived, and I followed him here.” He glared at Dragan. “I never knew you were with him