Page 86 of Teach a Rogue New Tricks
Lucas raised both brows and straightened his cravat, his waistcoat, his jacket cuffs. “I’ve known Ada since we were children. You’re obviously a new acquaintance. You don’t know anything. I suggest you remove yourself from the conversation. Or I’ll remove you.”
Nora sighed, slipped her hand into her pocket. “Do you know what I have in here?”
Oh God, Cass knew. Ada had told him. Her sister carried a pistol. But to a ballroom? Obviously. Cavendish women did things their own way.
Lucas’s face contorted into a look of distaste, as if he’d gotten a whiff of one of Daniel’s dirty nappies. “Surely you’ve left the guns at home, Miss Cavendish. Always a hoyden.”
Nora’s hand jerked away from her pocket, and she crossed her arms over her chest, as if protecting herself. Verbal bullets hurt, too. “I’m glad Ada’s not marryingyou.”
Lucas sighed, the sound of a man dealing with imbeciles, and ran a hand through his hair, slicking it to his skull. “I say again, shemustmarry me. She’s no choice in the matter. I allowed this little London trip because your father wished it, but both she and I know the truth. We must marry.”
“I don’t see why,” Nora said.
Cass knew why the man thought as he did. But none of that mattered because Ada did not wish to marry Lucas.
Lucas sneered at Cass. “If you knew what I know, you would agree with me.”
Cass sneered right back. “Not bloody likely.”
Nora looked wistfully into the ballroom. “I’d like to be done with this little farce, so I’ll tell you both where you can find my sister. But only because it will do neither of you any good.”
“What do you mean?” Cass asked.
“She’s on a ship. On her way to France.”
“She’s what?” Lucas exploded. “Why would she do that? She must come back immediately!”
“She did it because she wanted to,” Nora said. “Our father’s assistants had to make an unexpected departure. Not until morning, but Ada was eager to board. I think she merely wished to avoid the crush tonight. Who knew balls were such a bore. Except for this bit. One can always count on men in love to do stupid things.”
Cass shook his head. “You’re saying Ada is on a boat. At this very moment. Heading to France.”
Nora shrugged. “Papa is not in the practice of denying her anything.” She walked her fingers across the air. “So it’s off to France with Ada!”
Cass laughed. His heart dropped in jagged pieces around his feet, but damn, wasn’t Miss Ada Cavendish magnificent? She wanted adventure, and she took it.
“Good for her,” Cass said. “Damned good for her.” He laughed some more.
“Cass.”
His brother’s voice broke through Cass’s hilarity. Damn. How long had he been there? He’d forgotten he’d made a scene and that his brother, his entire family, had been there to witness it.Shite. Cass waited for the guilt and the self-loathing to creep through the soles of his feet, up his spine, and into the soul of his heart.
But it didn’t come. He’d done nothing wrong tonight. Nothing he regretted, anyway. And he didn’t need Bax’s instruction on how to feel about it. The only thing he needed was… Ada. And not so she could heal him or some other load of bollocks. But so he could give as much of himself to her as a lifetime would allow.
“Right,” Cass said, turning to Nora. “I assume your father has details of her voyage.”
Nora’s eyes shifted left then right then she simply said, “Yes?”
“Good. I’ll be off to find him.”
Bax stopped him, putting a hand to his chest. “What is going on here?”
“I’m in love, brother, but the woman in question has left the country. Or plans to. So, I’m off to see if she’ll let me follow her.”
Bax looked up into the night sky. His toe tapped on the stone balcony. When he dropped his gaze, his grin stretched wide and true. “Do you need any help? I have friends at the docks.”
“That would be brilliant, brother, simply brilliant.” Cass felt like laughing again.
Cass turned to the ballroom and immediately found the tall baron with the white-gold hair. “There he is.” He surged into the room, Bax right behind him. The ballroom had broken into little pockets of outraged conversation after Cass’s destruction of the scene, and they stood next to the baron in a few strides.
