Page 83 of The Baron Takes a Bet
“Clara, will you watch over Katrina and see her home? I have to go.”
“Of course—”
“Go where?” Gavin said, cutting his shoulder in front of Clara. “What’s going on?”
She wanted to ignore him and pretend he wasn’t even there, but she knew he wouldn’t allow that—and she didn’t want her family to be the cause of yetanotherscene. Instead, she inhaled slowly and stared him square in the eye, ignoring the pain she felt in her chest.
“Jasper is being tossed out and I’ve no doubt he’s going to get himself killed in a duel.”
“Stay here,” Gavin said instantly, but her hand grabbed his sleeve, and he stopped.
“I don’t want your help.”
The weight of her words stalled him, and Holly was grateful that Clara had moved away. Holly could feel the frustration and hurt rolling off Gavin as he stared at her, his eyes confused.
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t want your help,” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper as they spoke in the crowded room. “Mr. Mannion told me about the sale.”
He had the nerve to appear confused.
“What sale?”
“Of Felton Manor. Do not deny it. He said you and Jasper had a conversation about it and papers were being drawn up.”
Realization dawned on his face. So, he did know what she was talking about? A tiny part of her had hoped she was wrong and that Mr. Mannion had misunderstood somehow… but it appeared those hopes were in vain.
“You don’t deny it?” she said, even knowing he wouldn’t.
“Holly, let me explain.”
She turned away from him, too hurt to be in his presence. She needed to leave, to find whomever Jasper offended and apologize to him so that she might still have a brother by morning.
She made it to the front entrance quickly and overheard a large, barrel-chested man with salt and pepper whiskers make fuming remarks on Jasper.
“Devil of a lad, that one,” he huffed, brushing off the invisible dust off his sleeves.
“Who is he?” someone else asked.
“A pest. He caused some trouble at White’s recently. Thankfully, he was thrown out.”
“More like Clemet Club material.”
“No doubt.”
Holly bit her lip. Clemet Club was widely known as a troublesome place. Raids were conducted there almost weekly, and it was often reported in theTimesthat only the most desperate men would find themselves in such a place.
She moved past the gentlemen and quickly informed a footman that she wished for her carriage to be brought around. To her amazement, Gavin didn’t pursue her, and by the time she was outside, waiting for her carriage, she had concluded that he hadn’t ever really cared for her or her family. But then, why would he? Theirs was a marriage of convenience, a trick they both fell into.
A tear rolled down Holly’s cheek as she set out on her search for her brother. She had foolishly let herself believe that some sort of fate or magic had brought Gavin into her life when it had simply been chance. There was nothing genuine between them, and as her carriage pulled away into the night, she prayed she be able to find her brother—and bury her broken heart in her search.
Chapter Eighteen
Gavin stared afterHolly as she left the ballroom. Every instinct screamed for him to go after her, but she was apparently eager to be out of his presence and he had no wish to upset her further. Not when she had already seemed near the point of tears when telling him that Jasper had contacted Mannion about selling Felton Manor.
Bloody hell. He would right this. If necessary, he would buy the bloody manor himself and gift it to her. But what was most pressing at the moment wasn’t Holly’s temper. No, it was her brother’s life.
Turning, he saw Clara, who had done a fine job of pretending to disappear while he and Holly had spoken in hushed tones.
