Page 126 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman
When she got up, her legs felt as though they belonged to someone else as she held the end curl of the banister.
‘How did he get in?’ John shouted at Finch. ‘You should not have even opened the door to him!’
‘Come upstairs.’ Edward held Caro’s arm to help her.
Mortification swept over her. They had seen how violently she had been treated and how frightened she had been.
‘He was a nasty man,’ George said to Drew as they climbed the stairs.
When they reached the landing, Caro felt too ashamed to go to the drawing room. She needed time to gather herself again, to rally and find her courage.
‘I will go to my room,’ she told the men. ‘I am sorry I hurt you, George.’
He sniffed. ‘It was the nasty man.’
‘Ask your papa to send for chocolate, that will cheer you up.’ She smiled towards him. Then looked at Drew and Edward. ‘Please excuse me.’
In her mind she ran, though in reality she walked slowly, her hip hurting where she had fallen. She felt tired now the fear had passed, but still nauseous.
In her bedchamber, she kicked off her shoes and lay down on the bed, hoping she would feel herself again after a sleep.
70
Rob was at White’s with his Uncle Robert, following a meeting with Uncle Robert’s businessman. They were celebrating. His uncle had bought Rob luncheon, because Rob now had the keys to Allington Manor in his pocket. The place that would become a home to him, Caro and their child.
Rob rubbed his leg. Too long in a chair and his thigh began to hurt. ‘I need to stretch my leg. If you will excuse me, I will walk back now.’
His uncle had met some friends and the conversation had broadened anyway.
He nodded at Rob and raised a hand.
Rob walked into the hall of the club smiling, thinking about showing Caro the keys. Then almost walked straight into Lord Kilbride.
‘The Marlow boy,’ he sneered. ‘I was looking for you earlier.’
Rob’s mind turned to a dark night and heavy blows. ‘Kilbride. Is this hall not a little light and overcrowded for you to deliver one of your messages?’
‘You cannot have her,’ Kilbride said bluntly.
‘That is not your choice.’ Rob said without looking at him as he continued walking past him. The gossip a fight in a public place would cause would only hurt Caro.
‘She will always be mine!’ he shouted.
Rob turned back, unable to stop himself. ‘She walked away from you the night you sent your thugs after me. She hates you.’
‘Robbie…’ Rob’s Uncle Robert walked into the hall.
Kilbride glared. ‘What happened to you was nothing compared to what I will do.’ He walked away.
Rob turned to leave.
His uncle caught up with him. ‘I will walk back to John’s with you. What was he speaking of? What did he do to you?’
Rob said nothing.‘What happened to you was nothing compared to what I will do.’He was unsure if he had been threatening him or Caro.
‘Your injuries… Was that attack to do with him? Those men who left you lying in the street half dead were not thieves, were they?’
‘No.’
