Page 90 of A Rake's Redemption
Caroline shook her head. “She cannot do that.”
“This is beyond silly,” Alex said. “I will not let her leave without seeing me.”
“I am afraid you’re too late.”
Alex frowned. “What do you mean?”
“The Duke of Kildare arrived last night and left with her this morning.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Alex stared at Caroline, not sure his ears were working. Maybe his hangover was worse than he’d thought. “The duke washere? Why did you not send word to me?”
Caroline lifted one brow. “I did. Evans told my footman you were not home and he did not expect you until the early hours of the morning.”
Alex groaned. While he was carousing—no,notcarousing—washing away his pain with liquor, he’d missed a chance to talk with the duke. Now he remembered seeing an envelope on the salver by the entryway as he left. He’d assumed it was yet another invitation to some event. “If your father invited the duke to spend the night here, why did you not sent a second note this morning?” He frowned at Caroline, knowing he sounded petulant, but damn it. She should have known…
“There was no point since the duke did not spend the night here,” she replied, oblivious to both Alex’s glowering and his tone. “Perhaps you should sit.”
He sank back onto his chair. “You have more bad news?”
Caroline took a chair across from him. “The duke wanted the magistrate called to have you arrested for keeping Inis as enslaved labor.”
“Enslaved? What the bloody—”
“I know.” Caroline held up one hand for silence. “Inis explained, or at least she tried to, that she had come into your employ as a result of a card game.”
“I am sure that went over well,” Alex said.
“It did not. Apart from being angry that Inis had run away, the duke said you should have returned her immediately.”
“How the bloody… Sorry.” Alex took a deep breath. “How was I supposed to know who she was? She wasn’t exactly forthcoming with that information.”
“Inis explained that, too,” Caroline replied. “Her uncle did not care. He said you should have recognized she was no street urchin and made every effort to find out who she was.”
Alex grimaced. “I suppose he has a point in that.”
“I tried to tell him that Inis was very convincing in her…er, perceived role. That didn’t matter to him, either, even when Inis assumed the brogue she had used to show him. Instead, he demanded to see George.”
Alex stared at Caroline. “My brother was here, too?”
She nodded. “Apparently, the two of them have met before.”
“That figures. Dukes prefer mingling with their own kind.” Alex sighed. “So now I’m in for more verbal bashing from my pompous-ass brother.”
“I think it might be a bit more than that this time,” Caroline said.
“What do you mean?”
Caroline hesitated before she spoke. “George is furious with you over what happened at the ball. I could not very well explain about the negligee with the Duke of Kildlare sitting there—”
“George knows the truth about that damn negligee.”
“Yes, well. You know how important appearances are to him,” Caroline said, “and the scandal has not died down yet.”
Alex heaved yet another sigh. “What did my esteemed brother say?”
Caroline paused again, looking miserable. “He agreed with the duke that you had no right to compromise Inis.”
