Page 33 of A Lady of Means
“Lovely to see you, darling,” he said, taking in her appearance, his eyes falling on the lack of a glove on one arm before taking a sip of his drink.Devyn wondered if he could simply knock the toff out cold and shove him in the antechamber and leave with Moria.
Her voice was like honeyed steel.“I hear felicitations are in order on your impending nuptials.Glad you wasted no time with Miss Wimbley.”
Drysdale inclined his head and raised his glass at her.“I’m just glad I’ve finally found the right woman to tolerate me.Although,” he paused to sip from his crystal tumbler, “I can see why you never did, Moria.This man is ghastly hard to look at without feeling inferior.”
“Isn’t he just?”Moria added, then turned to Devyn, whose cheeks were surely pink.“I’m sorry have we met?”
Drysdale chuckled.“Don’t youdaretry that one on me.I saw your glove beneath a cushion.”He grabbed said glove and handed it to her.
Moria closed her eyes and grimaced.“You’re an ass, Drysdale.Anyone ever tell you that?”
Drysdale ignored her jab and turned to Devyn with an outstretched hand.“Caleb Howley, Earl of Drysdale, I don’t believe I’ve made your acquaintance.”
“Captain Devyn Winter, Her Majesty’s Army.”Devyn shook the other man’s hand harder than he likely ought, the other man retrieved his hand, shaking it as though in pain.
“Message received, Captain.I never saw either of you here.”He looked to Moria.“Not that I’d ever be a snitch.”
“I rescind my previous statement; you’re not entirely an ass, my lord,” she said, with a winning smile.
“I won’t take offense.I’m sure you’re acquainted with my finer qualities.”
Moria shook her head at Devyn in caution.Was his ire was written on his face?He’d been told in the past that his nose was too large, his eyes were too black, and his body was too large to be anything but a brute.He’d only be proving everyone right if he gave into a violent impulse right now.
“Is that any way to speak to a lady, sir?”
Moria’s eyes widened in alarm as Drysdale spoke.“Oh, unclench your fits, Captain, it was only a jest.Lady Moria has made far more colorful jokes at others’ expense in the past.”
While he didn’t doubt that was true, Devyn didn’t back down.He let his full stature tower over the other man.
“Devyn,” Moria whispered, her bare fingers warm and soft against his arm.An entire language passed between them when he looked into her eyes.
“I’ll play chaperone and help you two evacuate the club without being seen.”
Devyn looked at him, brows raised, fists still clenched.
“Your fists are the size of cannons, I know better than to cross a man of your size,” the Earl bowed over Moria’s hand briefly before letting it go.“He’d level a peer of the realm for you without batting an eye.You are worth fighting for, dear girl.Just because I was never willing to, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it.”
Moria’s eyes went a bit cloudy at that, but she wasn’t looking at her former beau, but her current one.Made Devyn feel like less of a chump and more of one at the same time.
“That was…oddly touching, my lord.”
“I don’t know what came over me.Please let’s never speak of it again.”
Moria chuckled.“If you’re still willing to help, I’ll agree to that.”
“Did you…have an escape plan when you snuck in here?”
Devyn said, “Servant’s entrance,” at the same time Moria held up her reticule and said, “Spider.”
The Earl of Drysdale shook his head.“I should have guessed one of your sister’s animals would factor into this.”
ChapterThirteen
The Burn Bookof Lady M
The Dowager Marchioness of Thorne: With Marcus gone, there was no one to corroborate the growing secret he left behind, that it wasn’t some trick designed to trap him.One day, Your Grace, you will answer for the way you shamed and blamed a young girl for falling victim to the monster you created.
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