Page 36 of Duke of Bronze
Colin turned his gaze on the man who had spoken—the one who, no doubt, had first uttered that vile slander. The coward held himself with an air of bravado, but there was a nervousness in his eyes now.
"Are you not ashamed?" Colin asked, his voice now carrying the unmistakable weight of command. "To share and entertain such vile falsehoods about aninnocent lady?"
The second gentleman—the one with the boldest tongue—lifted his chin. "There is hardly any harm done here, Your Grace. We were merely conversing."
Colin tilted his head ever so slightly.Conversing?
"A conversation, was it?" His voice dropped to a dangerously quiet timbre. "Then allow me to partake in it."
He took a measured step forward, watching with satisfaction as two of the three men instinctively leaned back in their seats. But the second man, the bold one, did not. Instead, he lifted his glass with an exaggerated air of nonchalance.
"Care to join us in a drink, Your Grace?" he invited smoothly.
Colin smiled. A slow, deliberate, and whollyunamusedsmile.
"I will tell you what I shall do instead."
The room seemed to shrink around them as he continued, his voice measured but carrying the unmistakable weight of promise. "I shall ensure that everyrespectablehousehold in society knows what manner of men you truly are. That every lady whose favor you so desperately seek understands your penchant for slander and dishonor. And more importantly, that nogentlemanof standing would dare associate himself in business or reputation with those who spew falsehoods in the shadows."
The effect was immediate. He watched, almost idly, as the color drained from their faces. Even the bold one.
He leaned back slightly, satisfaction curling in his chest as he took in their stricken expressions.
"I imagine you all value your family names too dearly to take such a risk. Do you not?"
A heavy silence fell. Then, the first and third men bobbed their heads in frantic agreement, their gazes darting toward their companion as though urging him to follow suit.
The second man hesitated, his throat working as if searching for some retort—some flimsy attempt at bravado. But at the first impatient nudge from his neighbor, he swallowed hard and gave a stiff nod.
"Have I made myself clear now?" he asked once more for good measure.
"Y–yes, Your Grace."
"You certainly have, Your Grace," their words tumbled after each other's.
Colin let his gaze linger on them a moment longer, ensuring they truly felt their disgrace before turning on his heel and making for the door. Their frantic whispers trailed after him.
"I have always told you to watch that tongue of yours. Now look what you have done! We are in Copperton's bad book, and if he has his way, in all of society's as well!" the first gentleman hissed.
"Do not blame me. Blame the spinster who turned your suit down," the second man grumbled.
"I told you it was notmeshe rejected. It was a friend of mine. Afriend, you fool!"
Colin shook his head as he caught that last lament. It seemed the poor fool was still licking his wounds, despite his earlier bravado. Pulling his gloves taut over his fingers, he stepped out, then slipped a hand into his coat and retrieved his pocket watch to check the time.
He did not need to return home at this time, nor did he know what to do with the remainder of his afternoon. Oh, he had muchto do but he was unwilling. As Colin snapped the watch shut and stepped forward, a sight brought him to an abrupt halt.
Anna.
There she was again, dressed much the same as she had been when he had first spotted her in the East End—plainly garbed, her form cloaked. She was climbing into a hired hack.
What in God's name is she doing?
Colin moved without thinking, finding his horse and following. The image of her,—a well-bred lady of standing, wandering the streets of London unchaperoned—was enough to send a jolt of unease through him. Then the hack turned, taking a direct path toward the East End.
His stomach tightened.
Was she going to Roderick? And what business did she have with him? Was it with his family? Lydia perhaps? The words from the gentlemen at White's surfaced, unbidden. The vile insinuations. The cruel laughter. His jaw clenched.
