Page 37 of The Trouble with Tigers
“Your responsibilities?”
“It occurred to the earl and I after you left last night. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, Lady Kitty must retrieve her wardrobe. To that end, I shall escort her to Maidstone while you, dear baron, travel ahead to Derbyshire. The earl’s already underway. It should take you,” he shrugged, “perhaps four days? We shall be behind you but one. Two at the utmost.”
After a brief pause whereby Zeke appeared to wait for Garrick to respond—which he did not—he continued. “I, of course, brought along a proper chaperone.”
He gestured with his free hand to the elegant woman at his side. “Allow me to introduce my great-aunt, Lady Lillian Thurgood. Aunt Lillian, meet Lord James, the Baron of Maidstone. and his charge, my fiancé, Lady Christine Hastings.”
Lady Lillian Thurgood? The earl’s sister? She certainly looked the part. Would Zeke actually drag the lady from her bed, and into this mess, only to play-act the part of chaperone?
Lady Lillian, or whoever she was, smiled demurely, and offered her hand to Garrick, who took it after a brief hesitation.
Kitty moved forward and dipped a curtsy. “My lady.”
Garrick shifted to stand between Kitty and the two. “Lord Thurgood, you needn’t have troubled yourself or your aunt to arise so early this morning. Kitty is my responsibility. As such, I will see to her needs. Indeed I was”—Garrick cleared his throat—“preparing to take her to Hastings House now to collect some of her things for our stay in Derbyshire.”
Kitty’s eyes widened. She stared hard at Zeke, willing him not to believe Garrick. As far as she could tell, however, Zeke wasn’t interested in any input from her. He didn’t so much as blink in her direction.
“It’s no trouble, Lord Maidstone. Besides, Lady Thurgood is a much more appropriate chaperone. By the by. Where is Mary?”
Garrick looked momentarily nonplussed by the question. “She’s…uh…coming any moment.”
“Of course she is. Please inform her someone from the household will be 'round shortly to collect her. As for Lady Kitty and I, we will rendezvous with you in Derbyshire in a few days time.” Hiss tone brooked no opposition. “I insist.”
Garrick’s jaw stiffened and he looked ready to argue. “Lord Thurgood—”
Zeke moved forward, crowding in on Garrick. “Yes, Lord James?”
“Your generosity knows no bounds.”
He gave Garrick a cool look, and turned to address his coachman.
“A moment with my ward,” Garrick said to Lady Lillian.
Taking Kitty’s wrist, he pulled her several feet from the small group. He released her wrist only to grasp her bare hand. He crushed the delicate bones in a vicious semblance of a gentlemanly gesture, eliciting a hiss of pain from her as he bent and lifted her hand to his grim lips.
“I was so looking forward to catching up with you today, my charge,” he ground out, sending her an icy, warning glare before releasing her.
Zeke appeared at her side. “James,” he said by way of parting, then grasped her elbow and steered her toward the coach.
Kitty felt herself handed up into the luxurious Claybourne carriage. In a daze, she settled next to Lady Lillian, Zeke’s supposed great-aunt.
Zeke’s large frame filled the cab opening, blocking the meager light from the street lamps. He levered himself inside and dropped onto the bench opposite her. The cabin seemed warmer, just from his presence. The smell of him—his spicy, masculine scent—wafted toward her, as inviting and appealing as ever. She wanted to fling herself onto him and shower him with kisses of gratitude.
Instead she massaged her bruised hand and offered a wobbly smile. “Thank you, my lord,” she said softly.
He made no reply, merely regarded her in stoic silence as the well-sprung carriage glided forward.
Her smile stalled, and her heart closed in on itself. He might have rescued her, but his opinion of her, if anything, had lowered.
She twisted to face her other travel companion. “Lady Lillian, I presume? Are you Lord Claybourne’s sister about whom I’ve heard so much?”
The lady laughed in delight. “Indeed I am. Enchanted to meet you, my dear.”
“I can’t begin to express my gratitude for your assistance in this matter, nor can I properly convey my apologies for involving you in"—She gestured vaguely—“all of this, and dragging you out in the middle of the night.”
The lady gave Kitty a kind smile that reached her aged eyes. “You are most welcome, Lady Christine. As to my late-night recruitment, no apology necessary. I can’t remember the last time I had anything so interesting to occupy my time.”
“You’re very gracious.”
