Page 80 of Avenging the Earl's Lady
Captain Kingsley’s warm gaze fixed on her.“I’m at your service, my lady.”
Her breath froze and she struggled to speak.“My son is…I’ve just learned…” She eased in a breath.
“They’ve just left for a duel,” Graciela said.
“Shaldon is seconding,” Sirena said.
“I must…I must go.”Jane nodded to Jenny.“Where is it taking place?”
“I don’t know, my lady.”
“Someonemust know.”She drove a fist into her palm.“Ask the serv—”
“Battersea Fields.”Lloyd hadn’t left them.“My lady, perhaps Captain Kingsley could go on your behalf.”
“No.I must go.”She hurried to the door.
“Go, Papa.”Graciela’s tense voice rang clearly behind her.“You must help Lady Jane.And Charley is there.And if a melee breaks out, they may all need your sword arm.”
She paused on the landing.A melee, with all of them involved.It was too wretchedly uncivilized to imagine.
Footsteps clattered behind her, following her down the stairs, out the door, and onto the street.Ewan waved her over to a plain black carriage, and one of Shaldon’s coachmen saluted her.The boy helped her in and handed her the case.
“Where is Guignard?”she asked.
“Scampered when Lloyd sent the Earl’s carriage around, my lady.”
Ewan climbed in and pulled the door, meeting resistance.
“Wait.”Jane touched the boy’s arm.“Captain Kingsley is joining us.”
Ewan sent him a measuring look, which the Captain ignored.
“Battersea Fields,” Kingsley shouted.“In all haste.”
As the wheels started to roll, the door jerked open again and Jenny clambered in, sending Ewan a glare and taking the rear-facing seat next to him while the coach clattered off.
“You’ll need me my lady,” she said.
She nodded, mutely.Perhaps Jenny was also good with a blade.
The Shaldon servants were a loyal bunch, starting with their butler.Lloyd, dear Lloyd, must have ordered this coach the moment he saw her race through the door.He’d have preferred to send Captain Kingsley in her place, but he’d expected her to want to go.Lloyd was loyal to her.
Did he know of Shaldon’s proposal?
She mulled over the notion while they turned onto the main street.Horses moved past them on either side.
Outriders.Lloyd had arranged for them as well.
Lloyd, Shaldon’s long-time butler wanted someone to intervene, and he didn’t mind if that someone was Lady Jane.
Captain Kingsley settled back on the seat next to her.“Now, will you tell me, my lady, what the devil is going on?”
The coach hit a bump and her heart lurched with it.Up ahead, the riders must be clearing the thoroughfare, as they were making good speed past raised fists and hurled curses.
She blinked back sudden moisture.She could lose her son today.Or…Shaldon.Dear Lord, she didn’t want the man to die.
Jenny cleared her throat.
