Page 16 of A Lady's Beastly Duke
His mother nodded and he hurried towards Lady Anastasia. She looked up as he approached, and he bowed low.
“My lady, you must excuse me. My mother has asked my help with something, and I must attend to it.” He felt his heart twist.
“Of course.”
He inclined his head. “Thank you,” he murmured. She smiled and his heart lit up.
“Of course,” she repeated softly.
He gazed at her, filling his eyes with her gentle beauty. Then he hurried off to Mama, who waited by one of the doors.
“He’s out there,” Mama indicated. Her face was a picture of worry. Sidney stared out and thought he saw two tall men near the railing. One was Henry—the taller one. The other, he guessed, was Giles. He hurried towards them.
“And...in China...” Giles was slurring. “They drink abeverage made from rice. Fascinating, eh? Rice.” He nodded slowly as if he was divulging a great secret.
Henry was leaning on the fence, nodding slowly as if Giles was imparting some fascinating information.
“Ah! Sidney,” he greeted him as Sidney approached the two. Sidney glanced at Giles and nodded.
“Cousin. I did not know Almack’s held your interest,” he greeted Giles in a friendly manner.
“Almacks!” Giles declared loudly, throwing out a hand as if declaring it on stage. “A hotbed of gossip and dissolute ways!”
Sidney tensed. Enough people had turned to look at them to attract some attention. A woman giggled. Anger flashed through Sidney; a protective anger that would defend his cousin against all censure. He glared at the group, and they fell silent, looking elsewhere.
He glanced up at Henry.
“We were thinking of going elsewhere,” Henry explained to Sidney swiftly. “A club, mayhap. I need to escort Amy home, though.” He shot a worried look at Sidney.
Sidney nodded, understanding instantly. “I’ll go to the club with Giles. You stay here and look after my sister.”
“I’ll come part of the way,” Henry promised. He gave Sidney a grateful look.
“Grand,” Sidney agreed. His heart sank. He desperately wanted to stay at the ball, but Giles needed help—he could not stay at the ball and shame himself, but nor could he get home in his current state. The club would look after him. If he passed out, they would make sure he was safe until morning.Poor Giles,he thought sadly.Poor Willowick, too, should he have to inherit.The thought was like ice.
Henry turned to Giles.
“Now that Sidney has joined us, perhaps we ought to make our way to the Bradford Club, eh?” he asked Giles.
“Bradford...” Giles stammered. “There the beer is terrible. Watering it down, they are.” His slightly unfocused blue eyes focused again angrily. “Vagabonds, the lot of them! Vagabonds,” he repeated.
Sidney glanced at Henry.
“Let’s go to the Grantham instead,” he said quickly. “It’s just as close.”
“Grantham...” Giles repeated.
“Yes. The Grantham!” Henry sounded bright and cheerful. “Let’s go there instead. What say you, old fellow?” He grinned at Giles.
“Grantham...” Giles said uncertainly.
Sidney nodded, aware that if they did not get Giles there fast, he was going to pass out. He put his arm around his cousin,supporting his weight.
“Let’s go, old chap,” he said quickly.
“Yes! Off we go!” Henry declared cheerfully. He grinned at Giles, though Sidney could see the worry on his face. Henry took Giles’ other hand and together they led him carefully through the crowd and out of the ballroom.
On the steps, they stood still, letting Giles breathe the cool night air. It seemed to help a little, because he stood straighter and could walk down the stairs relatively easily. They walked down the street and turned left, then left again and then right. The Grantham was ahead of them. Sidney felt a sigh of relief as they reached the door, the front of the building lit by a pine torch bracketed to the wall. He tapped on the door and a man answered it.
