Was there?
She didn’t even remember seeing the maid, for she had been so busy staring at her brother.
“By now, the maid will have told the rest of the staff, and Lady Webster, too. With a gossip such as her, you can rest assured that it will appear in the scandal sheets by the end of the week.” Allan waved his hand dismissively. “I do not have the smallest hope that this will stay quiet. And to think of all men, of all men who would do this to you…” He shook his head. “My own friend.”
“Stephen was…” Dorothy faltered, uncertain what to say about Stephen. She could defend him when it came to Lord Chilmond, but he was as guilty as she was for wanting that kiss. There was no defense she could offer there.
“I may have suspected some partiality on your part, but I didn’t think you would act on it in such a way.”
Dorothy stumbled forward, certain for a minute she had heard her brother wrong. “What did you say?” she mumbled.
For a few seconds, Allan said nothing. He lifted the carafe to his lips, took another hearty gulp of the brandy, and then set it down in his lap, looking at her with curious eyes.
“A partiality,” he enunciated. “For all your arguing, you always make sure the cook prepares his favorite food when he calls, do you not? You’re always inventing reasons to come and see him—to argue with him, too.”
“I do no such thing!”
“Oh, so, do you think it better to tell me that your kiss with him today was merely a heat-of-the-moment thing that had no other thought or feeling behind it? Believe me, Sister, I’d think better of you if you told me it was rooted in affection.”
“Would you think better of me?” She stepped toward him, reaching the desk and planting her hands on it firmly. “As far as I can see, you are set to think as ill of me as you possibly can.”
“Is it any wonder after what I saw today?”
“So, what if I care about your friend?” Dorothy asked loudly. “So, what if I did wish to kiss him.”
“Dorothy, please.” Allan raised his hand and covered his face, clearly not wanting to hear anymore.
“If my crime is affection, so be it.”
“It is scandal!” he hissed loudly and then lowered his hand once again. “You should be ashamed.”
“All I’m ashamed of is believing in him when I should not have.” She matched her brother in tone. “Stephen has made it perfectly clear that whateverweaknesshe has for me is not rooted in affection, on his part. So, there, Brother, you know all my failings now.” She waved her arms at him, giving him the win. “Mistakenly placing my heart in your friend’s hands, when I never should have.”
Allan’s lips parted a little.
“There is one thing you should know about your friend, though. He did not come to that room to compromise me, but to save me from someone else.”
“No more of this.” Allan stood hurriedly. “I’ve heard enough for one night.”
“Do you not want to hear what actually happened? That Lord—” Yet, she was not able to even finish her sentence, for her brother waved sharply at her.
“Enough!” he roared. “Go to bed, Dorothy. I will not hear another word.”
She didn’t move. She stared at him, agog.
“Dorothy!” He pointed at the door again.
“When did you stop becoming a brother?” Her words seemed to shift something in the air. Allan stared at her with equally wide eyes. “You may be my guardian, but more than once this last year have you ordered me around like I am your pet, not your sister at all.”
His arm dropped to his side. He stepped back, colliding with his chair and falling into it.
Dorothy spun on her heel and walked to the door, quite happy to retire to bed even if it was his order.
“If you had deigned to listen to me, you might have discovered that for all your friend’s mistakes today, he did a good deed.” She paused in the doorway and turned back to face him. “He stopped me from being blackmailed by Lord Chilmond.”
Allan frowned deeply.
“Maybe you won’t believe me. Maybe you will not believe a word that comes out of my mouth now, for something you have made abundantly clear today is how little you think of me, Brother. I have been clutter beneath your feet for this last year since our father passed, have I not?”
