Lord Wilcox frowned as if, somehow, what she had said displeased him, as though she were deliberately being foolish in her response. What else had he expected? Had he thought that she would join him in his questions? That she would turn on Lord Highcroft and demand answers about the injury to his leg? The gentleman was incredibly imprudent if that was the case!
“Do you truly think that it is acceptable for a gentleman such as yourself to be speaking to another in that way?” she continued, as Lord Wilcox’ lip curled. “I hardly think you are displaying any sort of gentlemanly behaviour by doing so, Lord Wilcox. Rather, I think, you display your own lack of finesse and consideration for your fellow man!”
“You are the daughter of a Marquess, Lady Amelia,” came the quick reply. “You ought to be very careful in your consideration of which gentlemen – and ladies also – you decide to keep company with. My remarks came from a desire to express that concern to you for mayhap you were unaware of Lord Highcroft’s limp for he is very good at disguising it.”
The more Lord Wilcox said, the angrier Amelia became. She wanted to rail at him, to demand that he should fall silent rather than say another word about the matter, but instead, her anger grew so great thatshewas the one who could say nothing. All she could do was shake her head.
“Yes, Lord Wilcox, I have a limp.” Lord Highcroft spoke quietly though when Amelia looked to him, she saw the fire in his eyes and the fury in the way he tightened his jaw. “It happened when I was child. However, I haveneverhad it affect my character in any way. A physical ailment does not make one’s character any less.”
Amelia nodded. “As you yourself display, Lord Wilcox. You have no physical ailment, it seems, but yet your character is a good deal more questionable than that of Lord Highcroft. In fact, Lord Highcroft, I do not think that I have any interest in conversing with Lord Wilcox any longer.” Turning her head away from Lord Wilcox, who had, by now, began to scowl darkly, she looked to Lord Highcroft. “Mayhap you might accompany me back to my mother?” They were only a short distance away and Amelia could easily have walked there alone but she spoke in the hope that Lord Highcroft would be willing to walk with her so they might step away directly from Lord Wilcox. Thankfully, Lord Highcroft seemed to understand and simply offered her his arm and, without another word to Lord Wilcox, stepped away from him at once.
“I am truly sorry for what Lord Wilcox said,” Amelia murmured, as Lord Highcroft took her closer to her mother. “That must have been upsetting.”
Lord Highcroft managed a small smile. “It is not as though he is the first gentleman to notice that I have a limp,” he said, quietly. “He is the first, however, to speak of it in such a blunt manner!” He laughed a little ruefully. “Though there is nothingfor you to apologise for, Lady Amelia. It is not as though it was your doing.”
“It is only because I am acquainted with him that he spoke with us,” Amelia murmured, her face still hot as her anger slowly faded away. “Though I shall be doing my utmost to stay away from him now, I think.”
“No-one would blame you for that.” Lord Highcroft smiled. “And I believe I shall do the same, Lady Amelia.”
It was at this juncture that her mother turned to look at them both and Amelia was forced to bring an end to their conversation. Lord Highcroft and her mother spoke together for a few minutes and thereafter, Lord Highcroft took his leave. Amelia let out a slow breath as he walked away, though her gaze went to a gentleman standing a little further away, his head turned in their direction as though he had been watching them both and was interested in everything that had taken place.
The Duke of Ashbourne.
Amelia’s breath caught in her chest, her whole body tightening as she gazed back at him, unable to pull her eyes away from his. She did not know what it was he was thinking, did not know why it was that he was watching her with such interest but all she could do was simply hold his gaze. In watching him, she quite forgot about Lord Wilcox, forgot about what had happened between Lord Highcroft and him, forgot about her anger and upset. All she could do was look into the Duke’s face and, as she did so, found herself desperately hoping that he might come over to speak with her.
He did not.
Instead, as his brother approached him, the Duke finally pulled his gaze away from Amelia and began to speak with him instead. Amelia did not have to wonder what it was they spoke of for such a darkness came into the Duke’s expression that she knew Lord Highcroft was telling his brother about Lord Wilcox.With a sigh, she turned her head away, seeing her mother looking at her with obvious concern in her eyes.
“I am quite well, Mama,” she said, quickly. “It is only that Lord Wilcox spoke so very rudely to Lord Highcroft that I find myself upset over what was said. The gentleman is not kind, I must say.”
Her mother shook her head. “I did tell you that Lord Wilcox was something of a flirt, did I not? It seems as though he does not have a good heart either. You would be best to stay away from him, I think.”
“Yes, I believe so.” Amelia glanced again at Lord Highcroft but the Duke of Ashbourne and he were already walking away. “I do hope Lord Highcroft was not too injured by what Lord Wilcox said… and that nothing more comes of it.”
Chapter Fourteen
Nathanial scowled. “I think it ridiculous that a gentleman such as Lord Wilcox woulddaresay such a thing in front of you – or in front of anyone, for that matter!”
“He is not a pleasant fellow, I think.” William shrugged his shoulders. “What else is there to be said? Someone we do not need to keep company with, certainly.”
“I would agree.” Nathanial ran one hand over his face and let out a slow breath, aware of the tight knot inside him. His dreams about William and their childhood accident continued to burn, his evenings still not as calm and as pleasant as he might like. The Season had continued to go well, however, and with Lady Amelia’s help, he was doing a little better in terms of how those in society viewed him. This, however, only added to his current frustrations and his lingering guilt about his brother. If he had not been as foolish at the time, if he had stayed close to his brother and had not permitted him to fall into the pond, then William would not be facing the ridicule and the remarks now.
“You need not look so frustrated.” William sat back in his chair and let out a slow breath, sighing contentedly as he stretched out his feet in front of him, crossing them at the ankle. “It is not as though it troubles me.”
“Does it not?” Looking around Whites, Nathanial took in the other gentlemen present, noting how none of them were looking in his direction. No doubt his reputation preceded him but for the moment, Nathanial was contented just to being company with his brother. “It troubles me, I will admit.”
“It should not.” William lifted his shoulders and then let them fall, reaching up one hand to catch the attention of thefootman so he might order them both something to drink. “IT is not as though there is anyone else who is concerned with my limp. And Lady Amelia who was with me at the time set Lord Wilcox in his place.”
“Lady Amelia?”
William nodded, quickly giving the footman his order before returning his attention back to Nathanial. “Yes, she was with me. Did you not see me with her?”
“I saw you standing with her mother.”
“Ah, that was only when we had walked away from Lord Wilcox. I returned her to her mother and then came to speak with you.”
“Though you did not tell me everything he had said until this moment.”
