He was quite the sight. His alabaster skin now sported blackening bruises across his nose, his jaw and one entire eye. As he came forward, Lavender saw that his upper lip had been split open as well.
“Were you in a fight?” she gasped. “Who did this to you?”
Despite the sorry state he was in, Colin still managed a smile. “My, Lavender, it has been quite a while since you’ve worried for me like this.”
“Enough of the jests, Colin.” Unable to help herself, she reached out and brushed her fingers across the bruise spreading across the cheek. He flinched. “This is horrible. Has a physician looked at you yet?”
“Yes, and I believe that the worse has passed. It is quite painful, though. Despite that, I thought that I could not leave you all by yourself on this day.”
Lavender frowned. “I am not alone. Austin will be coming to fetch me for the races.”
“I think he is a little…preoccupied.”
“What do you mean?”
Colin’s expression softened. He opened his mouth to speak but then his eyes fluttered and he swayed on his feet for a moment. Lavender panicked, wrapping her arms around him even though she doubted she would be able to break his fall if he were to fall unconscious on the spot. They would simple topple to the floor together.
Even so, he immediately leaned against her, murmuring, “Forgive me, I…I just need to sit down for a moment.”
“Of course. Do you think you can make it to the drawing room?”
“If you help me.”
Lavender didn’t hesitate to slide her arm around his waist. Colin instantly rested nearly his entire body weight on her and she had to adjust herself to keep from tipping over. Slowly, with hishead on her shoulder and her arm trying desperately to hold him upright, Lavender helped him to the drawing room.
He collapsed into the nearest armchair and rested his head on the back of the chair. “Forgive me, Lavender. This was not my intention.”
“Getting beaten to a pulp?” she tried to jest.
His eyes shot open and she caught a flash of irritation. “I was not beaten to a pulp. My opponent fared far worse, I assure you.”
Lavender didn’t bother to point out that she was only trying to lift his spirits by joking. She sat on the chaise lounge across from him with a frown. “What happened, Colin?”
“It…it isn’t anything serious. Just know that I am fine and quite capable of escorting you to the races.”
“But I do not need an escort. I will be attending with Austin, if you recall. I was supposed to meet Alice and you there.”
“I do not think your betrothed will be able to come,” he said, his tone a tad bitter. “After all, it is way past the time for you to leave and yet he is nowhere to be found.”
Lavender hated how right he was about that. Still, she felt the need to defend him. “There must be something keeping him. I shall wait here a while longer for him to show. You’re welcome to rest here for a bit more and then head there yourself.”
Colin sat up, fixing her with a stern glare. “Lavender, you are far too smart to make excuses for him like that. You know as well as I that he has no intention of showing.”
“I know no such thing.”
“Then I suppose you are not aware of the fact that he has gone back to his previous lifestyle of drinking and gambling the night away. Last I heard, Lav, he had quite a rough night trying to win back the money he has lost.”
Lavender blinked. That didn’t sound right. Even though Colin was the one saying it, even though she had no reason to doubt anything her friend said to her, Lavender simply could not believe that the reason why Austin was not here was because he was too inebriated from his night of drinking and gambling. She felt her heart cracking at the mere thought of it.
But the longer those words sat between them, the more believable they became. After all, Austin had made it no secret thathe enjoyed less honorable pastimes. What if much of his mismanagement of funds stemmed from his love of gambling in the first place? He’d never said as much to her before but…Colin wouldn’t lie to her, would he?
Colin moved, slipping out of his chair and next to her with such grace that she almost forgot that he had been dizzy just moments before. He took her hand without warning, capturing it in both of his own.
“I warned you about him, didn’t I?” he said softly. “I told you that he was not the kind of man you want to be attached to. My only wish is for you to see the truth of who he is before it is too late.”
Lavender frowned slightly, searching Colin’s eyes. Perhaps it was because of her own growing feelings for Austin but she noticed something that she’d never seen previously before. Something shone back at her, something she should have realised a long time ago.
All of a sudden, Vincent’s words came rushing back to her.
