To be precise, the woman was marching their way and the gentleman was trailing behind her, all the while pleading for her forgiveness.
“Are you sure? We have the best spot to witness the drama unfolding.”
“Do you want to observe it or be part of it?” Dare asked dryly.
Leonora paused. Not part of it, of course.
A hand settled on her lower back to guide her a few steps away from the oncoming tempest even as a slap echoed through the ballroom.
Too late.
The storm had arrived.
Rebellion was the mood of the hour.
*
“Hell and damnation.”
The foul words blew past Dare’s lips while several more echoed in his head. He’d had a bad feeling the moment those two chose a direction that would collide with him and Lady Leonora, and that feeling was downright ominous now.
He wanted to snatch Lady Leonora up and make a dash for it, but she had turned her incredulous gaze to the couple—whom he now recognized as Lord and Lady Hamish—and was thoroughly snared by the drama.
“You lowly cockroach!” the woman shouted. “Unless you tell me who the harpy is, your marriage bed turns cold tonight and every night hereafter!”
Strong words. Rather terrifying, actually. And they were too close to the eruption.
He leaned over to mutter into Lady Leonora’s ear. “We should retreat.” They were too close for his comfort.
She glanced between him and the couple and then nodded.
Dare moved to guide Lady Leonora away from the spectacle but was stopped cold when his eyes momentarily locked with that woman’s. He felt the horror unfolding within him asher finger pointed straight at him. “You!” she screeched. “It’s libertines like you who cause the rot in our society!”
His face darkened. “Madam, I am not your husband, so do not drag me into your theatrics. Don’t vent your anger at innocent bystanders.”
She swelled like a round pufferfish. “Innocent? You are a libertine, just like him!”
Did that give permission to attack him? He wouldn’t give this harpy any satisfaction of being too bothered, so he smirked, picking at his jacket. “Come now. I’m an honorable rake.”
“Honorable! Can there be such a thing amongst libertines?”
“Well, yes, honorable rakes don’t play with a lady’s feelings. They rather abhor them, in fact.”
“You—you infamous rogue!”
Lady Leonora stepped forward. “Lord Dare is right, Lady Hamish. If you wish to take your anger out on someone, it’s best to do so on the person who offended you, not a man who was simply enjoying the host’s treats.”
Dare glanced at Lady Leonora. There was that word again. Nevertheless, all his annoyance melted away.
When Lady Hamish’s eyes narrowed on Lady Leonora, Dare stepped to the side to block her view. Hell hath no fury and all that. “Like I said madam, do not drag others into your argument. It’s bad sport.”
“Quite right, quite right,” Lord Hamish said, finally stepping in. “Camilla, let’s take this to a more private setting!”
“Why?” she exclaimed. “You weren’t private in your affairs, so why be private with the consequences?”
Poor fool.
Dare didn’t mince his actions with words. He turned on his heel and ushered Lady Leonora away before the little temptress said anything else and Lady Hamish dragged them even deeper into her affairs. How bothersome that a simple meeting of gazescould spiral into a nightmare. Was this the new world they lived in?
