Page 41 of A Duke for Adela
The pair were now upon them, Brynmore about to partner Adela as they met in the middle to spin around once before returning to their positions. He had just taken one of her hands in his and placed the other at the small of her back when Ambrose suddenly grabbed his arm and twisted it with enough force to bring Brynmore to his knees.
The oaf released her with a yelp.
“Drop it,” Ambrose said, his voice a menacing growl.
In the next moment, a small pocket knife fell to the ground.
Adela gasped.
Another man picked it up.
She recognized him as the Duke of Edgeware, Dillie’s husband. Dillie was right behind him, peering over his shoulder as he knelt to retrieve it. “Ian, what is it?”
Adela was curious to know, as well.
Edgeware glanced over at Ambrose who was still holding Brynmore in a tight grip that had the oaf still on his knees and squealing. “I don’t think he meant you physical harm, Miss Swift. He likely intended to cut a few laces on your gown to make it appear shoddy work. The intent was likely to embarrass you.”
“And I am certain I know just who put him up to it.” She clenched her hands into fists, about to stride off to confront Felicity Rose, but Ambrose released Brynmore and put an arm about her waist to hold her close to him.
She frowned at him. “Why are you letting go of that toad?”
“Finn Brayden has hold of him now,” he said, glancing at the big, dark-haired man who now had Brynmore by the scruff of his neck. Finn’s wife was Belle Farthingale. In this moment, Adela realized what it meant to have the support of such a close-knit family, to have loved ones who looked after their own. It warmed her heart to realize she was now considered by the Farthingales as one of their own.
How was she ever to repay their kindness?
She loved her parents, even though she would never consider them competent in raising a child. Most of the time they forgot she existed because they were so caught up in their own thoughts. They did not mean to forget her…well, perhaps they did. To this day, they had not come to terms with her unexpected arrival. “Why will you not let me confront that horrid diamond? You know she is the one who conceived this spiteful plot.”
“Which failed.”
“But who is to know it unless we do something about it?”
“You are not to say or do anything to her, Adela.”
“Are you serious? You would restrain me?”
He nodded. “Keep your righteous indignation to yourself.”
She drew in a breath, not liking this at all. Was the odious girl to get away with her mean-spirited schemes? “But I need to give her a piece of my mind.”
“No, you do not. It is the last thing you need to do. Have you learned nothing after that gossip rag debacle? I will take care of it.”
“You?” She frowned at him again. “Are you going to release me?”
“No. We’ve drawn enough of a crowd as it is.”
Lord Knightly elbowed his way through the onlookers. “Huntsford, what is going on? Miss Swift, are you all right?”
Ambrose reported what had happened.
“Dear heaven,” said Lord Knightly.
Lord Brynmore was promptly tossed out.
“He shall never step foot in my home again,” their host muttered before ordering the musicians to resume the disrupted supper dance.
The crowd began to thin as the excitement was over and they all preferred to dance the lively reel.
Lady Felicity Rose was now off in a corner hiding behind her circle of friends. A few of those friends appeared to be edging away from the diamond, as though they wanted nothing more to do with her.
