Page 43 of Seducing a Frigid Lady
He then turned to his other guests and gestured all around. “I think that is enough entertainment for one night. Shall we retire to the dining room for some refreshments while this mess is cleaned up?”
The murmurs of the other guests suggested that they weren’t entirely happy with the turn of events, though several of them did look intrigued as to how it had come to fisticuffs between the two men. Anger returned to Lionel as he thought of how ridiculous he had been to allow Mr. Kenyon to rile him up in front of half of the gentlemen of theton.
“I am certain my ladies will take good care of you all while we wait to continue with the games!” Lord Frost called after them, even as a couple of footmen began to usher the guests from the room.
Lionel expected Lord Frost to follow them without so much as another word to him or Max, but instead he remained until every last person had filed out. And when he looked at Lionel, he was almost certain that there was sympathy in his gaze. When he shook his head, it was gone.
“I am sure you understand why I cannot allow you to stay, Lord Sinclair,” Lord Frost announced, though he did look a little regretful about it.
“I understand, Lord Frost,” Lionel replied, flexing his hands at his sides as he felt the soreness of his knuckles beginning to kick in. They had gone quite numb after hitting Mr. Kenyon so many times and he guessed that if he glanced down, his knuckles would be bloody. “And I do not blame you.”
“Nor do I blame you,” Lord Frost said, chuckling a little. “Mr. Kenyon most definitely deserved all that you gave. I shall be sure to let every gentleman here know the fact.”
Surprise flashed across Lionel’s face. He knew Miss Lloyd and Lord Frost were well acquainted, but he never expected the nobleman to react in such a way to violence beneath his roof.
“And as I suspected, you did most definitely live up to your reputation, my lord,” Lord Frost continued, laughing haughtily. “I have most definitely been entertained tonight.”
With that, the lord clapped Lionel on the upper arm in a friendly gesture and gave a bow of his head. “Now I must bid youadieu. My man shall escort you out. I do hope that Miss Lloyd shall be grateful for your protecting her honour, my lord.”
Lionel’s cheeks heated at the words, and he made a quick decision not to mention a single word of what had happened to Miss Lloyd when he next saw her. He could imagine that she would not be the kind of woman who would thank him for getting into an open altercation over her.
“Thank you again for the invite, Lord Frost,” Max said, bowing in farewell to their host.
“Yes, thank you,” Lionel added, following his cousin’s lead, the anger and frustration inside him finally beginning to subside. He was still panting slightly from the exertion of their altercation, and he would be glad to finally make it outside for the fresh air. The room was still filled with the smoke of many pipes and the scent of harlots’ perfumes, making him feel as though he might choke.
As soon as Lord Frost was gone from the room, the butler gestured for him and Max to follow. Max clapped Lionel on the shoulder and began to guide him from the manor. They went silently, Lionel shoving his sore hands into the pockets of his waistcoat until they made it past the front door and into the carriage that awaited them at the bottom of the porch steps.
“Well, Lionel, I never thought I would see the day when Lord Sinclair, the future Earl of Oxforth, would allow any man to goad him into a fight over a woman’s honour!” Max commented with great amusement almost the moment that the door was clicked closed behind them. “I hardly recognise you.”
Lionel’s gut churned, and he grumbled back, “Max, be quiet. I am in no mood for your amusement.”
In an effort to show just how frustrated he was feeling, he snatched hold of the carriage curtain and violently pulled it over the window to block out the outside world. He was in no mood to be seen by anyone. Not after what had just happened.
Max clucked his tongue against his teeth with disgust. “I demand that you return to your usual cheery self before this becomes a permanent state!”
Lionel glowered back at his cousin, determined to show that his amusement was not helping matters at all. It only seemed to amuse him more and Lionel felt the frustration growing inside of him all over again.
Deep down, he knew that Max was right. He couldn’t have been further from his usual happy, go-lucky self. He had so often prided himself on being the easy-going, fun-loving nobleman who could get laughter from even the stoniest of crowds. But at that moment, the last thing he wanted to do was laugh.
What have you done to me, Miss Lloyd, and how can I possibly fix it?
Chapter 15
After her ball, Lady Bishop did not force Priscilla into another public engagement until the next week, when she was adamant that they ought to show their faces at the opening of a new exhibition at London’s most prestigious art gallery, a place where Lady Bishop’s name hung above the door of one of the rooms, making her one of the gallery’s highest supporters after donating large sums of money to keep the place in business.
But almost immediately upon entering at her aunt’s side, Priscilla wished that she had not. Even more than usual, the people already within the building looked at her out of the corner of their eye as she entered. They seemed to whisper, alerting each other to her presence. She could practically see the news of her arrival being spread throughout the building like a tidal wave.
It wasn’t entirely anything out of the ordinary, but there seemed far more power and intrigue behind it than usual and it unnerved her far more than it might have a week ago.
Has someone learned of my time alone with Lord Sinclair at the ball?She wondered, feeling quite sick to her stomach at the thought. The last thing she or her father needed was for her to be thrown into the centre of a scandal, especially when her father had already been so lenient with her for so long, allowing her to make her own way in the world.
“Head high, Priscilla,” Lady Bishop instructed her, slipping her arm into her niece’s as if in support.
“Do… do you know what they are talking about?” Priscilla whispered back to her aunt, unnerved by the fact she was so unsure. Usually, she was well aware of what gossip was going around. Her aunt got a handle on things long before anything ever made the rounds. But this time, Lady Bishop looked just as perplexed as she was.
“I do not, my dear, but I am certain I shall find out.”
Priscilla couldn’t quite feel relieved at her aunt’s words. If even she had not learned what had everyone so riled up, then it must be bad.
