He matched her sentiment, tossed his brandy back in one, and took the two snifters back to the sideboard.
He then hesitated.
This meeting was not going at all as he expected, though he had not expected it at all, in truth.
His plan? His plan had not included her in his rooms at all.
He had planned to take the Duke of Blackwood’s advantageous powers and use them to help her.
She had come to him, instead. And that? That could be dangerous for him. Her? Here? Alone?
It could mean his ruin. For she was the untouched daughter of an earl, and he was nothing but an upstart product of scum.
He had strong friends which might save him if he was accused of something nefarious. And of course, he had tidbits of gossip which he often acquired that helped keep him in power and safe.
If he had to, he would break some of that information out to protect the both of them. It was remarkable what some people would do to keep their skeletons in their closets.
And in that moment, he was astonished to realize that he would go to great lengths to protect her.
And he realized even more concerningly that protecting her felt like protecting himself.
He did not know how that was possible.
He had only known her but a few hours and yet he felt linked to her. Perhaps it was because he had dared to meet her in that hall in the dark, knowing the danger of it, knowing that he had risked the wrath of the men who had come to his club, the great ones as they thought of themselves.
But he was not afraid.
He had seen far worse than the anger of aristocrats.
He drew in another breath, turned back to her, folded his arms across his chest, and leaned against the sideboard.
“What is it that you have in mind then? For surely you have something in mind since you have come here.”
He took in her stoic form, standing before his fire, and felt his heart crack.
Bloody hell, she looked so alone.
And the idea of her fighting the world all by herself crashed through him and he loathed it. Loathed it with every sinew in his body. “Do you wish me to take those gentlemen into an alley somewhere and beat them black and blue and tell them to never bother you again? I certainly will. It would give me a great deal of pleasure. Such a thing can be arranged.”
“If I am honest,” she began, “I did not truly believe the warning you gave me.” She winced but met his gaze all the same. “I don’t know why. I did not think I could easily be susceptible to such a thing. It might sound arrogant, but I rather like myself and I think I really have capability around gentlemen. I’ve spent most of my life learning how to negotiate with them and I thought I could handle anything that might come my way.”
He nodded. “I am aware that young ladies often have to negotiate the variability and unhelpful nature of men.”
“I’m glad you’re aware of it,” she said, paling. “It will make this easier. I was hoping for a marriage proposal… apparently from one of the men who wagered on ruining me.”
His heart sank, and his teeth ground together. He waited, dread pooling in his gut…
She looked away for a moment, then as if she refused to be ashamed, she yanked her gaze back to his face. “The man I had hoped to marry? He asked if I would join him for a moment, leading me to believe that he was about to ask for my hand in marriage.” She stilled and pressed her lips together. Something hard washed over her face and she whispered, “He did not.”
His mouth tightened into a line as a muscle in his jaw tensed. The look on her face told him so very much and rage poured through him. His hands dug into his biceps as he desperately tried to remain calm on the outside.
His wrath would not serve her now. She needed someone to listen to her, to accept her, to be there, and to show her that she was not alone.
“He did not act a gentleman,” she managed to grit. “Though I’m beginning to think that most gentlemen do not act as gentlemen.” Her throat worked for a minute and she whispered, “I got away, but it made one thing very clear to me.”
“Yes,” he prompted softly.
She squared her shoulders, defiant. “I will no longer risk being at the mercy of one of those men.”