– Lily to Tess Blanchard
“Mick O’Rourke?” Lily demanded, clearly appalled and furious. “He did that to you, Fanny?”
Heath saw Fanny wince. “Yes,” the Cyprian replied, “but I doubt he meant to hurt me. When I refused his patronage again, Mick became angry and tried to kiss me.”
“Of course he meant to hurt you!” Lily retorted. “That brute hurt Fleur when she ordered him from the house last week-”
“Because she called him an ill-bred oaf. It incenses Mick when he thinks someone is insulting his origins.”
“It incenses me when I see a man assaulting a much weaker woman!”
“I know, Lily,” Fanny said soothingly. “But he doesn’t know any better. He was raised in the London stews and always had to fight for whatever he wanted, so he has different notions of civilized behavior than we do.”
Heath felt his jaw tighten at that unpersuasive justification, while Lily stared at Fanny in disbelief. “Are you actually making excuses for that lout? I cannot credit it!”
“No,” Fanny said a trifle defensively. “I only thought to explain his point of view.”
“I don’t give a fig for his point of view! He has no right to brutalize you.”
Fanny’s smile was pained. “Mick doesn’t see it quite that way. He believes I am spurning him because his money isn’t good enough for me, which is not the case at all. It is his possessiveness that I dislike. But truly, I am not concerned for myself. I am worried for Fleur and Chantel. Mick says he will make good his threat to put them in debtors’ prison. I went to his club to ask him for another fortnight to repay the funds, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“Well, he will listen to me!” Lily declared, turning abruptly toward the door. “I will make him listen.”
Not liking her implication, Heath stepped into her path, blocking her exit. “Just what do you intend, Lily?”
“To go down to that brute’s gaming club this instant and confront him-give him a piece of my mind at the very least.”
“You will do no such thing.”
“What the devil do you mean?” she demanded, her fists clenching.
Lily was practically breathing fire, she was so angry, but she obviously was not thinking clearly. “I mean that you will allow me to handle O’Rourke. He will take me far more seriously.”
She looked as if she would dispute him, but then she hesitated, as if knowing he was right.
Taking advantage of her fuming silence, Heath pressed harder. “You can sheathe your sword for now, angel. I promise to deal with him.”
Lily gazed up at him warily, clearly reluctant to accept his help. “This really is not your concern, you know.”
“I am making it my concern.” Heath’s gaze intensified. “You don’t want to fight me on this, Lily. You won’t win.”
“You promise to stop O’Rourke from hurting Fanny again?”
“You have my solemn word.”
He waited as Lily debated with herself, feeling an overwhelming need to wrap her in his arms and protect her from herself. She was magnificent in her fury, and he admired her loyalty to her friends, but he wanted to know that she was safe. Accosting O’Rourke in his lair was only asking for trouble, if not actual danger, and he was not about to let her attempt it.
When Lily nodded once, brusquely, Heath tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear and hid a smile of relief and satisfaction.
He had wanted the chance to slay dragons for Lily. It was merely that the opportunity had arrived much sooner than he’d planned.
O’Rourke’s gaming club was situated just off Bond Street, not far from the boardinghouse, so Heath’s carriage reached it shortly. The decor was expensive with pretensions to gentility, he saw when he was admitted by a well-muscled bruiser. He found O’Rourke in his office at the rear of the gaming rooms, sitting behind his desk.
Sporting ebony hair and a burly build, O’Rourke somewhat resembled the ruffians Lily had confronted in the alley last week. His facial features were square and rugged, with a nose that had been broken at least once.
When Heath was shown in, the gamester’s expression registered surprise and wariness, but he rose politely.
“Lord Claybourne…to what do I owe this honor?” he asked, taking obvious care with his diction.