Lord Day and Lady Night

53. The Duke's Barbecue

The expression on Lord Patrick's face was thunderous. For some reason, he appeared not to be happy with her last few words.

"Pardon me, everyone..." Patrick's eyes glittered darkly. "Would you mind if Amy and I had a little talk in private?"

"What if I said yes?" Jenny enquired. "I love listenin' in on supposedly private talks."

"Then I'm afraid that, this time, I shall have to disappoint you. Remove yourselves. Now!"

"Oh, come on, everyone!" Cora grabbed Jenny by the ear and gestured to the others. "Give da two doveturds some room, will ye?"

"Doveturds?" Titus enquired, sounding intrigued.

"Cockney rhyming slang for lovebirds," Cora explained, helpful as always.

Titus grinned, and Amy had a feeling Lord Patrick Day had just gained a new nickname. To judge by the look on His Lordship's face, he had realized this as well.

"Privacy?" he suggested once more, teeth clenched and one aristocratic eyebrow raised.

Titus gave a flourishing bow. "As you command, Lord Doveturd."

Then, before Patrick could take his head off with a silver table knife, he gave a little wave and, with the help of Cora, maneuvered the others towards the door. Just before the door closed behind them, Cora leaned over towards a feet-dragging Jenny, and Amy heard a whisper that sounded suspiciously like "We can always peep through da secret 'oles cut into da portraits!"

She decided not to tell Patrick. She'd probably misheard anyway.

Finally, with a soft click, the door of the room closed, and only two people remained inside,

Cocking her head, Amy gazed at Lord Patrick Day.

"So, what's dis about ye 'aving a secret 'usband?" she enquired. "Is da stuff ye two get up ta so scandalous ye gotta talk ta me in private? Do tell. I must say, I'm very interested in—"

"Amy."

Her name on his lips.

That was all it took to shut her up. She blinked repeatedly as he reached out across the table and gently took her hand in his.

Darn 'im, darn 'im, darn 'im! What da 'ell does 'e think 'e's doing? And why da 'ell is it workin'?

"What I meant," His Most Noble Lordship told her, "is that we should get those women away from here. As far away as possible, as fast as possible. This area is not a safe one, as last night's events should have undoubtedly proven. Those women...those girls...We cannot let them get hurt. They deserve better." Tightening his grip on her hand, he gave her a smile, his azure eyes so incredibly warm and kind. "I will not let anything like that happen again. Not to a woman in my care."

Amy's heart leapt.

Dammit! 'ow da 'ell did 'e just manage ta sound romantic, while tellin' me we need ta take fifty 'alf-naked women 'ome with us? All for my sake, of course, and in a good cause! What kind of bloody man could pull dat off?

The answer was pretty simple, really.

A good one.

Goddammit!

And what, pray, was the worst thing about all of this?

He'd sworn to protect. Sure, he'd spoken of protecting women in general, like some stupidly chivalrous knight straight from King Arthur's court, ready to defend all fair maidens against the villains of the world, but...