Minerva Highwood came dashing out from the Queen’s Ruby. She flew straight to her sister’s side, taking her hand. “Diana. My God, what’s happened?”
“She had a breathing crisis,” Susanna answered. “But she’s better now.”
Minerva kissed her sister’s pale brow. “Oh, Diana. I’m so sorry. I should never have left you in that place. I knew the dancing was a bad idea.”
“It was hardly your fault, Minerva.”
Minerva’s head whipped up. “Oh, I know very well whose fault it was.” Her gaze focused on a distant target. “This is all your doing.”
To a one, every head in the crowd swiveled to face Colin. But Bram felt the guilt landing squarely on him. To be sure, his cousin was responsible for this mess. But Bram was responsible for his cousin.
Susanna knew it, too. While everyone else was glaring daggers at Colin, her eyes met Bram’s. And her gaze couldn’t have said any more plainly, I warned you this would happen.
“We never should have stayed in this wretched place,” Mrs. Highwood wailed, clutching a handkerchief to her mouth. “Lords or no lords. I knew that spa in Kent would have been the better choice.”
“Mama, please. Let’s discuss this inside.” Minerva took her mother by the arm.
Slowly, Susanna helped Diana Highwood to her feet. “Come along, ladies. Let’s take her back to the rooming house where she can rest.”
“Can we help you move her?” Bram asked, putting a hand under Miss Highwood’s elbow to help.
“No, thank you, my lord.” Susanna gave him a sad half smile. “You and your friends have done quite enough this evening.”
“I’ll wait for you,” he murmured. “See you back to Summerfield later.”
She shook her head. “Please don’t.”
“I want to help. Give me something to do.”
“Just leave me be,” she whispered. Her eyes darted to the side, and he could tell she was conscious of how everyone stared at the two of them. “Please.”
To leave her be, when she was so clearly upset and vulnerable, went against every protective impulse in his body. But he’d asked her what he could do, and she’d answered him. Honor bade him to comply. For now.
With a reluctant nod, he stepped back. Young ladies clustered around her as they all retreated to the Queen’s Ruby.
He’d let her down. She’d asked him to put a stop to this madness, and he’d refused. Now Miss Highwood was taken ill, the tea shop was in shambles, and he’d put both her reputation and her cherished community at risk. After all their confessions last night, he understood what this place meant to her, how much effort and care she’d devoted to its success.
She’d given him her virginity under the willow tree. And he’d let her down. Bloody hell.
Tomorrow, he’d see about making it up to her.
Tonight, his cousin would have hell to pay.
“Go home, all of you,” he told the men milling about the lane. “Sleep off your drink and return to this spot at sunrise. There’ll be no drill tomorrow until we put this place to rights.”
One by one, the men dispersed, leaving him and Colin alone.
Colin shook his head, regarding the scene. “Well, I’ve certainly left my mark on this place. There isn’t a tavern or ballroom or woman in England I can’t leave ruined and panting for more.”
Bram glared at him, enraged. “You think this is amusing? Fosbury’s establishment is in splinters, and a young lady almost died here tonight. In my arms.”
“I know, I know.” Looking grieved, Colin pushed both hands through his hair. “It’s not amusing at all. But how was I to know she would suffer such an attack? I never meant any harm, you must know. We only meant to have a bit of fun.”
“Fun.” Bram fired the word back at him. “Did you ever stop to think that perhaps the ladies have a reason for keeping this a peaceful village? Or that perhaps the mission we’re here to accomplish is more important than an evening’s debauchery?” When Colin didn’t immediately reply, he said, “No. Of course you didn’t consider it. You never consider anyone else, except to see them standing in the way of your fun.”
“Please. You never consider the feelings of others, either. We’re all just obstacles to your military glory.” Colin threw up his hands. “I don’t even want to be in this godforsaken, disgustingly charming place.”
“Then leave. Go find one of your many dissolute friends and leech off him for the next few months.”
“Do you really think that idea hasn’t occurred to me, on a damned near hourly basis since we arrived? Good Lord, as if I couldn’t find better accommodations than that ghastly castle.”
“Then why are you still here?”
“Because you’re my cousin, Bram!”
For a well-established fact, this sudden outburst rather surprised them both.
Colin made a fist. “You’ve been my closest kin since my parents . . . since I was a boy. And since your father died, I’m all you’ve got, too. We’ve barely spoken to each other in over a decade. I thought it might be nice to try this ‘family’ thing the rest of the world seems so keen on. An idiotic notion, clearly.”