Free Ripe for Scandal by Isobel Carr Page B

truth—a true confession of his motives—would make things far, far worse.
    “If you were anyone else,” Leo said, “I’d kill you where you stand, Beau’s reputation be damned.”
    Gareth nodded, not quite sure where that left them. Leo’s expression was bleak. There would be no forgiveness, whatever the
     outcome.
    “I’ve no doubt you can explain how it’s all Beau’s fault,” Leo said with a hint of bitterness. “I’m sure this escapade happened
     by her express design—when did anything not?—but no matter what you have to say, it will merely be an
excuse
. She’s my sister, Sandison. My baby sister. And I left her in your care.”
    “And I failed you both, but I swear to you, I didn’t abduct her.”
    Leo shut his eyes for a moment, shaking his head. “When the girl is willing, or God forbid, actually complicit, it’s usually
     called an elopement. I’ll grant you that much. No, don’t say another word. You can save your explanations for my parents.
     I don’t think I can stomach to hear them.”
    Sandison swallowed down the urge to defend himself, to defend Beau. “Are your parents in London?”
    “I imagine they’ll be joining Beau at Dyrham as soon as Glennalmond’s note reaches them. I’d advise you to do the same. Two
     days, Sandison. In two days, you’d best be at Dyrham, or I’ll hunt you down and shoot you on sight.”

CHAPTER 11
    W hat do you mean ‘
her brothers have taken her home’
?”
    Padrig Nowlin flinched as Granby shot to his feet and his chair toppled back onto the floor with a reverberating crack.
    “Just that, sir. She was snatched away from me at gunpoint, and before I could get her back, her brothers arrived.”
    Granby paced across the room, one hand fiddling with the patch that covered his left eye. Lady Boudicea had done that to him.
     With her bare hands. Padrig forced himself to ignore the shiver that went down his spine. If she was capable of such an action,
     what might her brothers do?
    “I came as quickly as I could, sir,” Padrig said, fully aware that nothing he could have said or done was going to mollify
     his employer.
    “Snatch a girl and bring her to me. How hard is that?” Granby glared out of his one eye, his mouth quirked into a dismissive
     moue of disgust. “Lock her in the carriage anddon’t let her out until you reach Scotland. Nothing could have been simpler.”
    Padrig choked down the obvious retort. If it was so simple, how had she got away from Granby when he’d tried it? “I know,
     sir.”
    “But your
knowing
didn’t get the job done,” Granby said, deep frown lines marring both cheeks. “And you very much wanted to get the job done,
     Nowlin. Maeve has already discovered a taste for the life of a harlot.”
    Padrig’s hands curled into fists.
    “Well,” Granby continued, smoothing his coat, “she likes the clothes and the money and the frills and furbelows that accompany
     her newfound place in the world. In a few weeks, who knows, she may have passed out of my keeping entirely.”
    “Breaking our bargain,” Padrig growled.
    “And whose fault would that be? Not mine. I promised to return the little slut when you brought me what I wanted. If that’s
     become impossible, I’ll do with her as I like. And so will my friends. There’s always Bridget and little Sorcha to take her
     place when she moves on.”
    “I’ll kill you first.”
    Granby laughed, and Padrig felt a quick flush of shame. If he were any kind of man at all…
    “If you were going to kill me,” Granby said, “you’d have done it when you woke up and discovered you’d lost everything to
     me, or when you found Maeve had bought you a six-month reprieve.” He straightened his neckcloth, not even bothering to pretend
     to be concerned for his safety. “All you’re going to do now is hie yourself back to England and attempt to correct your mistake.”

CHAPTER 12
    W hy won’t anyone listen?” Beau paced across her brother’s library,