He scanned around the room before his eye fell on Dawkes. He generally wasn’t one to break the rules, and wasn’t sure how much he should interfere in what went on here at her establishment. He was only too lucky that he currently didn’t owe the woman even the smallest of debts that must be repaid. He lifted his head to gaze at the lady above with his one good eye. She really was something to behold.
“And was she in need of your protection?” Mrs. Dove-Lyon inquired.
“Yes.” He finally tore his attention from Angel but Gideon had the feeling the woman standing next to him was missing nothing.
“And you believe that Major Dawkes wouldn’t be a good fit for the lady’s hand if I were to pursue matching them together?” she asked while her veiled head turned in the direction of Dawkes.
He grunted. “Hardly,” he scoffed, not holding back what he thought of Dawkes. “You would be wise to keep an eye on him and notify your bouncers to do the same. He doesn’t have the best of intentions and that includes caring about a lady and her reputation.”
“Duly noted, but tell me, Captain Tyler… since you’ve just had a conversation with the lady and you clearly appear interested in her, would you be willing to meet with her to see if you might suit?”
Gideon drained his glass in one gulp. Angel intrigued him but was this emotion just a physical attraction, or something more? He continued to stare at the woman he had only just met and something lurched inside his chest. Was that nervous knot in the pit of his stomach because of the possibility that something might come from their apparent first connection? Perhaps this was the prospect of being tied to a wife who might one day come to regret her decision to marry a disfigured man, no matter how noble she felt his character.
Inwardly he cringed and then shook his head that had begun to pound with one of his all too frequent headaches. No. Better to go through life alone than to have a woman stay with him out of pity.And heaven forbid if he actually fell in love with his wife and then she ended up leaving him because she could no longer stand the sight of his face!
“I’m sure you will be able to find a candidate that is more than suitable for the lady. I must decline, Mrs. Dove-Lyon,” he at last answered with a considerable amount of distress. Once the words left his mouth, he instantly knew he would indeed regret such a decision.
“Given how you continue to glance her way, I’m not entirely convinced this is really what you desire, Captain Tyler,” Mrs. Dove-Lyon exclaimed. “Won’t you change your mind?”
With one last stare upon the woman who gazed back at him from the upper gallery, he knew his mind was made up. He was nothing but a second son and a scarred one at that. His Angel deserved more. Even so, she gave him the briefest of nods and he heaved a sigh filled with remorse. “I’ve given you my response, madam. Please excuse me,” he said before quickly turning on his heels and taking his leave.
He knew if he stayed any longer he just might take a chance at falling in love. Without another thought of changing his mind, he went to find Leopold. Learning he was occupied upstairs, he asked a servant to inform his friend that he was heading home. Gideon was done with the Lyon’s Den for the night.
Chapter Fourteen
Violet watched whileher dashing knight and Mrs. Dove-Lyon held a conversation for a considerable amount of time. She hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath in the hope that perhaps the captain had a change of heart. But it was the grim expression upon his features that even she could see for herself from her vantage point high on the balcony that told her everything she needed to know. It was apparent to her that Sir Knight was holding firm to his decision to remain unwed… that is, if she was even the topic of their conversation. Considering he continued to glance her way told her she was correct in her assumption.
“You like him, whoever he is,” Arianna commented in amusement. “Is he one of the men for you to consider as a possible spouse?”
“No.”
Her friend’s brow rose in a delicate arch of disbelief. “No? That’s all you have to say? No?”
“Yes. That’s all I have to say on the matter,” Violet commented dryly.
“Did you find him lacking for some reason that took him out of your consideration?”
Violet shook her head as she watched Sir Knight leave Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s side. “On the contrary. I found him…” She trailed off while she made an attempt to get her emotions in check about a man she had just barely met.
“Found him, what?” Arianna asked quietly, giving Violet a nudge for an answer.
Violet turned toward her friend and she couldn’t help the tears that began to form in her eyes. “I found him everything I could hope for in a possible husband even though we didn’t speak for very long. He was delightful.”
A gasp left her friend. “So fast. Why, Violet, that’s amazing,” she declared in excitement. She reached for Violet’s hands. “I’m so happy for you!”
Violet pulled her hands away to swipe away the tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. “Don’t get too excited for me, Ari. He’s not interested.”
“What?” A snort of disdain left Arianna’s lips. “Not interested? Why the cad! If he can’t see what a catch you’d make, then he doesn’t deserve you.”
Violet gave a sigh of disappointment. “He was the only one thus far for whom I’ve held even the tiniest bit of interest. It’s such a shame because how do I compare other men in the future when all I can see is him?”
“Maybe he’ll change his mind.”
Violet shrugged because what more could she do? She wasn’t about to throw herself at any man if he wasn’t the least bit interested in marriage. This was the only reason why she was here in the first place. She thought about Patience and her generosity and felt like she should return to her cousin’s townhouse and tell her that her efforts to find Violet a husband would not come to fruition. Instead, Violet was going to be paying off her debt to Patience most likely until the end of time. The apothecary didn’t bring in the kind of money most likelyneeded to repay such an outlandish sum back to her cousin. Maybe she could ask her aunt and uncle for a loan. Surely there would be enough between the two family businesses to see the debt paid.
“Do you think he will? Change his mind, that is?” Arianna asked when Violet didn’t answer her.
“I doubt it,” Violet answered at last as she came out of her thoughts. “He certainly is handsome.”
