Page 28 of Miss Ellis Unleashed

And his widow, Honoria, was the last woman Max would like to be in close quarters with for any period of time. He’d never marry such a grasping female. She was the complete opposite of Daisy, who was all sunshine and practicality. Possessed of a heart full of kindness toward others.

Honoria was spiteful and vain, eager for a title she’d never be entitled to now. He’d have to be especially careful around her when he saw her next.

“What are you looking so grim about now?” Abelton asked, startling Max out of his contemplation of the future troubles.

Max pushed his drink aside. “I was thinking of going home.”

“Well, don’t let me keep you if you want to spend another night all alone in that big empty house of yours,” Abelton murmured, swiping his drink and sculling it down. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “I’ll be here, drowning my sorrows on my own,” he continued.

Max almost changed his mind about leaving, until he saw a handsome woman watching them closely. He quickly realized her interest was in Abelton, and not himself.

He hid a smile. Abelton was a popular devil who attracted ladies in spades everywhere he went. He just could never keep one around for long.

“I’m sure something will come along to distract you after I’m gone,” Max promised, as he pushed up from the table. “Will you be at the club later tonight?”

“No, worse luck. Atherton is hosting a soiree. Must attend, since we’re related,” Abelton grumbled. “You should be there, too. The last thing I want to do is be bored by proper ladies without you by my side. Who knows, perhaps your girl will be among the guests.”

Max squeezed Abelton’s shoulder. Daisy would be with him, at home. “She’s not my girl.”

Abelton slammed his tankard down. “Only because you won’t stir yourself to claim her.”

Max did not bother to argue and bid Abelton a good night before he made his way toward the woman, who was still watching Abelton. He slipped her a crown. “See if you can cheer him up.”

The woman palmed the money and smiled brightly. “I already planned to once you were out of the way.”

Abelton was in good hands then. Max lingered long enough to see the woman headed across the room but did not stay to see how her arrival was received. Abelton could manage his love life.

Max had his own to worry about.

Daisy was still very much on his mind. She had made his future seem not as bleak as it had at first, and all in the space of a short walk.

Out on the street, he strolled along the pavement, avoiding eye contact lest he see someone from society who just loved to stop and gossip. He did not want to be late reaching home. He had to ready himself for seeing Daisy again and make a good impression.

He was approaching a street corner nearest his home when he heard a woman cry out in alarm. He rushed forward when he spotted Miss Justine Dawes reaching for something dropped on the dirty roadway.

“Watch out!” he shouted, as a carriage barreled toward her and her outstretched hand, cutting the corner dangerously close to where she stood.

He pulled her back in the nick of time, and the item she’d been reaching for was lost under the churning of a carriage wheel, forcing it into filth.

He righted her quickly and stepped back, catching a glimpse of her distraught face. “Miss Dawes, are you all right?”

She looked at him and then the book on the road, and a shuddering moan left her. “I was.”

She turned away suddenly and ran from him.

Max was stunned by the haste of her departure. But she was a strange one, Miss Dawes. He’d never quite known what to make of her, or her friendship with Daisy. His previous ward and Miss Dawes were like chalk and cheese. The former was utterly open with her opinions, while the latter chose every word with more care.

That their friendship had ended the way it had did not surprise him. But he was certain the young woman was not happier for the loss of Daisy’s company.

He glanced at the book lying in the muck and wrinkled his nose, then checked for traffic before he stooped to pick it up by the only corner free of filth.

It seemed familiar, and he vaguely recalled Miss Dawes always carrying a book with her when she had visited Daisy. Max thought it important enough to try to salvage.

He carried it between two fingers until he reached his town house and immediately called for his valet.

Max held the ruined book out toward the man. “See what you can do to clean this mess up, but a word of caution: do not read one word of what might be written inside. It is not mine, but I know the owner.”

The valet scowled. “As if I have time to read anything these days, my lord.”