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Then Louisa’s gaze focused on him and turned dark. “Simon, what are you doing here? Did Harry ask you to help find Emma, too?”
“No, but I would prefer to speak about this in private with Mrs. Drake.” Simon climbed the stairs behind Emma, watching her full hips sway with every step. He attempted to walk past Louisa at the top stair, only to have her grab his arm.
“Where have you two been?” she asked harshly.
Simon glared down at his sister-in-law. “After I speak with your mother. It will be up to Mrs. Drake how much of this mess is related to you.”
He yanked his arm out of her clutches and followed Emma into the family salon where her mother slowly rose when she noticed him.
“Emma, where have you been?” She then nodded at Simon. “Mr. Kingsley, thank you for retrieving my daughter, but there is no need to stay.”
“There is every need, Mrs. Drake.”
Mrs. Drake glanced between them both, her brow furrowing as she comprehended the situation. She turned her anger on her daughter. “What have you done, Emma? With a bastard!”
“Mamma!” both Louisa and her sister exclaimed at the same time.
“Out. Both of you.” Mrs. Drake said to Louisa and Tessa. “Go home and have a servant find your husbands while I sort this mess out.”
Louisa gave him a look somewhere between pity and fury before leaving the room. Tessa followed behind the duchess.
“Sit down, Mr. Kingsley,” Mrs. Drake ordered. “Emma, where have you been for the past day, and how is this man part of it?”
Emma worried her lower lip and stared down at her hands. “I thought it might be fun to race a carriage and knew several gentlemen were planning to do so yesterday.”
“Race a carriage! Have you gone mad?” Mrs. Drake glared over at him. “And you let her do this?”
“Of course not, madam. She stole my carriage. I had to retrieve it.”
Mrs. Drake waved her fan in front of her face frantically. “My daughter stole a carriage in front of other gentlemen! Which gentlemen, Emma?”
Emma cleared her throat, still staring at her hands.
“Lord Ainsley, Lord Blakely, Mr. Stanton, and one man I didn’t know.”
“Mr. Compton,” Simon added.
“Oh!” Her fan moved quickly in front of her face. “Emma, you have done it now. No decent man will have you even for ten thousand. Where did you go?”
“St. Albans,” Emma whispered.
A pang of pity swept through him. Her cheeks were bright red with embarrassment.
“And you stayed overnight?” Mrs. Drake asked faintly.
“Yes. The rain wouldn’t let up.”
“With Mr. Kingsley?”
Emma nodded.
“Of all the men there, you chose the lowest of them all. A bastard who owns a gaming hell and has nothing. You could have stayed with Ainsley!”
“Madam, I would have a word in private,” Simon demanded.
“Emma, leave us.”
“No.” Emma jumped out of her seat, her gaze darting between them both. “Whatever you must say to each other, you will say in front of me.”
