Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress by Diane Gaston

safe?’
    ‘Domina?’ the lady huffed. ‘Safe from your bad influence, I can tell you. She told us you ran off during the night—off to be with some soldier, we could guess.’ Lady Fenton turned to Captain Landon. ‘You, sir? Did she run off with you?’
    The captain’s eyes turned flinty. ‘You misunderstand.’
    Sir Roger pursed his lips. He turned away from Marian andaddressed himself to the captain. ‘Our son’s horse came back, obviously having been ridden hard. Some of our son’s clothing was missing.’ He gestured to Marian. ‘Domina eventually admitted Marian had run off.’
    Lady Fenton added, ‘At first our daughter would not tell us where she had gone. We soon wore her down—’
    Sir Roger went on. ‘Our daughter said Marian wished to witness the battle, but we do not credit that.’
    ‘What well-bred young lady would even think to witness a battle?’ His wife shook her head. ‘Not that she is as well bred as she pretends, born in India and all that. This behaviour is hoydenish in the extreme.’
    ‘Domina is unhurt?’ All the abuse of her character washed over Marian for the moment. None of it mattered if her friend had come home in one piece.
    Lady Fenton shot daggers at her. ‘She is vastly hurt by your behaviour and by how you abused her friendship and took advantage of us all.’
    The captain straightened. ‘You have been misled. Miss Pallant did not—’
    Lady Fenton held up a hand. ‘Do not say a word. I will not believe it.’
    It finally dawned on Marian that Domina had blamed the entire escapade on her. She swallowed. ‘Leave it, Captain. They will not hear you.’
    Lady Fenton glared at her. ‘Your trunk is packed. Take it now or send instructions where to deliver it.’
    The captain stepped forwards. ‘Wait a moment. You accepted responsibility for this young lady. You are still responsible for her.’
    Lady Fenton laughed in his face. ‘It seems you have accepted responsibility for her. It is you who have dishonoured her, is it not, sir?’
    His eyes blazed at the woman. ‘Miss Pallant has done nothing that requires apology.’
    Marian felt her face burn. He was wrong and he knew it. ‘I do not wish to stay here. I will go back in the carriage.’
    The captain turned to her. ‘You will not leave. These people brought you to Brussels and they will not abandon you now.’
    ‘She will go,’ Sir Roger said.
    The Fentons had been like a mother and father to her. Domina had been like a sister. Or so she’d thought.
    How easily they turned her out.
    ‘It is near dark.’ The captain spoke in a firm voice. ‘There is no guarantee of finding accommodations so late.’
    Not for him either, she thought.
    ‘Tomorrow I will make other arrangements for her,’ he went on. ‘Tonight she stays with you or a story will soon circulate about how respectable young women cannot trust you to chaperon them.’
    ‘You would not dare speak against us.’ Lady Fenton looked as if she would explode.
    The captain glared.
    ‘Very well.’ Lady Fenton’s shoulders slumped. ‘She must confine herself to her room. I do not wish to set eyes on her again.’
    He nodded and turned to Marian, reaching over to steady himself on the back of a chair. ‘I’ll come for you in the morning.’
    She could not help but feel relief. She would be parted from him for only a night.
    Her brows knit. ‘But you have no place to stay tonight.’ She turned to the Fentons. ‘There is room in this house. He must stay here.’
    ‘I will not hear of it!’ cried Lady Fenton.
    The captain looked directly into Marian’s eyes. ‘I will manage. It is only one night.’ With a fortifying breath he released his grip on the chair and bowed to Sir Roger and Lady Fenton. ‘I will call for Miss Pallant in the morning.’
    He walked to the door, but needed to hold on to the door-jamb a moment before proceeding to the stairs.
    ‘Captain!’ Marian ran after him.
    From the top of the stairs she watched his descent. The