“One pair of brief drawers,” Jonathan answered. “And that was only because I dropped them when we were shoving everything into the coach and neither one of us wanted to bend and pick them up.”
“I’m impressed by your complete and thorough ruthlessness.” Daniel laughed. “And curious as to how you and Courtland managed to get into Dunbridge’s house and abscond with his clothes?”
“His butler let us in.”
“Dunbridge’s butler let you in to steal his clothes?” Daniel bit back a smile. “It appears the man has more enemies than he knows.”
“I’m sure there are a few hundred people in town who hate him for his taste in clothes alone. But in all fairness to his butler, the man let us in because he thought we were doing his employer a favor by bringing him home.”
“From where?”
“Madam Theodora’s,” Jonathan answered, helping himself to a cream puff. “He was at Madam Theo’s after the ball last night boasting about his upcoming duel with Shepherdston.”
“And?” Daniel prompted.
Jonathan grinned. “I thought Madam Theodora was going to faint. I know she’s fond of Jarrod, but she must be even fonder of him than we thought, because she turned as pale as a ghost.”
“Maybe she’s fond of Lord Dunbridge,” Daniel suggested, playing the devil’s advocate.
“She doesn’t give a fig about the current one,” Jonathan said. “But she apparently adored the previous one. It seems Madam Theo’s house originally belonged to the previous Lord Dunbridge, who happened to be the late husband of Lord Rob’s bride.”
Daniel recalled the name. “Lord Calvin Dunbridge
.”
Jonathan nodded. “There’s a history there I’m not privy to, but suffice it to say that Madam Theo has some attachment to Miss Eckersley and to Lady Dunbridge and is very protective of both of them. Any road, Madam Theo recovered from her shock or fright or whatever it was soon enough. She called the girls together in the parlor and told them that as long as Lord Dunbridge remained in the house, the night’s entertainment and drinks were free. It must have cost her a bloody fortune, because the house was bursting at the seams all night long.” He shook his head. “It was quite a party.”
Daniel stared at Barclay’s pallor and red eyes and agreed. “I don’t doubt it a bit.”
“As you can imagine, no one wanted him to leave. Every time he attempted to go, someone pulled him back inside and handed him a drink. He put up a good argument for a while. Kept telling everyone that he had to go home and prepare for his duel, but it was hard to say no to all his well-wishers.” Jonathan paused to polish off his cream puff before resuming his story. “When he finally passed out, in the arms of the new redhead, Mina, Madam Theo came to me and asked me to assist her in removing him. I sent for Courtland and asked him to assist me.” He smiled a wicked smile. “Together we hauled him down the back stairs of Madam Theo’s, shoved him into my coach, and took him to his town house.”
“Where his butler let you in.”
“Right. We didn’t have any trouble there because Dunbridge’s butler was glad to have us there to help his master up the stairs.” Lifting his cup and saucer, Jonathan took a long swallow. “And once we gained entrance, it was a simple matter of dismissing the butler and carrying Dunbridge up the stairs to his bed.” He smiled at the memory. “I have to say it was the best adventure I’ve had since university days that didn’t involve smuggling.”
“I don’t even know the fellow and I would have paid money to see you and Courtland carrying him up the stairs.” Daniel smiled.
“Especially when we were none too steady on our feet, either.” Jonathan threw back his head and laughed. “We had to have been drunk to do what we did, and I have to say it was a first for me.” He looked at Daniel. “I hope he’s the last drunken lord I ever have to strip naked.” He shuddered in mock horror. “Carrying him up the stairs was hard enough. But getting his clothes off him while he was asleep was worse. I swear it felt as if he weighed a ton, and it was all dead weight …”
Good heavens, Daniel, you weigh a ton.
Miranda’s complaint came back to haunt him so clearly that he could almost believe she was standing beside him. I take it back, Daniel. You weigh a ton and a half.
“Tossing his clothes out the window and picking them up, though it took a while, was easy in comparison.”
“I’d say you and Miranda St. Germaine have a lot in common.”
“She stole your boots?”
“She waltzed me out of Sussex House and practically carried me across the lawn on her own.” He gazed at Jonathan over the rim of his coffee cup. “If I remember correctly, she accused me of weighing a ton and a half. I still can’t believe she managed it.”
“Miranda’s a big girl,” Jonathan reminded him.
Daniel knew Jonathan wasn’t intentionally belittling Miranda. He knew Jonathan hadn’t meant his comment to be hurtful, but it stung. And Daniel realized, suddenly, how Miranda felt when he’d repeatedly reminded her that she was no featherweight. “She’s a tall girl,” Daniel corrected. “And I’m an even taller, heavier man. Getting me out of my clothes while I was unconscious and stitching me up must have been a Herculean task.”
Jonathan’s shock showed on his face. “Miranda took care of you?”
“Yes.” Daniel drank the last of his coffee, placed the cup on the saucer and set them on the table.