At least Penny had washed off the excess blood.
Damn but that woman had thrown his life into chaos.
To be fair, she’d begged him not to fight. But honestly, how did a two young women and their charges survive without a protector? Penny was likely competent, and she had a way of soothing ruffled male feathers, but that didn’t fend off criminals.
And Clarissa was fierce enough, but the young woman was a slip of a thing who didn’t even wear shoes.
It made him ache to think of them at the world’s mercy. He entered the house and started straight up the stairs to the front sitting room. Sliding open the door, he found the duke lounging on his settee.
“You’re finally home,” Daring’s deep voice rumbled. “You look like shit.”
“Daring,” he said by way of greeting. “How unexpected.”
“Why?” Daring said, waving Logan’s message from this morning. The paper fluttered through the air. “You wrote me.”
Logan stopped. “And? A note of reply would have sufficed.”
Daring chuckled. “I came to tell you that Miss Penny Walter’s presence is required this evening. No getting around it.”
Logan had known that would be true. “Fine. I’ve already made the arrangements.”
“And have you already helped her with her…project?”
“Yes,” he answered cautiously. So many questions tumbled about his thoughts. Like why Daring was so concerned with an orphanage or why he wished for Logan to work with other lords. But the ones involving Penny won out. “Tell me. Who else will be at dinner tonight?”
“Some lords you might know and others you likely won’t.”
Damn the man and his vague answers. “You mentioned prospective partners. Are they for me or for her?”
“Both,” he grinned. “I liked the idea of a charity buy-in so much, I think I’ll make it a requirement for all of them. Which is why she needs to be there.”
Logan shifted. That should have made him happy. If each of the men contributed, Penny could have a much nicer home and be able to take in more orphans. But he hated the idea of these other men spending time with her. It wasn’t jealousy, he told himself. She was far too beautiful; and men, as she’d put it herself, sometimes wanted things in trade for their favors. He’d not allow men like that to hurt her the way they had him. “I can negotiate on her behalf.”
Daring quirked a brow. “The Earl of Gold, negotiating for a poor orphanage?” He rose from his seat. “Forgive my skepticism.”
“I shan’t until you tell me exactly what you mean.” He crossed his arms, refusing to wince even when his ribs ached from his earlier fight. “I have excellent negotiating skills.”
“I’m sure you do.” Daring chuckled. “But you have been known to profit from every endeavor you undertake. Not hoping to turn a profit on Miss Walters too, are you?”
Logan’s head snapped back like he’d been physically hit. “How dare you. Penny and those children need someone to look out—”
Daring’s eyes widened with surprise. “You like her.”
Logan’s jaw clenched. He wasn’t about to admit that to anyone, not even himself. He’d come so close to kissing her today, he’d smelled the fresh mint on her breath, felt the press of her soft curves. But he’d sworn his gifts were favor-free and he’d hold to that. But damn, it had been difficult. He wanted to lose himself in her. “It’s not that.” He lied. “She’s uncommonly pretty.” Now that was the truth. “And she alluded to the fact that there have been other men who have tried to exploit her because of her beauty. Do you know all your potential partners well? How would they treat a vulnerable woman like that?”
Daring ran a hand through his hair, but Logan watched as the other man attempted to grin. “The Earl of Gold has a heart after all.”
He clearly did because the organ stuttered in his chest. Why did those words unsettle him?
They weren’t an insult.
But he supposed he had considered feelings a weakness. He’d loved his father. Look at where that had gotten him. Ruined and sent to Eton by his aunt. The other boys at school had been merciless. But he’d learned how to survive, how to thrive. “What man doesn’t protect a group of children? Girls all of them.”
Daring shook his head. “A great many. I look forward to meeting Miss Penny Walters tonight.” Then Daring curled his lip. “But I’d recommend a bath first.”
He didn’t bother to mention that Penny had already given him a sponge bath. One that would take him days to recover from properly. Her gentle hands on his skin had been exquisite torture. He’d wanted to kiss those hands, her open palms. Hell, he’d wanted to kiss a path from the tip of her pinky finger to her lips. “A bath? I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Unless you’re going for ruffian. To scare the other men away from Miss Walters,” Daring said. “How did you get so beat up anyhow?”