“I have only one thing to be thankful for!” cried Judith. “It is that in a very short time now it will be out of your power to threaten me or to interfere in my concerns! You may be certain of this at least, Lord Worth: once your guardianship of me ends I shall not willingly see you again!”
“Thank you! You have now given full rein to your temper, and can have no more to say,” he replied, and turned, and held open the door. “Your chaise should be ready by this time, ma’am.”
She moved towards the door, but before she could reach it, Peregrine had come hastily into the room, looking hot, and rather more dusty and dishevelled than she was herself.
“What the devil’s amiss?” demanded Peregrine. “I thought you had been half-way to Brighton by now! I have had the wretchedest luck, I can tell you!”
“Lord Worth,” said Judith controlling her voice with an effort, “has seen proper to declare our race at an end. It does not suit his dignity to have his ward drive herself into Brighton.”
“Much we care for that!” said Peregrine. “Damme, Worth, this is a wager! You can’t stop my sister now!”
“I will say what I have to say to you later,” replied Worth, unpleasantly. “Miss Taverner, I am waiting to hand you into your chaise!”
“You may continue your journey,” she said. “When my brother is with me I need no protection but his.”
“As we have seen,” he remarked sardonically. “Well, I warned you, Miss Taverner, that I should compel your obedience.”
He came forward, but Peregrine stepped quickly between them with his fists up, and said sharply: “And I will warn you, sir, to leave my sister alone!”