Page 63 of Love with a Notorious Rake

Aidan took a seat, facing the man. “Have you been following me?”

“Aye. A bit. Wanted to make sure you’re all right.”

Aidan scoffed. “As if you care for my well-being.”

“Listen up, my pretty pup. The world doesn’t revolve around you. Or that damned marquess. Sutherhorne attended one of my fights. You see, he likes inflicting pain on men as much as he likes watching it. He offered to hire me as his protector. An object of his amusement, more like. I needed the coin. Not much to be made on illegal bare-knuckle fighting—at least, not for the fighter.”

“Am I to feel sorry for you?”

“No. I’ll bet you feel plenty sorry for yourself to have any sympathy left for me. But let me finish, and don’t interrupt again.”

Aidan shrugged, stinging from the brute’s rebuke. The man was not wrong.

“I attended more than one of those toff parties; I know what goes on. When you were brought out for the auction, I figured you were a male prossie like all the rest, regardless of what they claimed. You hardly looked the part of an heir to an earl. You were a right mess.”

Again, the man was not wrong. Aidan remained silent.

“Sutherhorne and I took you to a room, and I found out soon enough you weren’t a prossie at all.”

“What is your damned point? I am not going to sit here and have you describe in detail what happened between us. I don’t remember most of it, and I would prefer to keep it that way. And you still haven’t said why you have been following me. It’s more than being concerned.”

“You’re interrupting,” Delaney growled. “And don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it. You responded.”

“I would have responded to anyone touching me, regardless of age or gender. I was out of my head, in a drug-addled fog. Now you listen to me: I am not horrified by what physical acts two consenting men get up to. I attended Eton and Cambridge. I’ve seen plenty, though I did not seek it out personally. What I am horrified by is the fact that I sold myself for money to buy opium. As I said, you were a means to an end, nothing else. If you have formed an attachment to me from our one brief encounter, the sentiment is not returned, nor shall it ever be.” Aidan figured it had to be said.

The silence between them was deadly.

“Fair play. I hear you. Let me continue. Sutherhorne told me you really were an heir to an earl weeks later. The whole situation hasn’t been sitting well with me. That night, I’d left the room for a moment to relieve myself. When I came back, he was holding a lit cigar to your back while he…Jaysus.”

Aidan’s stomach tumbled. “Enough. I do not want to hear any more of what happened in that room.”

“Fine. But I’m not done. When the marquess sent me to Standon to investigate Mrs. and Miss Hughes, I saw you sitting outside a building in a wheeled chair. Found out the place was a clinic. Aye, I was concerned. Was it me that put you there? It’s why I came to your room in February. Then your damned Scottish uncle burst through the door, mucking things up good and proper.”

“And since? Why follow me?” Aidan demanded.

Delaney met his gaze. “To see that you were safe,” he answered, his husky voice soft. “After February, I traveled around, taking odd jobs. In May, I watched your home. Saw you with your family. Then you left. Aye, I was curious where you were going. I recognized the man with you. He was in Standon with your uncle. I’ve been nearby these three weeks.”

“Now that you see I am quite recovered, there is no reason for you to stay. What happened to me, my time in the clinic, had nothing to do with you. I hold you in no blame. Our acquaintance is at an end.” Aidan’s tone was firm.

Delaney shook his head. “I’ll be staying a bit. I’ve taken a job collecting rent from stocking workers. I’ll stay until I’ve got traveling coin.”

Aidan sat forward. “I will give you fifty pounds to leave tonight.”

Delaney arched an eyebrow. “Oh, aye? I don’t take bribes. Or charity.”

“Oh, this is most definitely a bribe. I will make it seventy pounds if you leave and never seek me out again.” It was all the damned coin he had on him.

Delaney rubbed his whiskered chin. “It’s tempting, but no, my lordling. I earn my keep.”

“I can assure you that the position you have accepted will soon be gone. There are changes coming to this village, ones the masters will not like.”

“Is that what you’re doing at the cotton mill?”

Aidan exhaled. Why wouldn’t this blasted man take the money and go? He supposed even a brute had a code of honor. “Never mind what I’m doing. The air is cleared. There is nothing between us. No hate—and certainly no affection. If you were led to believe otherwise, accept my apology. I was not myself.” In speaking the words, a part of his dark soul lightened. It was time to allow the nightmares to fade and move on with his life.

Delaney sat back in the chair. “Well, that is clear enough. I wanted you to know I’m long done with Sutherhorne.” He stood. Hell, the man was huge.

Aidan stood as well. “Sutherhorne has been banished by Prince Albert to a rocky island in the North Atlantic. He will never be heard from again.”