Lady Beware by Jo Beverley Page B

described as a runt—short and scrawny. Some thought him easy pickings, but they soon realized their error. He’d learned to fight viciously. Considering his family, one can guess why.”
    No pity.
    â€œWhat happened between him and Dare?” Thea demanded. “I need to know.”
    He gave her a thoughtful look, but didn’t balk. “Cave picked a fight with Dare. Needless to say, Dare had done nothing to offend him, but perhaps Cave imagined a slight, or perhaps he chose Dare to represent the whole hated world. By the time they were pulled apart, Dare was well bloodied and Cave had barely a scratch. But then, as you know, Dare never had a fighter’s heart.”
    â€œThat’s why we were all concerned by his desire to fight Napoleon.”
    â€œWellington was inspired to give him a job that mostly required riding. He was always a blistering, fearless rider.”
    â€œAt your suggestion,” Eleanor said, startling Thea.
    Nicholas brushed it aside. “Via Con, via Hawkinville. Anyway, Dare always turned away anger with a laugh or a joke, and he did so this time. He said, ‘Cave canem.’ He meant no ill by it, of course, but other boys took it up. Horatio Cave became Canem Cave, often accompanied by yapping sounds or silly jokes. And then, inevitably, it was translated into English. When someone called him Dog he ripped into such a ferocious fight he broke Derby Trigwell’s arm and was expelled.”
    No pity.
    â€œHow sad,” Eleanor said.
    â€œFor the boy with the broken arm?” Thea asked pointedly.
    â€œFor both of them,” Eleanor replied. “Didn’t you do anything, Nicholas?”
    It would seem a strange thing to say except that Thea had grown up with stories of Nicholas Delaney.
    â€œHe would have been an ideal candidate for the Rogues, yes,” he said, “but we’d agreed twelve was it. Magic number and all that. And he was a year younger. Looking back, I’m sure there were things we could have done to help, but we were schoolboys and mostly absorbed with our own lives. I confess, once poor Dog Cave left school I never gave him a thought.”
    No pity!
    â€œHow it must have festered,” Eleanor said. “I remember one school cruelty to this day, and if I met Fanny Millburton I would be hard-pressed to be polite.”
    â€œSo would you go out of your way to do Fanny Millburton a favor?” Thea asked.
    Eleanor looked at her. “I’d like to think so, but I’m not sure.”
    â€œWhat do you suspect, Thea?” Nicholas demanded.
    Thea hovered on the brink of telling him everything, but speaking of her promise would make it more real and she knew now that she must find a way of wriggling off the poisoned hook. The man might have suffered unkindness, but had clearly been wild and vicious from the cradle.
    â€œMy parents are very grateful to Lord Darien and I suspect that was his aim. Mara’s warning made me wonder if he means us some harm, and now you tell me he has reason.”
    â€œA very convoluted revenge,” he pointed out. “Simpler, surely, to let Dare stew in scandal.”
    Thea considered that. “But that way his situation wouldn’t be changed. Lord Darien’s, I mean. Last night, the ton showed clearly that they were not willing to accept a Cave in their midst. Perhaps he seeks to change that. My family’s support would be powerful.”
    â€œThe ton at its vicious worst can be worse than any mob,” Nicholas agreed. “If he seeks your family’s support to overcome that, what harm in it?”
    â€œOnce he’s gained his end, he might intend some subtle malice.”
    Nicholas’s brows rose. “Been reading Minerva novels, Thea?”
    â€œPeople do plan and execute evil,” she protested.
    He instantly sobered. “I apologize. Indeed they do. Eleanor, I fear we’re going to have to stay in Town a little