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Adam caught her easily against his body, his arms snaking around her and holding her close. She flailed and whimpered in his arms, and he tightened his grip on her. “Do not move,” he whispered into her ear before raising his head and narrowing his eyes at the men who’d dared to accost her. “Is there a problem, gentlemen?”

“Not a single problem as long as you hand our harlot back to us,” one of the men said with a drunken slur.

“I am not a harlot!” Miss Fowley cried, her cheeks rosy with shame, her body jolting in the circle of Adam’s arms.

He gently set her aside and stepped forward, shielding her from the drunken chaps. “Care to repeat that?”

Either his voice held a menacing promise or his demeanor was unwelcoming, but the men stepped back and raised their arms in self-defense. “You can have her,” one of them said. The other one mumbled something indecipherable, and they both slunk away, easily getting lost in the crowd.

Adam turned to Miss Fowley, his teeth still clenched, his hands fisted at his sides. She was struggling to put her mask on, as it kept slipping from her shaking fingers.

“Now you’re putting it on,” he grumbled. “Couldn’t have done it earlier?”

She squinted up at him, her arms still raised in a futile attempt to tie her mask. “Pardon me?”

“I said this is a rather dangerous place for a young, genteel lady to be,” he bit out.

“Yes, thank you,” she said, still struggling to tie the mask behind her head.

“Are you lost, perhaps? Should I escort you out of this place?” His voice was gentle and silky now. If it wasn’t, he would fly into a rage.

With a frustrated sigh, she paused in her futile attempt to tie up her mask. “No, but thank you for offering. I am right where I want to be. Goodnight.” She turned away, her mask uselessly dangling from her fingers.

Adam heaved a sigh and sent a silent prayer for patience before stepping closer. “If you’re looking for an exit, it is in the other direction. I can escort you out if you let me.”

She jumped before turning back to him. “Thank you, my lord, for your generosity,” she said icily. “But I would rather stay here than step outside with any gentleman.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m afraid you don’t have much of a choice. Unless you enjoy being accosted by men, this is not a place for a genteel woman.”

“How do you even know that I am a genteel woman?” She tossed her head back defiantly.

He blinked in disbelief. “If you wanted to remain anonymous, perhaps wearing a mask would be beneficial. Besides, anyone would recognize a gentleman’s daughter by the way she speaks. And that’s not even taking into consideration the fact that not only have we been previously introduced, but you were briefly betrothed to my brother.”

Miss Fowley stepped closer and squinted at him. “Mr. Lewis?”

Adam tried not to be offended that she did not recognize him. At least now it was clear that the only reason she refused his assistance was because she thought he was a stranger.

He bowed low. “Adam Lewis, at your service.”

“Apologies for my dismissive behavior, but this place is rather…” She looked around with a frown between her brows, biting her lower lip, “not what I expected it to be. Do you mind holding that for a moment?” She handed him her mask, and Adam had no choice but to take it. She started rummaging through her reticule, then finally took out her spectacles and put them on. With a triumphant smile, she turned back to him. “I do not see very well without my spectacles. And I couldn’t put my mask on top of them, not that I was able to make it stay even without them.”

Adam extended her mask toward her, but before she could see his gesture, she turned away. Adam heaved a sigh and stepped closer. “Miss Fowley, now that you recognize that I mean you no harm, perhaps you will let me escort you out of here.”

She smiled sheepishly. “I am sorry. I am very grateful for your assistance, but I need to be here.”

“Need?” Adam raised a brow. “Are you looking for someone?”

She shook her head. “Not exactly.”

“Not exactly,” Adam repeated under his breath. “You do realize the risk you’re putting yourself in by remaining here. And I don’t mean just your reputation, but your well-being as well.”

“I thank you for rescuing me from those pesky gentlemen—”

“Pesky?”

“But I can assure you that I can take care of myself. And as far as my reputation goes, I am to be married soon.”

Adam ground his teeth and curled his fingers into fists. Around them, revelers in elaborate masks and costumes whirled by, their drunken chatter and raucous laughter mingling with the lively music filling the crowded hall. Adam had to press closer to the obstinate woman just to make certain she could hear him over the chaos.