Now Meg staggered and Robert actually reached forward to keep her from falling. He helped her to a chair and she drew a few breaths as she tried to remain calm.
“He and Graham saw each other. How bad was it?”
“A bit of shoving is all,” Roseford said, his mouth thinning to a grim line. “At least this time.”
She bent her head. “God, how I hate that their friendship is on such poor terms because of me.” She sighed and stared at her clenched hands in her lap. “You saw Graham?”
Roseford nodded. “He was still there.”
“And how…how was he?”
He hesitated. “Do you want the truth, madam, or some lie meant to comfort you?”
She jerked her face up at the faint disdain in his tone. She deserved it, after all, for the friendships between all the men in their club had been strained with her as the cause. “The truth, Your Grace. I am not some dainty flower who requires only positive words.”
He arched a brow at her calm reply and she thought she saw a flicker of appreciation in his stare. “Very well. Graham is…troubled. Betrayed. He is not handling it well.”
She squeezed her eyes shut as she thought of the pain Graham was in. “It’smyfault.”
He didn’t deny that charge, but let out a long sigh. “We’ve all had our part in this debacle.Youshouldn’t have run off in a fit. Simon shouldn’t have followed you that day.Ishould have made Crestwood leave the moment he said he wanted to—”
She stood up slowly and stared at him. “Leave?” she repeated as her entire body went cold and numb. “What are you talking about?”
Roseford’s jaw set. “You don’t know?”
She shook her head. “Know what?”
“I ought not say something if Simon hasn’t.”
She moved toward him, her hands clenched at her sides. “You’re implying that my husband intended to leave, but you won’t tell me any more details. You must understand that you cannot drop such an explosive accusation in my parlor and then walk away as if you did nothing. Tell me, Roseford. What do you mean that you should have made Simon leave? When did hewantto leave?”
Roseford flushed and he refused to meet her eyes. His voice was taut when he said, “When you and Graham announced your wedding date, Simon came to me and we decided we’d go to Ireland. Or Italy. It didn’t really matter where. He just wanted to go and not come back until after your marriage was performed. I thought he might have told you so himself, but it seems I’ve revealed a secret. One that will clearly hurt you both.”
Meg’s ears were ringing as she stared at the handsome man before her. Roseford was many things, and he had certainly never been her favorite of her brother’s friends but he was not a liar.
“He was going to walk away,” she whispered.
Roseford nodded. “You must see that was the honorable thing to do.”
She clenched her jaw, her hands shaking as she stared at him. “Honorable.Ballocks,” she finally choked out, “I’m so bloody sick of that word!”
Roseford’s eyes went wide that she would curse in such a way, but before he could reply, Simon walked into the parlor.
“Roseford,” he said. “Finley said you were here and—”
He cut himself off as his gaze slid to Meg. She knew what he must see, for she couldn’t hide it. Her hands were shaking, her breath came short and tears filled her eyes no matter how she tried to angrily blink them away and keep her weakness from being revealed in such a humiliating fashion.
“Meg,” Simon said, moving toward her. “What is it?”
“Roseford, get out,” she whispered.
Roseford cleared his throat gently and bowed to her. “Of course, my lady. I’m sorry that I upset you.” He moved toward the door and added, “And Crestwood, I’m just sorry.”
Simon didn’t acknowledge it as his friend left, closing the door behind him. “What is it?” he asked.
“You were going to leave,” Meg said. Not asked—said, for she didn’t want to give him a chance to launch into a hundred explanations of the unexplainable.
The color left Simon’s cheeks and he stared at her in silence for what felt like an eternity. “Roseford told you?” he finally asked.
