“Banned?” Hugh echoed.
“Yes! Can you imagine that bastard started spreading that same old lie about me not paying my debts—can you imagine—me—a respected member of His Majesty’s forces? How dare he? I threatened to give him a good thrashing with my cane if he refused to desist, and for that, we were both expelled from the club for a month.”
“The two of you!” Mrs. Warsham exclaimed. “So, it is not only you who has been expelled then?”
“What difference does that make?” General Warsham demanded. “He is the only one who deserves to be banned.”
“You sound like a child!” Mrs. Warsham said. “How can your son show himself in public when the gossips are whispering about his father? Indeed, how can I, your wife?”
“You have nothing to worry about, my dear. Because by next week, I will have restored all honor to this family.”
“What are you talking about?” Hugh’s skin prickled as though alerting him of some impending danger. He knew his father. Restoring honor could only mean one thing.
“I’m talking about a duel, my boy. I’ll show that poppyseed of a man what I can do with a gun.”
“You’ll do no such thing! Tell him, Hugh.” Mrs. Warsham looked from her husband to her son.
“Stay out of it, Madame. Duels are not something with which women need to concern themselves!”
“Is that so? And what do you say to the women who have lost husbands or sons to such foolishness?”
“I say that I will not lose, so you need not concern yourself,” General Warsham said before striding into the house.
“Hugh.” His mother turned to him. “We must do something. He cannot be allowed to duel. He is likely to kill Sir Benedict and hang for murder.”
“Don’t fret, Mother. I will talk sense into him. But not tonight. He’s too upset. I’ll try tomorrow. Let us go inside and have lunch together as if everything is normal. No talk of duels or his war with the roses. You know as well as I do that if we try to dissuade him now, it will only serve for him to dig in his heels like a stubborn mule.”
Mrs. Warsham nodded. “You’re right, my dear. But we will need to do more than talk to fix this situation.”
“Perhaps so, Mother. But leave it to me.” Hugh slipped an arm around his mother and led her inside. “I’ll see that everything comes right.”
“That’s exactly what I’m counting on, Son,” Mrs. Warsham said, her voice full of hope.
Hugh looked at her and forced a smile as a heavy weight settled on his shoulders.
Chapter Six
The flutter ofnervous excitement in Charlotte’s stomach brought forth a stab of guilt. Here she stood amid a candlelit room in a gaming den, excited about a clandestine meeting with the son of her father’s enemy. She pressed her gloved hands together, thinking how her poor papa had been banished from his club because of General Warsham—a club he cherished and had belonged to ever since Charlotte could remember. Despite this, she’d looked forward to meeting Hugh all day, pushing down her guilt as she’d admired her shimmering pearl-blue gown in the looking glass, which she’d paired with a pearl-studded veil, white gloves, and a pair of pearl drop earrings.
Even when Mama had shown last-minute reservations about their plan, Charlotte had talked her out of them, not because she’d thought the plan a good one—she’d remained as uncertain as she’d been the day before—but because she’d been unable to stop thinking about Hugh since parting from him. He was the first man who’d ever aroused her interest. And it wasn’t simply because he was handsome. Charlotte liked the way he spoke of marrying for love and of a woman’s right to choose happiness.
What was wrong with her? She hardly knew the man. Yet, the prospect of crossing the room and spending time in his companyagain captivated her. The realization intensified her guilt, and she found herself rooted to the spot as soon as she stepped into the light of the gaming room and spotted Hugh from a distance.
I shouldn’t be here. This is wrong. I know it is. Yet, it feels right.
Hugh looked up from his card game and paused, staring directly at her.
He sees me. Unless I turn around now, it will be too late to put an end to this madness.Panic gripped her.Go now, Charlotte. Go now.She swung her body around, forcing her legs to make haste as she hurried along the edges of the ballroom, out into the hallway, and headed for the garden. She slipped through the patio doors and welcomed the blast of cool air that greeted her. But she did not stop there. She ran down the patio steps and faded into the darkness of the garden—or at least, that is what she thought.
“Is this part of the game?” His voice sounded behind her, and she turned to face Hugh in the darkness.
“Is what part of the game?”
“This cat-and-mouse chase.”
“What?” she asked, genuinely perplexed.
“Don’t be coy. I saw you watching me whilst I was playing cards. And as soon as I met your gaze you ran. Was I not expected to follow?”
