Her heart hammered in her chest. She couldn’t breathe. Did he mean what she thought he meant? “What do you mean by ‘stand up’?”
“Marry you, of course. If the scandal is great enough, I’d have to. We’d have no choice. It would be the right thing to do.”
Meg had never prayed harder in her entire life. A fervent wish to the heavens that whoever found them would be an ally. She wanted Hart desperately, but she didn’t want him forced into an unwanted marriage.Neverthat. She could not bear it.
She didn’t have long to say her prayers before the door was wrenched open and the light from the corridor flooded their small prison.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“What in the world?” A female voice floated into the silver closet.
Hart blinked, adjusting his eyesight to the light.
It was Sarah’s voice. Thank bloody Christ it was Sarah’s voice. Was she alone?
“Sarah, is that you?” Hart stepped into the corridor. He had his answer. “Thank God you’re alone.”
Meg remained in the shadows. Sensibly, she wasn’t about to leave the closet with her ripped bodice.
“What in heaven’s name is going on here?” Sarah’s face was a study in shock. “You were both in there in the dark? Alone? Meg, are you coming out?”
“No,” Meg squeaked.
“What? Why not?” Sarah’s voice rose in alarm.
Hart cleared his throat. “I will allow Miss Timmons to explain the situation. Being a gentleman, I must take myself off, but allow me to assure you that absolutely nothing untoward happened here. I’ll return to the dining room and tell everyone I got lost on the way to the silver closet and never made it. I’ll say you helped me locate Meg and she has a megrim and is leaving immediately.” He glanced at Meg. “Meg can explain the rest.”
“What? Why?” Sarah asked but Hart was already striding toward the dining room.
As he went, he considered what had happened in the silver closet. His throat had tightened when Meg told him she was lonely. Lonely. The word stuck in his chest like a knife. He’d never considered it. He’d known Meg was a wallflower. Everyone knew that. He’d give his right arm to be able to go to events and not be mobbed by marriage-minded misses looking to become the next Lady Highgate. He’d never considered it from her position. A young woman who was overlooked by everyone, due to her circumstances. He’d felt like an arse after bringing up her marital prospects. After she’d said she was lonely, he felt like an even bigger one.
Meg actuallywantedto marry. She was looking forloveof all things. It had both surprised him and softened him. Did she love Sir Winford? Was that possible? Hart didn’t want to contemplate it. His gut ached.
He pasted a false smile on his face before opening the door to the dining room. “I never found the silver closet,” he announced. “When Sarah came to look, she showed me where it was and we located Miss Timmons. She is fine but has been overcome by a megrim and Sarah is helping to call around her coach. I’m afraid she won’t be joining us for the remainder of the evening.”
He didn’t mistake the obviously peeved look on Lucy Hunt’s face.
***
“Come in, Sarah.” Meg gestured with her hand from her safe spot inside the darkened silver closet. “But whatever you do, donotclose that door behind you.”
Sarah plucked a candlestick from a side table in the corridor and entered the closet. Five minutes later, Meg had explained the entire debacle to her. She left out the part where Hart had said he would stand up for her. She couldn’t bear to think about that. By the time Meg had finished relating the story, her heart was pounding. Had the events of the evening truly happened to her? She’d come so close to causing a scandal. With Hart. That was thelastthing she wanted.
“Don’t worry. Don’t worry.” Sarah patted her shoulder. “I’ll go and grab my shawl and call for your coach. We’ll cover your bodice and I’ll explain everything to Lucy and the others. Like Hart said, I’ll tell them you weren’t feeling well. There is nothing whatsoever to worry about.”
Meg sighed a breath of relief. “Thank you, Sarah. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it. I’ll wait here.”
Sarah paused, her hand on the doorjamb. “May I ask you something, Meggie?”
“Of course.”
“The key was in the lock when I came. There was no reason for the door to be stuck. Lucy wouldn’t by any chance be trying to help you winHart’sfavor, would she?” A disapproving look shone in Sarah’s eye.
Meg was relieved that she’d left out the part about Hart standing up for her. She, too, suspected Lucy was behind tonight’s little drama. It was time to tell her closest friend the truth. She nodded slowly. “I’m afraid I’ve got in over my head, Sarah. I never expected Lucy to go to these lengths.”
Sarah moved back into the closet, sighed, and shook her head. “I knew it. Wearetalking about the infamous Lucy Hunt, are we not?”
“I had no idea she’d conspire to lock me and Hart in a silver closet together!”
