After the greetings and niceties were exchanged and Sarah gave her husband an indecently long kiss, Sarah turned to Meg. “Very well, Christian, tell Meg what you told me.”
Meg tried to keep her hand from shaking on her teacup. “My husband’s exploits?”
Christian cleared his throat. “If you can call them that. He’s been a complete mess since you left.”
“A mess?” Meg blinked. Had she heard Christian correctly?
“He’s spent more nights than not on our settee and they say he’s gambled away a fortune at the clubs. He’s completely distracted.”
Meg took a breath.Thatwas surprising. “Did Lady Maria reject him?”
“On the contrary. She’s made it clear she’d welcome him back. Hart hasn’t taken her up on the offer.”
Meg closed her eyes briefly. Relief flooded through her. “Are you certain?”
“Told me himself not three nights ago when he was deep in his cups and being quite honest.”
“No,” Meg breathed.
“Yes,” Christian replied. “He loves you, Meg. I’m convinced of it.”
“Loves me?” Meg shook her head. If Christian had told her Hart was half wolf she could not have been more astonished.
Christian picked up his fork and stabbed it into a sausage. “Yes. It just takes some of us poor fools a bit longer than others to realize we’re in love.” He winked at his wife.
Sarah laughed and squeezed her husband’s wrist. “So true, darling.”
“What if you’re wrong?” Meg asked. “What if he doesn’t love me?”
“Meg, I owe you,” Christian began. “If it weren’t for you helping us last year, I’m not certain Sarah and I would be together now. Normally, I wouldn’t involve myself in such affairs. I leave the meddling to Lucy, but there’s only one way to find out if I’m right. Go back to London and talk to Hart.”
***
That same afternoon, Lucy Hunt arrived at Hart’s town house in London with Delilah Montebank in tow. Hart grudgingly allowed the two females into his study only because he was mildly interested in what the duo hadto say. He was still feeling the effects of his excessive drinking the night before, however, and was hardly in the mood for company.
Lucy marched in, removed her kid gloves, motioned for Delilah to sit, and paced in front of the fireplace. Lady Delilah, dressed all in pink, took a seat, blinked at him with her big, dark eyes, and proceeded to look around his study as if memorizing everything inside. The girl had a nasty scrape on her arm. “What happened?” he asked, motioning to the scab visible above the line of her glove.
“I learned the difficult way never to tease a parrot about his lineage,” Delilah replied with a sniff.
Hart pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. Lucy was right. The girl was unique. Instead, he turned his attention to the duchess. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Your Grace?” Lucy’s progress back and forth across the carpet was bringing his headache back.
Lucy clasped her hands behind her and regarded Hart down the length of her nose like a general preparing for battle. He was tempted to stand at attention.
“I’ve come to ask you a question, Highgate,” the duchess said.
“And that is?” he replied.
Lucy stopped and rocked back and forth on her heels. “When are you going to stop beingsuchan idiot?”
“I beg your pardon,” Hart replied, frowning.
“She said, ‘When are you going to stop being such an idiot?’” Lady Delilah repeated in a loud voice as if Hart were hard of hearing.
Hart gave the child a warning glare before turning his attention back to Lucy. The duchess had some nerve.She’d executed a scheming plot against him and now she was in his home calling him an idiot? “I didn’t realize I was being an idiot,” he drawled.
“I find that difficult to believe,” Lucy replied. “I must say, I’ve encountered some stubborn people in my time, my husband being one of them, but you and your sister are by far the most stubborn individuals I’ve ever attempted to help.”
“Help,” Hart scoffed. “You attempted tohelpme? That’s rich.”
