Mark eyed him carefully. Rafe made a certain amount of sense.
“Yes,” Cade added. “We’re yourfriendsnow. And friends tell each other things.”
Mark glanced at Oakleaf, one brow quirked.
The runner shrugged. “Can’t say I know much about how to keep a wife, being a bachelor myself, but I’m game to listen and help however I can.”
Mark shook his head. This conversation was quickly making him uncomfortable. He’d never had friends—he hadn’t had time. But something about their offer held a certain appeal. He took a deep breath and glanced at their somber, earnest faces. By God, they were actuallywaiting to help him. He couldn’t believe he was even considering this. He’d run the details of his last talk with Nicole over and over through his mind for days now and was no closer to a solution. Perhaps the Cavendish brothers and Oakleafcouldhelp. Stranger things had happened. Nicole was gone. Telling them about it couldn’t make the situation worse. What did he have to lose?
Mark grabbed his mug, bellied up to the table, and spent the next ten minutes recounting the basics of his final conversation with Nicole.
“She’s going to have a baby?” Rafe Cavendish’s crystal-blue eyes were wide as saucers.
“Yes,” Mark mumbled. “At least that’s what she told me. I suspect she may have only said that to get away from me, however.”
“What?Whyare you letting your wife and possibly an unborn child sail off to France?” Oakleaf gave Mark a look that clearly indicated he thought he’d lost his mind.
“It’s not my choice. It’s hers,” Mark retorted. “I’m not about to order her to stay after everything we’ve been through. I’m not a complete Neanderthal.”
“But what if she thought youwantedher to stay?” Oakleaf pointed out. “You don’t think she would?”
Mark scratched his head. “What do you mean?”
Oakleaf planted a fist on the table. “You fool. Did you evertellher you wanted her to stay? Did you everaskher to?”
Mark glowered at the runner. Oakleaf wasn’t even married. Why was he the one suddenly making sense?
Mark frowned. “No.”
“Why not?” Rafe asked in complete bewilderment.
“I didn’t think she’d say yes,” Mark bit out, his neck growing hot. He wanted to punch all three of his so-called friends in the throat at the moment.
“You mean you were too proud to tell her,” Oakleaf replied.
Mark clenched his jaw. “Perhaps.”
“So you don’t know what she’d say?” Cade asked.
Mark tugged at his cravat. “I suppose not… officially.”
Oakleaf slammed his mug on the table. “Well, you’re officially an idiot. Go find her and ask her. Tell her you want her to stay. Tell her you cannot live without her. Tell her you want her and your baby in your life permanently.”
Mark stared at them in astonishment. By God, his friends were right. He’d been a complete fool. He shoved back his chair and shot to his feet, his heart hammering a resolute rhythm in his chest. He only hoped he could find Nicole in time. Her packet to Calais was set to leave in the morning. He’d have to ride hard for Dover.
He tossed coins on the table to pay for his ale and offered his friends a vibrant smile, feeling truly alive for the first time in days… weeks… hell, years. “Wish me luck, chaps.”
“Good luck, Grim,” all three shouted in unison, holding up their mugs and clanking them together.
Mark turned on his heel and raced for the door.
“Would you look at that?” Cade Cavendish whistled from behind him. “Looks like the stone man ain’t made of stone anymore.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Nicole and Susanna stood on the dock, waiting in a queue to board the packet to Calais. They’d traveled to Dover over the last two days, Nicole sick with unhappiness. Leaving Mark hadn’t saved her heart. Her heart was long shattered, and she didn’t even have a baby for her trouble. She’d been a complete idiot. She should have known from the moment he arrived in France that their bargain would end up benefiting him and hurting her. She’d spent the last ten years steeling her heart against the man, only to let all the barriers come crashing down in a matter of weeks. It was her own fault. Fool that she was.
Susanna had agreed to travel with her. The girl had never been to France and was looking forward to it. Nicole told her she could decide once there if she’d like to stay and would pay for her travel back to London if she decided not to.
