“Knowing how much my uncle wants Paxton to marry Lady Adele, I’d say he’d be upset if you didn’t.”
“I’ll show you,” the maid said. “And then let his lordship know you are here.”
“Let me do that for you while you alert the earl,” Lorettaoffered. “I’m sure my uncle wouldn’t want to be delayed in knowing the duke is here to see him.”
“Yes, miss,” the servant said without question.
Loretta heard every step Hawk took behind her as they made their way down the corridor and into the drawing room, where she turned in front of the fireplace to face him. She felt flushed and out of breath. Just looking at him filled her with such longing feelings.
“I can see you wasted no time coming over,” she said. “I’m surprised my brother’s note has even had time to reach your house.”
His gaze caressed her face. “It didn’t.”
“Oh, then how did you know we were here?”
“Gossip passes around fast in London, Loretta. I heard that your brother was in the clubs first thing this morning asking who might be the best physicians in Town.”
“Oh, yes, I see. I suppose that would be the place to go to get information.”
“For Farley?” the duke asked.
“Yes.”
“So he’s no better.”
“Actually, he is a little better,” she answered. “The frequency of coughing spasms has slowed, but when he has them, they are still quite severe. I would feel better if a physician looked at him and confirmed to me whether or not he has consumption.”
Hawk nodded, then reached in his pocket and extended a folded piece of vellum to her. “Here’s the name and address of one for you. I’ve sent him word that you will be around to see him this afternoon and for him to send the amount of his fee to me.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” she said, taking the paper from his hand, though her gaze never left his face. “I’m grateful for this, but I have money to pay him.”
“I want to do it, Loretta. I would do anything to help you. You must know that.”
“Very well,” she said, knowing that would give her more to pay a hackney, so they wouldn’t have to walk, and for any tonics or elixirs Farley might need to aid his healing. “My uncle will be going to White’s later this afternoon to catch up on all the latest news. That’s when I’d planned to take Farley. My uncle doesn’t know about this and I would rather keep it that way.”
Hawk smiled. “I can help you with that, too. I’ll make sure to see the earl while he’s at White’s and detain him as long as possible.”
The rate of her heartbeat kept increasing. “That’s very kind of you, considering—”
“Considering what? That I’m not usually such a nice man?” Hawk said as the corners of his mouth lifted just enough to let her know he was teasing her.
Loretta smiled, too. “That’s not true, and it’s not what I was going to say. Considering you aren’t that fond of Farley.”
“It’s never been that. It’s that I don’t trust him. It’s been that way from the beginning.”
“I know. And he doesn’t trust you.”
He nodded once. “I think he and I came to an understanding of each other that night of the storm.”
“You never told me what you two said to each other.”
“Nothing of any importance,” he offered. “How have you been?”
“I’m well. And you look”—magnificent—“well, too.”
His gaze swept down her face again and then back to her eyes. A tingle ran from her breasts down to the core of her womanhood. There was no denying she loved the way he looked at her and the way it made her feel when he did.
“I am. It’s good to see you.”
