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Isabel narrowed her eyes on him. “Who did you hear it from?”

“So you are being mistreated?” He sprung forward, his forehead furrowed in a scowl.

“You did not answer my question,” Isabel said calmly.

“Neither did you.”

Isabel rolled her eyes. “Tell me what you heard, and I shall tell you whether it is true.”

“Very well,” Richard snapped. “I heard that your servants disliked you.”

It was true, they had in the past. But what did that have to do with why Richard was here? “I also heard,” Richard continued, “that you rolled your ankle. Which was supposedly an accident, but I am not so sure.”

Isabel stifled a chuckle. “You think someone twisted my ankle on purpose?”

He shrugged. “Pushed you, maybe?”

Isabel pursed her lips. “What else did you hear?”

“That you had an argument with your husband yesterday so severe that you left the house with a basket of food on horseback.”

Isabel shot up, forcing Richard to stand also. “You’ve been spying on me?”

“Well, of course, I’ve been spying on you! Do you think I would just let you go to the lair of a beast alone and unprotected? No way.”

The meddlesome man wasn’t even apologetic about it.

She narrowed her eyes on him. “And how did you hear about it so quickly?”

“I was in Bedford visiting Sam when I received—” Richard clamped his mouth shut, but it was too late.

Isabel’s chest heaved, but she forced herself to calm down. “Who told you?”

“Does it matter?” Richard crossed his arms over his chest.

“It was James, wasn’t it? That little traitor!”

“James is not the issue! Your husband is!”

Of course, that was the exact moment her husband decided to appear at the door. Isabel groaned.

“Good morning, Lord Gage,” he snapped. “To what do we owe the pleasure of you gracing our house with your presence and insulting me behind my back?”

“As you can attest, you are the one who is behind my back.”

Isabel fell into the chair with a groan. Now she had to deal with two obstinate men, as if one was not enough. Rhys stalked into the room and stood behind Isabel’s chair. He grazed the skin of her arm, just below her sleeve, and Isabel looked up with a smile. He winked at her before training his gaze on her brother.

Gage was watching them with narrowed eyes. “I thought you didn’t like each other.”

Isabel shrugged. “I changed my mind.”

She turned toward her husband and tugged on his sleeve.

He looked at her, puzzled. “I did not change my mind. I always liked you.”

“You liar.” Isabel swatted at his arm, but he caught her hand and kissed her knuckles.

“Lord, give me strength!” Richard shook his head and scrubbed his face with his hand. “I think I need coffee or whisky. Or both.”