Her Favorite Duke (The 1797 Club #2)(22)

James nodded. “It is the betrayal, I think. Simon’s.”

She bent her head. The idea that her engagement to Graham would end and that she might end up with Simon instead had long been a dream of hers. But now it was a nightmare because of the actions that had brought them here.

“Oh God, James, the cost.”

He smiled, trying to be reassuring, she thought, but failing. “We will have plenty of time to count the cost, Meg,” he said as the carriage door opened and he stepped down. He reached back in to help her and squeezed her hand gently as she gave it to him. “For now, come. There will be a gauntlet. Your disappearance with Simon was quite the talk last night. I would not be surprised if most of the house is not up to wait to see what the outcome will be. Baxton and Graham’s return will have only made that worse.”

She lifted her chin as she exited the vehicle, and as she cast her gaze up to the house she found James’s warning was a prescient one. Almost every window that overlooked the drive had a face peering from it.

Her heart sank as she took her brother’s arm and let him lead her up the stairs. As they entered the foyer, she jolted. Emma was waiting there, and her pale face lit up as she rushed to embrace Meg.

“We were so worried,” Emma whispered close to her ear.

“I’m sorry,” Meg all but sobbed. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Hush,” Emma reassured her, wrapping an arm around her and drawing her close.

She lifted her gaze to James and he leaned in to kiss his wife’s cheek. Meg saw the unspoken communication between them. Felt her brother relax a fraction just from being in Emma’s presence.

“How bad?” he said softly.

Emma pursed her lips. “Bad enough. Made worse when Baxton and Graham returned. Baxton went straight to the largest group of people to whisper what he saw. Graham went straight to your office, and judging from the crashing, I assume he has destroyed most of your glassware.”

James flinched, as did Meg. Before either could respond, Simon came through the door. Emma smiled at him as Meg stared. His nose was still red and his expression was empty.

“Hello, Simon,” Emma said softly. “I’m so glad you’re safe. Thank you for keeping Meg safe, as well.”

Simon seemed surprised, but he inclined his head. “I’m sorry to cause so much trouble, Emma.”

She shrugged. “Trouble will come and go. That is the way of the world.”

James glanced over his shoulder toward the hall that led to his office. “Graham will want an accounting.”

Emma lifted her eyebrows. “I assume he will. But he can wait for it. I’m taking Meg upstairs to change. I think Simon should do the same. If you want to tell him he’ll be joined in an hour, I think that would be best.”

James pondered that. “I’ll tell him. And if he gives me trouble, I’m sending for you.”

“If he gives you trouble,” Emma said as she took Meg’s hand and started up the stairs with her, “he won’t want me to come in. Be sure he understands that.”

James stared up at her, his expression pure love as he called out, “I will.”

Meg smiled at their connection. Her brother deserved nothing less than the love he had found with her friend. But in that moment, it only made her situation more stark. For when she looked at Simon, he didn’t return her stare. He stayed at the bottom of the stairs, and it felt like she was leaving for far more than a mere moment.

It felt like this was a forever kind of goodbye.





Chapter Seven





Almost an hour after his return to the house, Simon was bathed and shaved, and now he stood in front of the mirror, his valet smoothing his waistcoat of all wrinkles and straightening the already perfect knot of his cravat.

“The black jacket?” Swanson asked as he stepped away and lifted his choice for judgment.

“Why not? It matches the bruises,” Simon said, staring at his reflection.

Since his return to the house, his nose had swollen and dark bruises were beginning to spread up to his eyes. They were a clear indication that it was broken from Graham’s well-placed punch earlier in the day. That would certainly not help with the talk around the party, but there wasn’t much he could do about it now.

Aside from the broken nose, Simon felt he looked well put together. He would need to be. He was about to face a firing squad. And once it was over, he would likely be hastened into a quick marriage.

A fact he didn’t want to thrill at. He shouldn’t. He didn’t deserve to be happy over this stolen future with Meg when he had caused such heartache to people he’d called his brothers for decades. When he had caused such damage to her.

As Swanson slid the jacket over his shoulders, there was a sudden pounding at the door. Both men turned toward the sound, and Simon’s heart sank. No servant would bang so loudly, nor would James if he’d simply come to check on Simon’s progress before the final showdown.

Which left only one option for the person behind the door.

“Let him in,” he said to Swanson. “And then you may go.”

His valet looked uncertain, but didn’t argue the point as he moved to the door and opened it to reveal Graham standing outside. Simon shifted his shoulders back and forced himself to meet his friend’s eyes as Swanson edged past, his expression filled with worry at the tension that now coursed between the men.