No sooner had Hetty snapped the drawing-room door closed, than she whirled about. “Jason, you’ll not believe this but the most terrible thing has happened. Harry wrote me that is, he wrote Lord Harry a letter. Yes, a letter. I didn’t even know that Harry could pen more than one sentence without dire concentration. But a whole letter. He wrote that he intended to resolve the matter just as Lord Harry had done. Jason, I know what he intends. It’s a duel, of course. My God, Filey might kill him. We must do something.”
“I have.”
“Oh my God, it’s all my fault. If I that is, if Lord Harry hadn’t insisted upon such bravado, such arrogant behavior, I’m persuaded that such a thing would never have occurred to Harry. That is, it might have occurred to him, but he would have sought counsel from the earl of March. Only Lord Harry can talk him out of this. I must go, don’t you see, I must.”
“No, you must not.”
“It’s easy for you to be so bloody calm, for Harry isn’t a special friend. Don’t you understand, Jason, only Lord Harry can put a stop to this?”
“I suspect that there are others just as persuasive as Lord Harry.”
She stamped her foot and heard the rip of muslin. “Damnation, just look at what you’ve made me do. I have only three gowns and now I’ve ruined another one. No, that’s idiotic. Who cares? I have no more time to indulge in useless arguments with you. I don’t care what you may think of me, but Lord Harry must come out again. I’m sorry, Jason, but it is something I can’t ignore. It’s my duty and Harry is my friend.”
“But I’m not arguing with you, Hetty. Now will you be seated and calm yourself?”
“I’m quite calm, I will have you know. You will not be condescending or treat me like a half-wit. Now, your grace, if you will excuse me.”
“I won’t excuse you. Now sit.”
“Ha! Go to the devil.”
The marquess sighed. “You’ve already consigned me to that rather warm clime, and, despite your repetition, I have no intention of complying. Now, before I have to tie you down, come here and listen to me.”
“Oh very well, but only for five minutes. Surely five minutes is more than enough time for whatever you have to say, which can’t be all that much of interest. Very well, talk.” She sat down on the very edge of her chair, her toe tapping, her fingers tented together.
“Didn’t you promise to give me a chance in this affair?”
“Yes, but”
“You doubt my abilities so much, Hetty?”
“No, it isn’t that. It’s that everything has changed, gone awry. Now it’s not a question of fleeing to Gretna Green, it’s a question of saving Harry’s damned life.”
“No, it’s not a question of Gretna Green. Indeed, it is no longer a question of anything, even Harry’s damned life.”
“No longer what the devil do you mean?”
The marquess grinned down at her. “My dear, if you would but adopt the habit of listening to me, you would save yourself a lot of wasted energy. As it happens, I was present at White’s when Harry was in the midst of flinging his gauntlet in Filey’s face, so to speak. I, of course, put a stop to it. As a matter of fact, Filey will be apologizing to Harry this evening at White’s. Further, he will never again speak to Isabella, so you can put your mind to rest. And Lord Harry Monteith. The good Lord grant him peace forever, in the North somewhere.”
“You put a stop to it? Truly?”
“Wouldn’t you have expected me to?”
“Yes, of a certainty, but”
“It’s not kind of you to doubt my word, Henrietta. Now, please sit back, I don’t want you to fall off your chair.”
“You mean it’s all settled?”
“Please don’t sound so disappointed, sweetheart. Lord Harry can’t be expected to right every wrong. We other poor mortals do occasionally succeed, you know.”
“Of course I’m not disappointed. Well, not precisely. You did all that? Filey will apologize to Harry? Goodness, that’s very impressive.” She bounded out of her chair, ignoring the slight pulling in her side, clasped her arms around his back and stood on her tiptoes, her lips pursed.