“Now I know you have lost your mind, Freddie.” Robert leaned forward in his chair, his blue eyes intent. “I need to marry that girl and get her away from your foolishness.”
“What foolishness?” Freddie snapped, annoyed. “I had just been shot for God’s sake. I could not travel with her. The Duke would never dream of harming her, even if he does wish to kill me.”
Robert shook his head, his dark hair tumbling over his brow to give him a rakish appearance. “I wish I had your trust, old chap.” He downed his whiskey. “I would never take the word of that old monster Bradford.”
Freddie scowled. “Why ever not? He is a Duke, a peer of the realm. Even my father, who had no reason to love him, told me he was still a man of honor.”
“I think you will discover that honor is a thing of the past,” Robert said, lifting his glass for a footman to refill. “Honor no longer exists, old chap.”
“Of course it does. I know I have it. And until you just opened your mouth, I thought you had it.”
Robert gazed at the shelves of books, lost in thought. “I may have had it. Once. But I think I lost it somewhere along the way. I perhaps left it in the pocket of my trousers. Might you help me find it?” He broke into wild laughter.
Freddie chuckled along with him. “How many of those have you had now?”
Robert glanced at the tumbler in his hand, his humor dying. “Too many, I should think.”
“Must I cut you off?” Freddie asked. “I would hate to pour you into your bed of a night.”
“You can pour an old friend into a bed?” Robert replied, grinning. “After supper, of course. I would not wish to go to bed without that.”
“You may have one more, and that is it. It is almost time for supper. Obviously, you will stay the night.”
“If you wish.”
A knock at the door heralded a footman, who opened the door at Freddie’s call. “Miss Miller has returned home, My Lord. She sent me to inform you.”
“Excellent.” He sent Robert anI told you sosmirk. “Did she seem in good health?”
“Yes, My Lord. Damp from the rain, but otherwise quite well.”
“Thank you.”
Robert shrugged as the footman withdrew and closed the door. “Even fools get lucky once in a while.”
“You are a stubborn creature,” Freddie complained, growing annoyed again. “You just cannot admit when someone else is right.”
Robert’s eyes widened in feigned innocence, his fingers on his chest. “Did I not just admit that and still call you a fool?”
Freddie stabbed a finger toward him. “You are just angry because I was right.”
“I am not angry. Do I look angry?”
“You are. You are fuming inside, wishing Thea had gotten hurt just so you could be right.”
“Now who has had too much to drink.” Robert sipped his whiskey, his eyes still wide as he looked Freddie up and down.
“Are you going to change for supper?” Freddie asked, rising.
“Am I not dressed properly?”
Freddie waved a disgusted hand. “You would wear rags to the supper table and call it well dressed.”
“You hurt me, Freddie.”
Freddie snorted and opened the door. “One hour, Robert. If you do not show up, I will toss you over your horse’s saddle and slap it on the rump.”
“Now youreallyhurt me.”
