“We know,” Mims said.
“Everything,” Megs added.
“You do?” he said, wondering what on earth they were talking about. Could they have discovered what was going on between him and their mother? This was a little awkward. Embarrassing even.
“We tortured Archie Miller, and he told us,” Megs said. “So now we know everything.”
Lissy scowled at her.
They all three continued to regard him rather accusingly, but by now he’d worked out that what they thought they knew had nothing to do with him loving their mother. At least, probably not…surely Archie Miller was not someone who knew anything about it—about anything at all, really.
He shrugged, curious now. “I have no idea what Archie can have told you.”
Megs set her hands on her hips. “He told us about the duel you’re going to fight against that awful Sir Julian. That’s what.”
“Ah,” he said, realization dawning. “The duel.” He frowned. “I suppose it was too much to hope that the servants could keep it to themselves.”
Lissy pulled a wry expression. “To be fair, it was terribly easy to get it out of Archie because he’s sweet on me and very childlike. And contrary to what Megs just said, we did not employ any torture. We didn’t need to. He gave up the information easily due to his wanting to please me.”
Harry nodded, his lips twitching as he tried not to smile. “I shall remember in future not to confide any of my deepest secrets to Archie Miller.”
Megs’ gaze slid to the pistols on the desk. “Are those Grandpapa’s duelling pistols, that were Papa’s as well? Are you going to use those tomorrow? Can I see? Papa would never let me hold them because he said they were too special. He said girls couldn’t have duelling pistols, which I think is silly. I’d love to fight a duel, and I’m a very good shot so I’d be sure to hit the other person.”
Harry ran his fingers over the barrel of the one he’d been cleaning. “I suppose they must be your grandfather’s. Crawford found them for me from the gun room. He’s acting as my second. As is Archie’s father.”
“What’s a second?” Megs asked.
Harry smiled. “I have to have two helpers to organize the duel, but as I know no one here I’ve asked Crawford and Joe Miller. A bit out of the ordinary to have servants as seconds, but I don’t care.”
“I could’ve been your second,” Megs said. “And if he shot you, I would’ve shot him for you myself, and killed him. I’m an—”
“—excellent shot. Yes, we all know that,” Lissy interrupted.
“We don’t want you to fight a duel with Sir Julian,” Mims said. “Because he’s such a horrible person he’ll probably kill you.”
Megs didn’t look so certain of this, the little savage. Her gaze was still resting fondly on the pistols.
“I have been challenged,” Harry said. “It would have been churlish to refuse. The man was enraged with me, struck me and behaved abominably to your mother.”
Lissy frowned. “Then why was it he challenged you? Surely for that sort of behavior you should have been the one to challenge him? I don’t quite understand.”
Now he thought about it, neither did he. Harry rubbed his nose with a gun-oily finger. “I suppose it was because he mistook my behavior towards your mother. He is under the misapprehension that he is doing the right thing.”
“Misapprehension?” Mims asked. “Then all you need to do is put him right and everything will be fine. We want you to come with us to talk to Mama and then we want all of us to go to Thornby to tell Sir Julian he is in the wrong. I’m sure he’ll understand.”
“Are you…are you by chance fighting over Mama?” Lissy sounded distinctly as though she might be on the right track here. She fixed a penetrating stare on him that might well have gone to his very soul. Damn the child. “You are, aren’t you? And I don’t mean just because of the misapprehension.” A triumphant smile slid across her face. “You love her, don’t you?”
Mims and Megs joined in staring at him. “Please say you do,” Megssaid. “Then our horses can come back to the stables at the Hall.”
Mims gave her a fierce poke.
Heat blasted up Harry’s face. So much for not telling them until after the duel.
Lissy cast a further look of triumph at her sisters. “I knew it. I told you so. I’m wise in these matters.” She turned back to Harry. “And is this all because that awful Sir Julian wants her for himself?”
Considerably taken aback by this combined attack that was so near the mark, Harry could think of nothing else to say but, “How do you know?”
Lissy gave a somewhat inappropriate chuckle. “If you think we haven’t known forever that Sir Julian has designs on Mama, then you are mistaken. Of course we know. We’re girls. We listen at doors, we watch, we see things. Just because people say ‘children should be seen and not heard’ doesn’t mean to say we don’t see and hear ourselves. In fact, being ignored makes it far easier for us to find out what’s going on. Plus the servants all talk to us.”
