“I don’t know. She didn’t say.”
Alcott raised an eyebrow. “She didn’t say, or you didn’t give her the chance?”
Richard’s hands dropped slightly as he bristled. “Does it matter?”
“To her? Probably.”
“I didn’t want to hear excuses. She made her choice—she protected him. He got away before I could challenge him to a duel.”
“Which means, if what you suspect is true, he’ll be back for her,” Alcott said. “Sooner or later.”
Richard adjusted the linen on his wrist. “Then I’ll get my answers. I’ll find out exactly how involved she was.”
“And when you do?” Alcott asked, raising his guard again.
Richard shrugged. “I’ll send her back home. And that will be the end of it.”
“Will it?”
“Of course,” Richard snapped. “I can’t marry a woman I don’t trust.”
Alcott’s lips twitched. “I never mentioned marriage.”
Richard glared at him. “You implied it.”
“I merely wondered if you finally fell in love.”
Richard lunged forward with another punch, but Alcott sidestepped with ease.
“Do we have to discuss this?” Richard muttered.
Alcott’s breath was steady despite the bout. “I think we just might,” he said with irritating cheer. “Someone has to makesure you don’t do something colossally foolish—like sending Miss Theodosia away without hearing her out.”
Richard exhaled sharply, his annoyance flaring. “What choice do I have, Alcott? She deceived me.”
“This may sound mad,” Alcott said, circling slowly with his hands still raised, “but have you considered—just briefly—letting her tell her side of the story?”
Richard scowled. “And what would be the point? So she can perfect her lies? Add to them?”
Alcott didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped forward and landed a clean, satisfying blow to Richard’s jaw. Not hard enough to damage—just enough to get his attention.
Staggering back a step, Richard growled. “Botheration, Alcott!”
“Perhaps she might be innocent,” Alcott said calmly, shaking out his wrist. “Or at least, not the villain you’ve made her out to be?”
Richard rubbed his jaw but otherwise ignored the pain. “You’re daft.”
“I’ve been called worse,” Alcott replied. “But I’m not daft—I’m clever. And more to the point, you left yourself open. You never leave yourself open. Which means you’re distracted and are not thinking clearly.”
Richard rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the punch and the sting of truth beneath it. “Why don’t you just shut up and box like a normal man?”
“Because normal men let their pride ruin perfectly good things,” Alcott said, dropping his hands to his sides and stepping in closer. “Someone has to be the voice of reason.”
“I’m not wrong,” Richard muttered, more to himself than to Alcott.
“Then prove it,” Alcott challenged. “Get the facts first. All the facts. Let her speak. Then you can throw her out, if youmust, but at least you won’t be haunted by what you didn’t let her say.”
Richard let out a long, frustrated sigh. He hated how easily Alcott could see through him. “Why is this suddenly your crusade?”
