Page 42 of A Wicked Business

“Never mind all that. You and my mistress have got yourself in a right pickle, and now we’ve got to get you out again.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Felix said in alarm. “Lady Belinda is well? Nothing has happened to her?”

“Oh, keep your hair on. She’s well enough, just miserable, and making stupid decisions she’s going to regret if you don’t pull your finger out,” Doris said frankly.

“Why don’t we all sit down?” Larkin suggested before the conversation could continue any further before his curious valet. “There’s much to discuss and we can’t do it in the hallway. Barnes? Refreshments, if you please,” he instructed his man, who nodded and hurried away as Larkin corralled them all into the parlour.

“What exactly is going on?” Felix asked, irritated. “All I asked was that Lady Belinda be so good as to meet with me. I must apologise to her for my behaviour. I’m afraid I see now that I was rather—’

“Yes, you was rather,” Miss Bodrott said fiercely. “What are you like? You can’t go kissing a lady like that and then telling her it was a mistake. You’re a man of the world and, despite her boldness, she’s as innocent as a lamb and never even been kissed, let alone handled so roughly before.”

“Told you so,” Larkin muttered smugly.

Felix glowered at him. He felt terrible enough as it was without the two of them rubbing it in. “I know. I know that,” he said, running a hand through his hair in agitation. “And that’s why I must see her, must explain—”

“I know. I told her she was in the wrong too. I don’t know what she was thinking of asking you to marry her like she did and I’m afraid she was very rude to you too, sir. I hope you know she did not mean a word of it. Cried herself to sleep last night she did, thinking you must hate her for it.”

“Oh, the poor darling,” Felix said, feeling utterly wretched now. “I cannot bear to think of her so unhappy. I must admit her words did strike rather hard, but Larkin made me see I had insulted and hurt her and that she was returning the compliment. Truth be told, she was in the right, as you have been so kind to point out. I did not act like a gentleman. My mother would have a thing or two to say if she knew, let me tell you,” he added ruefully. “Please, Miss Bodrott, you must arrange for me to see her so I can make amends for my wretched behaviour.”

“Well, that’s all right and fine and I can do just that,” Miss Bodrott said, but the look in her eyes told Felix that it would not be quite that simple. “But there’s a bit of a complication. What you might call a fly in the ointment.”

“Oh?” Felix said, an odd twisting sensation in his guts. “What sort of fly?”

“A big handsome blond one with a fancy title,” Miss Bodrott replied with a sigh. “She’s gone and persuaded Lord Ashburton to marry her.”