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Simon sat on the bed while the footman heated the water and then finally brought it up with the tub. Once they left, he slipped into the bathwater with a sigh. He’d never been so exhausted. As much as he wanted to soak for an hour, he had to wash quickly and dress for his confrontation with his brother.
The hour drew later and he could smell the faint aroma of roasted chicken from the kitchen. His brother must be home by now. Simon walked down the steps to surprise his conniving brother.
“My lord, your brother hasn’t returned from his ride yet,” Harris said.
“Did he say where he was going?”
“No, my lord. Only that he would be gone for a few hours.”
Dammit. Where the bloody hell was that boy! “Very well, I will take my dinner now.”
Harris nodded.
As Simon ate a lonely dinner, he wished Mia were here with him. The large dining room was made to hold fifty people and it felt cavernous tonight. Until now, he’d thought strictly of Charlie and how to handle the situation he’d caused. If Charlie caused it, his conscience reminded him.
But there was also the need to handle Mia’s anger for leaving without telling her. She would be furious when she discovered he’d departed without her. Hopefully, she would understand.
He sipped his wine. She would not understand his reasons. While he’d originally thought she needed to see Lambert beaten as she’d been, Simon knew she would not abide Charlie’s punishment. He wasn’t sure he could tolerate it either. And yet, all he had to do was picture Mia’s battered face and his anger grew.
After dinner, he sat in his study, waiting. By midnight, he decided his brother must be drinking and whoring the night away. There was no use trying to speak with a drunken man. The confrontation would have to wait until morning or afternoon if Charlie was out all night.
Simon went to bed, lonely and missing Mia more than he ever thought possible. Had she come with him, he could have talked to her about the situation and listened to her calm counsel. Instead, he had a large, cold, lonely bed. He had to tell her how he felt about her. Even if she didn’t love him, she had a right to know how much he loved her. As soon as he was done with this mess, he would ride back to Caroline’s and bring Mia home.
Another rut bumped the carriage so hard Mia thought it might tip over. They were doing everything they could to make faster time. They changed horses every twenty miles and even drove through the night. Still, Mia knew that Simon must have already arrived. With only a few more miles to go, she worried what she might find when they arrived at Hartsfield Park.
“Stop worrying, Mia,” James said, looking up from his Bible.
“I can’t help but worry. Especially when no one will tell me what happened five years ago. My imagination might be making it far worse than it was.” She hoped her words would cause James to tell her what happened.
“Highly unlikely.”
“James, I need to know what happened,” she insisted.
“Simon can tell you. I vowed not to speak of it.” He closed his Bible and stared over at her. “But it was very bad indeed, Mia. Which is why Simon doesn’t speak of it.”
The carriage turned off the main road and down the drive to Hartsfield Park. After only being away less than a fortnight, sh
e felt shocked by how much she’d missed her home. She’d never lived anywhere else and had rarely traveled, save a couple of trips to London with her father.
“Well, the house is intact,” James quipped.
Mia glared over at her brother-in-law. “This is hardly a matter for jesting.”
James shrugged. “A little levity might help all involved.”
“Perhaps you should go back to your Bible now.” Mia crossed her arms over her chest to hide her trembling.
It wasn’t just her fear for Charlie feeding her nerves; she would have to confront Simon. And tell him she would be leaving the house. She couldn’t stay with a man who used her as he had. While they couldn’t divorce, they could live separate lives.
The carriage slowed to a stop and a flurry of activity surrounded the coach. The door opened and James scrambled out. He assisted her out and they walked up to the house. Harris opened the door to greet them with a smile.
“Welcome back, my lady. Mr. Blakesworth, welcome home,” Harris said. “It has been far too long since you visited.”
“Yes it has, Harris. Have a room made up for me.”
“Of course, sir.” Harris turned to a footman with instructions.
“Harris, is my husband at home?” Mia prayed he was here and reviewing the books.
