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Charlie sipped his brandy and then let his head rest back against his chair. “Love is a wonderful thing, Simon. But you could have all that with Mia as your mistress and a woman from Society as your wife.”
“I can’t do that to her,” Simon whispered.
“I know,” Charlie said with a chuckle. “I just wanted to hear you say it.”
His brother always knew how to get under his skin. “Why exactly are you here?”
“I was sent on a mission to retrieve you and bring you to Suffolk for the month of September.”
Caroline. He should have known better. “And what form of persuasion did she use on you?”
Charlie laughed. “Apparently, our little sister discovered I have an interest in a certain Miss Anna Stone. The only way her family would be invited to the country party was if I brought you to Suffolk.”
Devious. Just like Caroline. “You know I can’t go there.”
“It’s only fifty people.”
“At the house. And how many at the ball?” Simon demanded as his hand tightened around his glass.
/> “Knowing Caroline, most likely another hundred.”
“Exactly.”
Charlie slammed down his glass. “Simon, you are twenty-nine years old. It is far past time to let this go. Mia will be by your side.”
Anger grew to a boiling point. “You know nothing of this. I cannot be there with all those people.”
“Mia needs you to do this for her,” Charlie said in a calm tone.
“She is going to be the Countess of Hartsfield. It is expected that you will reenter Society once you are married. This is an excellent opportunity to bring her out in a smaller setting.”
Simon’s grip tightened so hard on his glass he finally released before it broke. “If they spoke of...” His voice trailed off as the painful memories returned.
“Perhaps you should tell her before you leave.”
“After what happened, I cannot.”
“You’re being foolish, Simon,” Charlie said. “I can see that she loves you as much as you love her. You can’t keep her here like a prisoner.”
A prisoner. That was exactly how she already felt and they weren’t even married. If he refused to go to town or any of the country balls, he was no better than Davies. Mia was a beautiful woman who deserved to be showered with silk dresses and jewels. What was the point of having those gowns made if not to show her to the world? Not that he had an idea of how he would pay for it all.
“I shall think about it,” Simon finally said.
“No, you will go. Because if you don’t, Miss Stone will not be invited and I will not go a month without courting her.”
Simon smiled at his brother’s reaction. It was nice to see Simon wasn’t the only man in the family desperately in love with a woman. He had to do this for Mia and for Charlie. He certainly wasn’t the only impoverished earl in England. Most just collected the debts and passed them on to their children. He hated that idea but had no choice until he could think of a good way to bring in some extra income. “Very well, we shall all attend.”
Chapter 16
Mia blinked again, attempting to stay awake until she heard Simon walking down the hall. She had to speak to him tonight about the emerald and the money she’d received. They must start digging out at Mrs. Perkins’s cottage tomorrow. As the small clock on the mantel chimed twelve, she rose from her seat and paced the room.
Finally, an hour later, she heard voices emanating from the corridor. She’d been in the house long enough to know that Charlie’s room was in the opposite wing for his privacy. As the footsteps came closer, she cracked open the door and peered down the hall.
“Simon,” she whispered.
Simon turned around with a sensual grin. “Can I help you with something?”
“I need to speak with you.”
