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“So,” his grandmother drawled. “You have no idea who paid this Lambert man?”
“No.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” James demanded. “I would have dropped everything and come up to help you.”
Simon could never have let his brother neglect his duties. “You have your parishioners to care after. They needed you more than I did.”
“I’m coming back with you until this is settled,” James said and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Mia needs to go to London when this party is over,” Simon replied. “Her sister is missing. Middleton went after her but I don’t believe he has found her yet.”
James just shook his head. “What have I been missing since I left? The Midlands were never so exciting.”
“More excitement than I need,” Simon grumbled.
“So you have no idea who might have hired Lambert?” James inquired. “There must be some reason you have overlooked.”
“None at all. Then again, we have no way of knowing if Lambert was even telling the truth. Perhaps he wanted to protect his reputation even in death.”
“Perhaps Charlie could give you some more insight into Lambert,” James added. “They had become friends a few years ago.”
“Indeed? I did not know that.” Then again, why would he? Charlie rarely came to Hartsfield Park, and when he did, he never stayed more than a few days.
“Yes, they started gambling at the same establishment.” James tilted his head. “You didn’t know that?”
“No, and Charlie never said a word to me about it when he visited.” And yet, he was quite certain he had mentioned Lambert by name. He wondered if Caroline knew any of this. She was closer in age to Charlie. He needed to speak with Caroline now. “Please excuse me. I need to find Caroline.”
“Good luck with that,” James commented. “I have tried to speak with her three times today to no avail. She is just too busy with the ball tomorrow night.”
“I will find her.”
Except, he didn’t. He asked almost every footman where she was and no one knew for certain. He even knocked on her bedchamber door but no one answered. There was one person who would know where she had hidden herself.
He found Richard in his study perusing his papers. Richard glanced up with a questioning look on his face. “What is it, Hart?”
“I need to speak with Caroline but I can’t seem to find her.”
Richard laughed. “I apologize but I cannot give away her position.”
“Why not? I am her brother.”
“Yes, and she is my wife. A woman who is with child and exhausted. She is currently resting and I will not allow her to be disturbed under any circumstances.” Richard took off his spectacles and stared at Simon.
Simon almost laughed. He knew how much Richard loved Caroline but had never seen him so forceful about it. There was little doubt Simon would have acted the same way with Mia. “I understand. I will speak with her later.”
And yet, he wasn’t able to do that either. He could never catch her alone. At dinner, he sat too far away and would never dream of bringing up Charlie’s whereabouts in front of others. Later, she had retired by the time the men returned to the salon after their brandies.
But Simon knew her routine and would be up early waiting for her.
Chapter 24
On Simon’s advice, Mia spent the morning and early afternoon before the ball resting. He promised the night would be full of excitement but very tiring. As Mia lay in bed trying to listen to her husband’s generous words of wisdom, her mind raced. Tonight, a small portion of the ton would meet her and most likely find her lacking. There was no way of hiding her trepidation.
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She was terrified.
Her only solace was many eyes would be on Selina too. Selina hadn’t been introduced to very many members of the ton yet either. The duke had thought it best to go slowly with her presentation to Society. At least, Selina had been related some way to a squire. Mia had no such family connections.
