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“I dined at Lindley, first thing,” Gladwell said with a smile.
“I have no appetite for food. Will you tell me what the meaning of this latest scandalous behavior is?” Simon snapped.
“What scandal is that?” Alice asked, folding her hands in her lap and meeting Simon’s gaze directly.
“Living in sin,” Simon said.
“We are hardly doing that. Harold is still on his sick bed. There are three servants in the house and Lord Gladwell has visited three times in as many days,” Alice replied.
“That is not what people are saying. They are saying that you and Clauder are lovers.”
“I do not care,” Alice said.
“I have already spoken to Lord Gladwell about the possibility of you and him marrying,” Simon began.
“And I informed your brother that it is not my wish. We are friends and I hope to remain so for a long time,” Gladwell said with a warm smile.
“As do I. I am glad we have settled that,” Alice replied.
“Nothing has been settled. I cannot permit you to continue to behave in such a lascivious manner,” Simon said.
“If we are talking of scandal, perhaps we may touch on the interception of another’s mail,” Alice said. “It is patently obvious that you have been preventing letters I have written from being delivered. Perhaps by bribing someone at the post office in Ardle Heath?”
Simon had the decency to look embarrassed, not meeting his sister’s eyes. Gladwell raised an eyebrow.
“A rum do, old chap,” he said.
Simon shook his head. “A matter of your protection. I saw it as my duty.”
“And presumably, Ruth saw it as her duty to intercept letters going the other way?” Alice asked.
“There have been no letters going the other way,” Simon said.
“I know that there have. I have spoken to Harold,” Alice said coldly. “If you were not responsible, then Ruth must have been. The game is up, Simon. Harold is here, proof positive that he does not intend to give up on me. You may not like it but you cannot pretend that he does not care for me.”
“All I know is that he wants you. That is different from a wholesome love, resulting in marriage. He is not capable of such,” Simon insisted.
“I would have to vouch for my old friend. I knew the man in the army. That is simply not true. Harold Clauder is a man of honor. I will stake my reputation on it. Unless you would challenge that too?” Gladwell said, an edge to his voice.
Simon looked uncomfortable. “No. Of course not. I value you as a potential business partner, even if we will not become family. But I will not be told by anyone that he is anything but a devil.”
The tap of a stick against the floor announced Harold’s arrival. He leaned heavily on it and was quite pale. His free hand was held across his middle, clutching at his ribs and he winced as he moved. His face was marred by bruising, black and purple fading to brown and yellow. Gladwell got to his feet but was no quicker than Alice. Harold waved her away with a smile, tottering into the room. Simon rose, facing him.
“I demand that my sister is returned to her rightful home, immediately,” Simon said.
“That is her choice. I will not ask her to leave,” Harold replied.
“And I will not choose to leave,” Alice added.
“You must admit that it is not exactly the done thing. For an unmarried man and woman to be sharing a house like this,” Gladwell put in.
“Stay out of it,” Harold said.
Gladwell raised his hands in surrender. “Merely expressing my opinion, Redwood.”
“So, you do not care about scandal?” Simon said dangerously.
“You have been paid for your silence. But I will not be blackmailed any longer. If Alice values what we have over what others think, then I certainly do.”
