His Lady Mistress

104 His Lady Mistress‘Yes. Yes, please.’ He went over and took the glass fromRichard. ‘How’s... how’s your leg?’His brother stared. ‘My leg?’‘Yes. Your leg. The left one. The one I nearly—’‘What the deuce brought that up?’ Richard sipped at hisbrandy. ‘It’s much the same. Are you feeling all right?’‘Fine,’ lied Max.Limping back to the chair, Richard lowered himself into itcarefully. ‘Well, you don’t look it. What’s happened to setyou all on end? Miss Celia’s version of hunt-the-husbandgive you a bilious attack? Don’t tell me you’ve offered forthe chit?’A perfectly genuine shudder rippled through Max. ‘No. It’snot as bad as that.’ He walked over to the window and staredout into the street. Marriage to Verity would not be anywherenear as depressing as marriage to Celia Faringdon. Or wouldit? He bethought himself of the decisions he had made regardinghis marriage and wondered. Celia would not havepresented him with any of the temptation Verity did.The door opened and Clipstone, the butler, advanced intothe room. ‘A note from Lady Arnsworth, my lord.’Richard took the note from Clipstone and held it out toMax as though it might bite. ‘How the devil did Almeriaknow you were back? The woman’s a witch. Oh, well, betteryou than me.’ This last held a distinct hint of relief.‘Oh, for God’s sake!’ burst out Max, swinging away to thewindow. ‘I told her everything she needs to know. What moredoes she want? Read it, will you?’Raising his brows, Richard broke the wafer and opened thenote. ‘The girl is still asleep. What is her name?’Max came to a dead halt in his pacing. Damn the chit!Would she never stop wrongfooting him? Making him feel acomplete scoundrel?Muttering, he strode over to Richard, twitched the note outof his hand and stalked to the desk. He dipped Richard’s quill