Page 43 of Foolish Bride
Thomas clapped his hands and laughed. “That’s great news. Do you think she will marry you?”
“One step at a time. Let’s see if I can get her to dance with me at Markus’s mother’s ball before I begin to speak to her about marriage.” Michael refused to get worked up about his small success.
“I supposed you’re right. But I heard that Middleton intends to offer for her. You may not have that much time.” Thomas plucked lint from the overstuffed chair.
Michael rubbed his face. It had been a long few days, and this was not the news he wanted to hear. “I cannot do anything about that. If Elinor accepts Middleton, then I will wish her well, but I think she will stall and make sure she has satisfied her lists.”
“Her lists?”
Michael waved. “It’s a long story. Shall we go for dinner, Tom? If you’ll wait for me to dress, we can go to the club.”
“I’ll wait if you’ll allow me to try out that harpsichord you hide away in the library.”
“Help yourself.” Michael trudged up to his rooms.
Forty-five minutes later, Michael stood in the library doorway listening to Thomas play some piece of music that he should have recognized but didn’t. He liked music, but admitted he was sadly uneducated. Thomas, on the other hand, was an aficionado on music in all forms and was constantly hunting for the best and brightest musicians or the perfect composition.
He could have stood there another hour listening, but Dalton interrupted. “Pardon the intrusion, your grace. A Mr. Hardwig is calling. He comes from Scotland Yard and says his business is urgent.”
Thomas stopping playing. “James is here.”
Michael lamented the end of the music. “Evidently.”
In the study, James Hardwig stood, rocking heel-to-toe with his hands behind his back.
“Hello, James,” Thomas said. “Good to see you.”
Looking from Michael to Thomas, James’s jaw dropped before recovering and shaking Thomas’s hand. “Wasn’t expecting to find you here, Wheel, but it’s good to see you, too. Been too long.”
“Good evening, Inspector. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” Michael shook James’s hand.
“Your grace, I am sorry to disturb you. I thought to catch you before you went out for the evening. I have some important news, and I didn’t think it should wait.” He brushed the hair meant to cover his bald spot into place.
“We were just going to dinner, but we are not on a schedule. What is your news?” Michael sat and offered James a seat.
James cleared his throat. “I do not mean to be rude, Wheel, but this is personal news for his grace.”
“You may feel free to speak in front of Thomas. He and I have been friends so long that secrets seem a waste of time. He always knows what I am thinking, anyway.” Thomas knew everything about Michael’s life. Nothing the inspector could say would be hidden from his true friends.
James nodded. “I noticed that when I first met you. You four have a rather odd way of communicating.”
“We’ve been together since we were in short pants, James,” Thomas said. “It’s a bit hard to get out of the habit. Marlton, Flammel, Kerburghe, and I have been through quite a lot together.”
“What was your news?” Michael asked politely.
James sat on a brown wingback chair facing Michael. “The crown has asked me to do a thorough investigation of Roxton’s claims on your title.”
“And what did you discover?” Michael wished he was indifferent, but he liked the idea of leaving more for his brothers and maybe even children one day. He quashed the notion.
“The claim is complete bunk as you might have guessed.”
“I hear a ‘but’ in your tone, James,” Thomas said.
James Hardwig stared at the carpet and rubbed his forehead. He ruffled his thinning hair and breathed long and steady.
Maybe he didn’t know what to say. Michael looked at Thomas, who had known the inspector a long time.
Thomas waved dismissively. “Give him a moment, if you will, your grace? He is usually worth the wait.”
