“Dare?”

He pushed that thought aside and smiled a humorless smile at the concern in David’s face. “I’m all right, just a bit tired. I’ve been putting in extra time trying to get the condenser running at optimum capacity before your uncle arrives.”

David nodded. “You have another two months. His latest letter said he won’t be here until September.”

“Good,” Dare replied, settling back to have a comfortable talk about the world of marine engines. “I’ll need every hour of that time to get it running its best. I’ve been thinking how best to demonstrate the engine, and I believe I have a solution—”

“Carlisle! Carlisle, where are you man? Has anyone seen—there you are. Come quickly.”

Dare looked up in surprise at the flustered man who stood before him. “Beverly. Is something amiss?”

Lord Beverly’s eyes bulged out in an alarming manner. “I’ll say there is! You must come quickly. It’s your wife.”

Dare was on his feet and headed out of the gaming room before Beverly could blink. “Is she hurt?” he tossed over his shoulder.

“No, not at all.” Beverly panted, trotting to keep up with Dare’s long-legged stride. Dare stopped abruptly, grabbing the man to keep from running into him.

“If she isn’t hurt, what is the hurry?”

Lord Beverly pulled out a silk handkerchief and mopped at his red face. “She’s…she’s…she’s making a scene! You can’t want that! She’s your wife!”

Dare took a deep breath and turned back toward the comfortable leather chair he had been sitting in. “Is that all?”

“All?” Beverly asked in confusion. “All? All? Did you hear me? She’s making a scene! In front of everyone!”

“Then I’m sure she’s quite happy,” Dare said with a grin to David. “There’s nothing Charlotte likes more than an audience to one of her tempers.”

“But…but…aren’t you concerned? Don’t you care?”

“Not really,” Dare answered, resuming his seat. “To tell you the truth, I rather hate to spoil her fun. She’s had so little the last few days. What is it this time? Is she telling Lady Jersey off again?”

Beverly stared at Dare as if he had a duck dancing on his head. “No, no, it’s not Lady Jersey,” he choked out. “It’s Brindley’s wife.”

Dare’s head snapped up at the name.

“Lady Carlisle seems to have taken exception to something Lady Brindley said, consequently dumping the punch bowl over her head.”

Dare swore as he leaped to his feet a second time, dashing for the door with David and Beverly fast on his heels.

“The watch! Someone send for the watch!” Phylomena was screeching as he burst into the disordered scene in the ballroom. “She tried to drown me! You all saw her attack me! She’s mad, quite, quite mad!”

“I am not mad. My hand slipped,” Charlotte argued.

Dare pushed his way forward to where the most elite members of the ton stood in a loose circle around five people. The three clustered together—his wife, Patricia, and Lady Caroline—he ignored, focusing on the remaining two.