“Four footmen, m’lady?”

“Yes, four,” Gillian replied as she leaped up the stairs. “I shall go to Lady Charlotte myself, and the four footmen can deliver the notes to his lordship’s ladybats.”

“Ladybirds,” Crouch corrected her softly as he watched her fly up the stairs; then he turned his attention to the louts standing about watching with nothing better to do but scratch their arses. “’Ere, you, Dickon, you ’eard the mistress. Go tell Tremayne to ’ave the carriage and four ’orses brought ’round. Coo lummey, what ’is lordship’ll ’ave to say about this, I don’t want to think.”

***

“I thought that bit of news would bring you at a gallop,” Charlotte said as she entered the small sitting room. “Good afternoon, Nick. You look well.”

Nick bowed. “Thank you, Lady Charlotte.”

Charlotte stared openmouthed at him for a moment, then raised a brow as she looked at Gillian.

“Nick has decided he likes talking,” she answered the unasked question. “Now, tell me where you heard this news.”

“Papa told Mama when he came home from his morning at the club. He said the books are filled with wagers on whether Lord Weston will trump Lord Carlisle, or vice versa. Papa didn’t know who to bet on—he felt as if he should back Lord Weston, since he’s his nephew-in-law, but he thinks Lord Carlisle has the advantage and so…well…he’s wagered on both.”

Gillian couldn’t keep the smile back. “That sounds like Uncle Theo. He doesn’t like to be on the losing side of any venture, least of all those concerning a few groats.”

Charlotte snorted. “A few groats—after what Lord Weston settled on you, I should think he would cast his lot with your husband.”

“Char, you make it sound as if Noble purchased me!”

Charlotte shrugged and daintily picked at a cuticle. “He did, more or less. Oh, don’t get your feathers in a hackle, cousin; I assume you are not here to debate the hows and whys of your marriage. What are you going to do about this terrible fisticuffs duel the men have planned?”

“I shall stop it, of course! I have no intention of allowing Lord Carlisle to beat the tar out of my husband.”

“What makes you think Lord Carlisle’s tar won’t take a pounding?”

Gillian made a face. “Normally, I’d back Noble’s tar against Lord Carlisle’s, but in the last few days Noble has been kidnapped, shot, received a black eye, broken his nose, and been drugged. The last, I’m annoyed to say, was completely without need, since Noble informed me this morning that he had actually apologized to Lord Carlisle and canceled the duel the night before.”

Charlotte nodded. “Papa told Mama about that, as well. But how do you intend to stop them?”

Gillian smiled. “I have a wonderful plan.”

Charlotte dimpled at her in return. Nick looked worried.

***

Lord Carlisle sauntered over to where the smaller man was sitting. He glared at his companion’s arrogant posture for a moment, then allowed himself to be waved into an adjoining chair. “You wanted to see me?”