Better safe than sorry, he decided and carried the decanter to the French doors leading into the yard. Opening them, he stepped outside and upended the bottle, emptying the contents on the grass.

Richard had just turned to head back into the office when a heavy thud to his left made him stop. Glancing in that direction, he stared blankly at the bundle that had suddenly appeared on the grass several feet away. Richard was slow to recognize his half unwrapped brother lying there, but once he understood what he was looking at, his gaze shot swiftly up to the second floor window above. He was just in time to see a man’s leg appear over the ledge. Daniel. He’d forgotten all about the man. Obviously, his friend hadn’t managed to get out before the women had returned upstairs and was now trying to escape via the window. Richard waited, ready to help if he could, but rather than his other leg appearing over the ledge, candlelight suddenly filled the room, framing Woodrow’s dark shape in the window.

Cursing, Richard rushed back into his office. He deposited the empty decanter on his desk as he hurried past, and then rushed out into the hall only to nearly run down Haversham.

“My lord!” the butler cried, coming to an abrupt halt. “You’re—”

“Yes, yes, I’m feeling better,” Richard said with a forced smile, knowing the staff had been told he was ill. He was pleased to know the man still worked for the family and that George hadn’t sacked the fellow, but really didn’t have time for him at the moment. Moving around him, he added, “Excuse me. I have . . . er . . . something to handle above stairs.”

Richard didn’t wait for a response from Haversham, but left him gaping after him and headed upstairs at a run, desperate to save Daniel from the virago that was Suzette. He was sure he would arrive to find her beating Daniel viciously about the head with her candlestick and shrieking “intruder.”

Instead, he arrived at her closed door, thrust it open and stopped dead. It seemed he needn’t have worried about his friend, or the virago that was Suzette. The two were wrapped up in a most passionate embrace, so passionate in fact that neither appeared to have heard his arrival. At least she hadn’t.

Richard was just wondering what he should do when Daniel removed one hand from Suzette’s back to wave him away. He hesitated one moment, but then decided to obey the gesture. Daniel was an honorable man and wouldn’t do anything to harm Suzette or her reputation. Besides, now that the panic had cleared, he suddenly recalled George’s body lying out on the lawn.

Richard pulled the door gently closed and knew he’d made the right decision when he heard Daniel’s voice muffled through the door, saying, “Suzette, we have to stop now. I should go. It’s not proper for me to be in your room like this.”