“That is your emergency? You had my valet roust me from a dead slumber to ask me that?” Daniel asked with disbelief. His valet had awoken him only moments ago with the news that the Earl of Radnor was below, insisting he see him on an urgent matter. With all that was going on, that urgent matter could have been just about anything, most of it bad, so Daniel had thrown on his clothes and hurried below in a panic only to find out that the urgent matter was Richard’s worry over what he’d done with George’s body. The realization was rather annoying since the man hadn’t seemed overly concerned the night before when he’d been embracing Christiana in the master bedroom window. Besides, after taking care of George, Daniel had gone to bed, only to lay awake most of the night fretting about what to do about Suzette. He’d only dropped off to sleep a couple of hours ago and was exhausted and cranky at being woken up so early.

“Well you know who’s whereabouts is rather important to me,” Richard said stiffly, and then pointed out, “And I wouldn’t have had to wake you from a dead slumber to find out where he is if you hadn’t left without me last night.”

Daniel dropped into the nearest seat with disgust. You know who was George, of course. They had been calling him that since this conversation started just in case they were overheard by a servant. Scowling irritably at Richard now, he asked, “Well, what else was I to do? Sit about in my carriage while you gave you know who’s wife a tumble.”

Richard stiffened. “She is my wife, thank you very much.”

Daniel snorted and said dryly, “My, we’ve changed our tune this morning, have we not? Last night you weren’t at all sure you wanted to keep her.”

“Yes, well, I hardly have a choice now. I’ve—” He paused and scowled. “How the devil did you know I tumbled her?”

Daniel raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “Was it supposed to be a secret? If so, you shouldn’t have done it in the front window for anyone on the street to see.”

Richard’s eyes widened in horrified realization and he simply stood for the longest time, until Daniel was irritated enough to prompt, “Well?”

Richard blinked as if awaking from a dream and asked, uncertainly, “Well, what?”

“Are you really planning to keep her?” Daniel asked with exasperation.

Richard sighed and moved to settle in a chair himself before confessing, “She was a virgin until last night.”

Daniel blew out a silent whistle. “That was very remiss of you know who.”