Meant To Be (Pendleton Manor 1)

“Well, as you know, I don’t care much for London, do I?”

“Sir Arbuthnot,” she added, her gaze searching his. “He will be furious, Harry.”

Harry pictured his father at home, chained to his bed by the sudden apoplexy that had caused him to lose the use of his legs and one side of his body. Not his brain, though, or his voice, or his determination to rule Pendleton despite his infirmities. Harry may be the one to ride the acres and deal with the minutia of their estate, but Sir Arbuthnot still considered himself to be in charge.

“I will deal with my father,” he assured her.

For a heartbeat Evelyn looked as if she wanted to argue, and then she seemed to deflate. “Very well then,” she said. “We have a bargain, Harry. If you are sure …?”

Was that hope he heard in her voice? Harry wondered if it was because she still wanted to continue with their hollow engagement. He thought it more likely that she was thinking about cutting herself free and giving James another chance. And if Oscar wanted to try to stop that happening, well Harry had dealt with bullies before.

“I’m sure,” he said firmly.

Adam was there when he arrived home. His brother looked as if he had just got in from another late night, and gave a yawn as he reached for the coffee pot. He had already made inroads into the breakfast platters.

“I need to speak to you,” Harry said.

Adam yawned again. “I have to be on parade in an hour.” His hair was standing on end, as if he had been running his hands through it, and the smell of brandy clung to him.

“I thought you turned away the whore from last night,” Harry said, eyes narrowed. “You really need a night off, Adam.”

“And who would please all the lovelies in London if I had a night off?” Adam retorted. Then, with a frown added, “What do you want to speak to me about?”

“I need your help.”

Adam had the cup halfway to his lips only to stop and set it back down again. “My help? Is that what you said? I just want to clarify.”

“Yes, I need your help.”

“Do you mean you are admitting that you are not flawless after all?”

“I’ve never said I was flawless,” Harry retorted.

Adam gave a grunt and waited.

“I’ve made a mistake,” Harry admitted.

Adam’s eyes lit up. “Oh-ho! What mistake would that be?”

“My engagement to Evelyn.?

??

Adam leaned back and smiled. “I could have told you that, brother. In fact, I did. I’m sorry to bring it to your attention, but breaking an engagement is not a simple matter. It is usually the woman who does the breaking.”

“Evelyn has agreed so long as her reputation suffers no permanent hurt from it.” He waved a hand when his brother opened his mouth to ask questions, not wanting to betray Evelyn’s confidence. “I will need to do something scandalous that will set the whole thing in motion.”

Adam watched him carefully. “You do know,” he said at last, “that Oscar will beat the living hell out of you.”

Harry huffed a laugh. “I expect so. It’ll be worth it.”

“And then what?” Adam asked. “Go home to Pendleton? You’ll have to face Father and he may not be up to thrashing you like he used to in the old days, but he’ll still make your life miserable.”

“I’m going home, yes. I’m going home with Sophy.”

Adam smiled. “Finally, he sees the light!” he said, then shook his head. “But will Sophy want you? I thought her and James Abbott were looking like a sure thing. They’re even taking wagers in the clubs. I was considering one myself.”

They were taking wagers on James and Sophy? Had he left it too late after all? Harry pushed the doubts aside. He had to focus on his plan and cut himself free, and then do his utmost to persuade Sophy to take him back.