“Not at first,” Mia replied, explaining all that had happened at Hart’s estate. “Once he saw what had happened to me, he was repentant.”
“I do hope the physician can help him.”
“I hope you can find Jonathon. Poor Charlie had become almost mad with the addiction.”
Tia worried her lower lip. Jonathon’s actions of the past few weeks were definitely showing the signs of a man with an opium issue. If only she could have seen him last night. She could have questioned him about his symptoms. Perhaps once she’d pointed out all that she noticed, Jonathon would see reason.
Tia shook her head. Anyone who had gone down such a horrible path rarely saw their opium use as an issue. They always had control of the problem, or so they said. She highly doubted Jonathon would be any different.
And if he didn’t want to be found, he would hide out until Braden returned to the Midlands.
Chapter 21
“Glad to see everything worked out so well for you, Hart,” Braden said, leaning back against a chair in the library.
“Well, it took long enough,” Hart replied with a laugh. He sobered quickly. “Seriously, I want to help you out any way I can.”
“There is a lot I didn’t say in the salon.” Braden wished it was a little later in the day. A little brandy might make telling Hart this easier. “Emily is with child.”
“Yours?”
“No, things never progressed to that point with us. She’s not sure if it’s Jonathon’s or Eldridge’s child. But I know she was with Jonathon last night at the Edmondsons’ party. I saw her leaving a bedchamber. She admitted afterward that Jonathon had been upstairs.”
“And I take it by the time you went upstairs, he was gone.”
“Exactly,” Braden said. “He took a risk to see her there, knowing I might be in attendance. It makes no sense.”
Hart laughed. “Of course it does. The boy is in love with her. You should be able to understand that. You barely took your eyes off Miss Featherstone while we were in the salon.”
“Perhaps, but Miss Featherstone is not married to an earl.”
“The former Miss Featherstone is,” Hart said with a chuckle. “I apologize. I’m still a little thrilled that she is finally my wife.” Hart looked over at him. “If Eldridge discovers what happened, he may call out Jonathon.”
Braden tilted his head back. He hadn’t even thought of that possibility. “You are right about that. Mistress or not, Eldridge will not want anyone to know he was being cuckolded.”
“Have you confronted Lady Eldridge on where Jonathon is staying?”
“No.”
“I believe the both of us should pay a call on her today,” Hart said.
Nelson knocked and then entered the library. “We have set out a lovely breakfast for you and your callers, my lord.”
“Thank you, Nelson.” Braden rose and turned to Hart. “Shall we go discover if the sisters have killed each other yet?”
“I haven’t even heard any shouting.” Hart stood. “Which, as I think about it, is probably not a good sign. They may be planning some way to get into trouble.”
“Mia too?”
“I will tell you all about that over drinks one night. I have a feeling we can commiserate with each other.”
Braden shook his head. “If she is anything like her sister, I do feel sorry for you already. I had to literally drag her out of Whitechapel.”
Hart laughed as they headed out of the library to the breakfast room. “We are both in for a wild marriage.”
“Assuming I can even get Tia to the altar,” Braden added.
Hart laughed. “I told Mia it was for her own safety.”