running his hand along it thoughtfully before turning back to her. “Lady Margaret, it would be difficult for me to put an end to something I had already agreed to aid with.”
She felt a cold pit in her stomach. “You have agreed to be his second?”
“Before you jump to judgement,” he answered, “let me assure you that I am of the same mind as yourself – I believe the matter to be very dangerous, and I would as soon have him set it all aside and take the blow to his pride. But he tells me, Lady Margaret, that it is your pride he cares for –” he held up a hand, cutting off her protest before it could pass her lips. “And before you tell me that you do not care for your own pride, allow me to say that you titled people have the right to dictate much about the lives of the people around you, but you can’t dictate the causes they choose to champion.”
Margaret took a deep breath. “Perhaps we cannot change Captain Bateson’s mind, but might there be some other way to stop the duel before disaster strikes?”
Major Moorhouse walked away for a moment, standing thoughtfully with his arms crossed behind him. “I have been setting my own mind to this,” he said. “But I have come up with no solutions that would be of any use.”
“Perhaps if we were to arrange an interception of some sort,” she began weakly.
“If you mean a magistrate, I can’t imagine that doing our mutual friend any good. I’m certain that Lord Waddington would manage to talk his way out of any fines, but someone of Nigel’s standing would doubtless find himself imprisoned.” He shook his head. “I know you mean well, Lady Margaret, but I’m afraid you’ve wasted a journey coming here today. Your involvement has put Captain Bateson in enough trouble as it is. I pray that you will not endanger him further.”
Margaret felt frustration building. “Surely there is some way –”
“Pardon my interruption, but I am certain there is not. The duel is set for tomorrow morning at sunrise, and there is hardly a thing you will be able to concoct between now and then to put a stop to it.”
Margaret realised that he had unknowingly given her a piece of information she had not yet known. Tomorrow at sunrise. She did not know the location, but an idea came to her. An idea that, if executed properly, might arrange for an interception of the event even while determining where it was being held. She knew the major would not approve, and so she kept her face quite still and calm and merely said, “I am disappointed in your pessimism, Major, but I will press you no further. Thank you for the time you have given me today. May God keep you safe in the morning.”
She turned on her heel and left, walking crisply down the hall and looking back over her shoulder once at the end of the corridor to be certain the major had not followed her. When she encountered the butler near the door, she asked in a low voice if Sir Arthur happened to be home.
“He is, my lady,” the butler answered, even more confused than before. “Is he aware of your visit?”
“No,” Margaret said quickly. “My visit was altogether unexpected, I believe. Please, I would appreciate a chance to speak with him at once.”
“I will tell him to join you and Major Moorhouse –”
“No, I’m afraid Major Moorhouse would not appreciate a joint meeting of us three at this time,” she said with a quick laugh. “I think it would be far more preferable to see Sir Arthur in private.”
“He is in the garden,” the butler said, pursing his lips together with displeasure. “I’m afraid it will do you no good to go back there at once, but I will leave a message for him and make certain that he receives it when he is quite done with his solitary time.”
Margaret knew that message would be at least seen – and likely intercepted – by the major. She forced a sweet smile. “No need for that. I will return when he is more disposed to see me.”
She left the great house and walked to her horse, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She thought for a moment in almost idiotic delight how very shocked her father would have been by this behaviour, and what she planned to do next. If