in the presence of a stronger opponent. He turned and fled.
“Major Hart, what are you doing here?” Meggie asked.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Devon Hart replied. “Why are you on the streets at this hour, and why are you buying that man’s silence?”
She hesitated. His eyes showed compassion, and she believed a loyal heart beat in his chest. But blood ties ran deep. Loyalty to his brother would triumph over any compassion for her.
She shook her head. “I can’t tell you that,” she said. “I must go.”
“Has my brother already driven you away?”
She wiped away the tear which had splashed, unchecked, on her cheek, and a warm hand clasped hers.
“Forgive me, sister, I can see you’re distressed,” he said. “You’re not obliged to tell me anything. Shall I take you home? Dex will be worried.”
“I can’t go back.”
He sighed. “What’s my brother done now?”
“He’s done nothing,” she said, her voice cracking. “It was me.”
“A sweet creature like yourself can’t have done anything my brother would disapprove of,” he said. Why don’t I take you home and knock some reason into his addled brain?”
“I deceived him,” she said. “I lied to him, and he’ll never forgive me.”
He glanced along the street, but George was long gone.
“I take it the rather handsome man you were grappling with has something to do with it. Have you been unfaithful to Dex?”
“No!” she cried. “I’d never…” She broke off and shook her head. “It happened before I married your brother.”
“And you kept it a secret?” He let out a curse. “Dex bloody hates secrets.”
“N-no, he knows I wasn’t…”
“He knows you weren’t a maiden?” His expression softened. “He would have realized as soon as…” he hesitated, “…unless you and Dex never…” He shook his head. “I always thought he was a master at bedsport.”
Her cheeks heated with embarrassment. “He found out the day we married.”
“That was months ago!” he cried. “Bloody hell, I knew Dex bore a grudge, but he seemed happy with you when I last saw him.”
“He was,” she said, “until today—when he discovered I had George’s child and concealed it from him.”
She looked away, unable to bear his disappointment. Strong arms pulled her into an embrace.
“Oh, Margaret!” he cried. “You ran away rather than face him?”
“You don’t understand!” she cried. “The last time I saw him that angry, he had a young girl thrashed! He told me he wanted nothing from me but honesty—and I deceived him. But I had no choice. He’s said several times that no man should be expected to forgive such a woman who’d borne another man’s bastard. I had to keep it from him.”
Devon cursed. “Secrets have a way of coming out,” he said. “You should have told him. Yes, he would have been angry, for he has a vile temper when he doesn’t get his way, but he would have valued your honesty.”
“You didn’t see him,” she said. “I thought he was going to beat me.”
“My brother may be many things, Margaret, but he’d never take his hand to you. Why don’t I take you home and speak to him? He won’t touch you with me there.”
“And when you’re gone?” She shook her head. “I can’t go back.”
“Then come home with me,” he said. “There’s plenty of room at my lodgings. At least you’ll be safe.”
“I wouldn’t want to cause trouble between you,” she said. “He might look for me there.”
“You can’t wander the streets.”
“I can return home to Blackwood Heath.”
“You’ll not find a coach at this hour.”
“Perhaps Mrs. Pelham would take me in until tomorrow.” She nodded to herself. “Yes, Anne will understand. She’s my friend, and her first husband was unkind to her. She told me how he struck her when she spilled his brandy.”
“Has Dexter been unkind to you?”
No. He hadn’t. Gruff and brooding, perhaps, but not unkind. Every action he took had been for her benefit. He wasn’t a man of pretty speeches and overt gallantry—but that didn’t mean he loved her any less.
Had loved her.
Devon let out a sigh. “Against my better judgment, I’ll take you to your friend, if only to ensure your safety. But my brother will find you eventually. When he sets his mind on something, he won’t stop until he gets it.”
“Promise me you won’t tell him where I am,” she said.
“You have my word,” he said. “And we Harts always keep our promises.”
His words pricked at her conscience and, as if he read her mind, he squeezed her hand. “He’ll come round. I’m sure of