Free Dangerous 01 - Dangerous Works by Caroline Warfield

what dress to wear for a simple dinner, dissolved into tears. Georgiana waved the maid away, snatched the note, and stalked about the small chamber in her dressing gown. This time he wouldn’t come.
    “He regrets? What does that mean? Who brought this? Does he wait for a reply?”
    “His man, my lady. The man seemed somewhat anxious to return. I might catch him below stairs if—”
    “Hurry! Stop him. I wish to speak with him. Go, man. Hurry!”
    Georgiana tossed her dressing gown aside.
    “Mary, dry your tears. It wasn’t your fault.” She grabbed the nearest dress as she spoke and pulled it over her head. “Do me up quickly. Truly, it wasn’t your fault. There’s a good girl.”
    Five minutes later she opened the door to the public salon and found Charles Harley, impatient to be gone.
    “I understand that you need to return to your master, but I wish you to clarify.”
    “It ain’t my place to clarify,” the sullen little man snarled.
    “What nonsense is this?” She waved the note in the air. “What does he mean by ‘I regret that I am unable to keep our engagement’?”
    Harley clamped his jaws shut.
    “He prays his ‘change of circumstances’ doesn’t cause me hardship. What circumstances? What is the nature of these circumstances, Mr. Harley, is it?”
    Harley’s sullen face and his determined answer, “Not for me to say,” revealed nothing.
    Georgiana stood very still. The authority she mustered would have made her mother proud. “Of course not,” Georgiana said, “and it is to your credit that you know it. I last saw Mr. Mallet on his way to a surgeon’s premises. He is an old family friend about whom I am understandably concerned.”
    Stony silence.
    “Come, come, man. Sooner told, sooner over. If you wish to get back to Mr. Mallet soon I suggest you answer my questions.” She raised her Hayden shoulders and glared down her aristocratic nose.
    He shook his head wryly.
    He was laughing. Cheeky creature!
    “He isn’t well. Told you before. Leg bothers him awful most of the time. That surgeon may do him good in time, but yesterday he just wore him out. Had to be carried back in the sedan chair, and he hates it.”
    The man looked her in the eyes while he spoke. What kind of servant makes eye contact? Not a well-trained one. Georgiana could see truth in Harley’s eyes, though, and loyalty to Andrew. She could also see the moment he came to a decision.
    “The surgeon thinks he can fix the problem somewhat. He may never walk without th’ limp, but he can get some of the pressure off ‘the nerves’ as he calls it. There’s still metal shot in the hip he says, and it has to come out. Won’t be pretty, but if he can survive the surgery …”
    He said those last words deliberately, eyes locked on hers. Georgiana paled but held her ground.
    “If he survives, he’ll be able to walk about without coming to grief every time. He’s to stay off it until day after tomorrow.”
    “Mr. Peabody is the surgeon?”
    Harley nodded.
    That much relieved her. “He will do surgery in two days?”
    Another nod.
    Georgiana caught her lip between her teeth. Peabody’s presence reassured her, but Harley’s words didn’t. If he survives the surgery— “Won’t take help,” Harley broke in. “Likely to shy if you try it. Won’t take help from his friends in London.”
    “No, I don’t expect he would.” She realized that Richard knew but chose not to tell her. Her thoughts raced.
    “You may tell Mr. Mallet that I accept his gracious apology and will expect him to keep his word at a later date.”
    Harley took a half step. Her hand darted out to keep him from leaving. “He doesn’t need to know he’s being helped,” she said. “You will tell me when he needs something—anything at all.” Empresses gave orders with less command.
    Harley’s impudence didn’t hide his shrewdness. He weighed her words. “Oh, yes, Milady, that I will.” By the time he left, Lady Georgiana knew every