Daniel’s response took the fight out of Christy. She stood there dumbly staring at him. Daniel sighed. “I know about Giselle,” he said. “Fetch me a drink, would you, love?” he asked Harry.

“It’s tea time,” Harry said.

“I don’t want tea,” Daniel told him. “I want scotch.”

“I know,” Harry said. “You get tea.”

“When I am mobile again, you will pay for your impertinence,” Daniel promised.

“Yes, well, we shall see,” Harry said. He rang the bell. “Who is Giselle?”

“Simon’s late wife,” Christy said, watching Daniel. He had the grace to look slightly abashed. “You’ve always known about her?”

“Yes. He told me. During the war. He was reckless. When I confronted him about it, he told me why. He wanted to die. The damn thing was, he’s got a bit of a sixth sense, you know. He can sense trouble before he walks into it. He saved quite a few lives during the war with it, including his own. As many times as he claimed he wanted to die, he never could bring himself to do it.”

“Because he doesn’t,” Christy said. “Can’t you see that? And can’t you see how much love he has to give? How much he cares for you and for all of his friends? He deserves a love of his own. Even if it isn’t me.”

“And you think Robert is that love?” Daniel asked. “How does Robert feel about that? Are you willing to give them both up?”

“Don’t be an idiot, of course not. I intend to have them both.” Christy sat down on the sofa and picked Christian up, who had begun to fuss with no one on the floor with him.

“I feel like I’ve had this conversation before,” Daniel said wryly. “Why am I not surprised?”

“You of all people shouldn’t be,” Christy said. “After all, you’re the one who introduced me to all your friends who enjoy such unusual relationships. Didn’t we spend weeks with the Duke and Duchess of Ashley and their lover, Mr. Haversham, last year? Really, Daniel, I’m beginning to think you had this planned all along.”

“What?” he said, aghast. “Me? What are you talking about? I would never do such a thing. As you said I, of all people, know the hardships of such relationships. I have seen it among my friends. And it would be worse for you and Robert and Simon.”

He nodded at her protest. “Oh, yes. You are not a duchess, my dear. And the middle classes are even more parochial about that kind of thing than the aristocracy. You would be shunned by one and all. Robert would be lucky to keep his job, much less rise above a lowly constable in the department.”

Christy felt a little queasy, but then she remembered Simon’s distress last night and she straightened her shoulders. “We will manage. There are other jobs. Other places.”

“Yes, there are,” Harry agreed, cutting off Daniel’s argument. “And you know it, too, Daniel. Sir Barnabas would give them both a job. Hasn’t he already?”

“Don’t you want Simon to be happy, Daniel?” Christy asked.

He slumped in his seat. “Of course I do. The problem, Christy, is that I’m not sure he can be.” He looked up at her. “Simon is so afraid of being happy, so afraid of being hurt again, that he will do just about anything to avoid loving someone. I’m worried that if he really is in love with you or Robert, or both of you, that he will start running and he won’t stop until he’s dead.”

“Oh, Daniel,” Christy said, trying not to cry. “That’s what I’m afraid of, too. How do I get Simon to understand that he deserves to be happy?”

“What does Robert have to say about all this?” Harry asked.

“I don’t know.” Christy threw her hands up in the air. “Both of them told me so much last night. Simon and his story about Giselle and his nightmares, and then Robert admitting that Simon seduced him, right after he and I openly talked about my previous relationship with Simon for the first time. Things with Robert are so perfect.” She clasped her hands together. “I’m finally able to be me. Do you know what that means to me? And he’s happy with me. The real me. Not the me he thought he married. And the physical side of our marriage is…”

She paused, blushing. “Well, anyway, everything is going so well, and I don’t want to jeopardize that. But I will always love Simon. And Robert knows that. I told him that. And he doesn’t seem to care. I mean, he told me that he will always want me and that I will always have a place with him.” She paused to take a breath.

“But…it’s sounds like there’s a but coming,” Daniel said.

“But last night he said that it was obvious Simon and I loved one another and that he didn’t have a right to stand in our way. Simon and I both disagreed. I told Robert I loved him, too. And that was when Simon told us about Giselle.”

“I have a feeling there is a great deal you are leaving out.” Harry held up a hand. “Which is your prerogative.” He sighed. “It is a muddle, Christy. I’m sorry.”

“You should be,” Daniel told him. “Somehow this is all your fault.”

“Mine?” Harry exclaimed. “How so?”

“If you had stayed married to her, none of this would be happening.”

“If I were still married to her, all of this would be happening in your house,” Harry disagreed.

“Good point,” Daniel said. He yawned and rubbed his leg. “When is the doctor coming?”

Christy knew she wasn’t going to get the advice she’d sought. Daniel wasn’t feeling well enough, and Harry was more concerned for his lover’s welfare than about her romantic entanglements, and rightly so.

“I guess it’s up to me to figure out a happy ending to my own troubles,” Christy said. “I shouldn’t have bothered you.”

“Nonsense,” Daniel said. “I shall have a talk with Simon. Tell him to come and see me.”

“Of course I will,” Christy lied. “I’ll see about the doctor.”

She picked Christian up and headed for the door, wondering exactly how she was going to take care of Daniel, fix Simon, keep Robert, and stay sane. A woman’s work was never done.

She needed to go see Veronica Tarrant.