appear as only a giant blur.
"Freddie?" He almost did not recognize the Earl of Brent
outside of the walls of Eton. Two years Sherwin's senior,
Muriel's brother, Freddie, had recently been graduated and
had been acquainted with him for these last four years.
"It is you! What the devil-" Freddie glanced around the
empty room. "You look a veritable thundercloud ... and, by
the by, what are you doing in Town?" He strode to his
schoolmate and shook his hand. "Thought you had no stomach for the social scene, Lloyd."
"I don't, and it's Amhurst now, I'm afraid." He hated the
sound of it and secretly dreaded it when people called him
by that name.
"You're the new earl?" Freddie returned.
Sherwin answered with a curt nod. "Lost my brother
Charles in the war last year, and both James and Father were
carried off by influenza this past winter."
Freddie gave a sharp, low whistle. "Rum luck, of man."
He clapped Sherwin on the shoulder.
A lump came to Sherwin's throat, and his eyes began to
water. Freddie's clap had been the only physical contact
he'd received to console him.
"Now you're saddled with the family responsibility. What
wise words does Moo have for you?"
"I never told her of my circumstance." Sherwin tried to
sound brave.
"Never?" Freddie turned to a sideboard to fill two glasses
and held one out for Sherwin.
"No." Sherwin declined the spirits with a shake of his
head.
"Does she know you're here in Town looking for a bride?"
The question evidently was not an inquiry regarding Sherwin's purpose but whether or not Muriel knew of it.
Sherwin was taken aback. He hadn't mentioned anything
about marriage.
"You'd surely be in deep mourning if the need for a wife
was not imperative, my man." Freddie chuckled, then sipped
from his glass.
"Just so," Sherwin acknowledged. "I made the mistake of
not relaying those details to Moo-Lady Muriel. In my defense, she never mentioned her intention of coming to Town
either. We met inadvertently at Almack's the other night,
and, I must admit, we each surprised the other. There was a
rather unpleasant row."
"In the middle of Almack's?" Freddie's eyes widened in
surprise. "Well, Moo values honesty if nothing else. So I can
see why she'd be upset."
"We're no longer at daggers drawn. Managed to patch
things up for the time being. Hope it holds." Sherwin had
no idea how things would be between them when next they
met. Couldn't be any worse than it had been, really. "Have
you seen her?"
"No, I haven't stopped at Worth House yet. Just got into
Town and thought I'd wash a bit of traveling dust off before
dropping in on the family." Freddie set his empty glass upon the table. "I knew you two exchanged letters. I thought you
fancied her."
Perhaps Sherwin did, a little.
"No, there's nothing between us-not romantic-no, it's
nothing like that." Sherwin felt his face grow warm. He
knew there should not be any objection to the topics they
discussed. Men had been called out and shot for the unsavory
behavior of which Freddie spoke. And, being her brother,
he'd be the one taking the initiative to restore his sister's
honor.
"I believe you are in need of a friend," Freddie announced.
"I-I am in need of a what?" Sherwin stared at Freddie
as best he could, although the Earl of Brent appeared as a
hazy blob of brown.
"You need a male companion. Someone to set an example,
show you how to be handy with your fives, punt on tick,
watch that you don't stray into dun territory, and see to it
that-"
"-I dress well?" Sherwin straightened with interest.
"Is there a problem with your wardrobe?" Freddie eyed
Sherwin with less formality than Miss Torrington had last
night. "Your clothing appears to be finely constructed."
"I didn't choose these. My mother did." It was a confession Sherwin hated to voice.
"Oh, I see your point." Freddie reached for the decanter
and filled his glass.
"I think a man has a right to have a say about his own
clothing, don't
"Freddie?" He almost did not recognize the Earl of Brent
outside of the walls of Eton. Two years Sherwin's senior,
Muriel's brother, Freddie, had recently been graduated and
had been acquainted with him for these last four years.
"It is you! What the devil-" Freddie glanced around the
empty room. "You look a veritable thundercloud ... and, by
the by, what are you doing in Town?" He strode to his
schoolmate and shook his hand. "Thought you had no stomach for the social scene, Lloyd."
"I don't, and it's Amhurst now, I'm afraid." He hated the
sound of it and secretly dreaded it when people called him
by that name.
"You're the new earl?" Freddie returned.
Sherwin answered with a curt nod. "Lost my brother
Charles in the war last year, and both James and Father were
carried off by influenza this past winter."
Freddie gave a sharp, low whistle. "Rum luck, of man."
He clapped Sherwin on the shoulder.
A lump came to Sherwin's throat, and his eyes began to
water. Freddie's clap had been the only physical contact
he'd received to console him.
"Now you're saddled with the family responsibility. What
wise words does Moo have for you?"
"I never told her of my circumstance." Sherwin tried to
sound brave.
"Never?" Freddie turned to a sideboard to fill two glasses
and held one out for Sherwin.
"No." Sherwin declined the spirits with a shake of his
head.
"Does she know you're here in Town looking for a bride?"
The question evidently was not an inquiry regarding Sherwin's purpose but whether or not Muriel knew of it.
Sherwin was taken aback. He hadn't mentioned anything
about marriage.
"You'd surely be in deep mourning if the need for a wife
was not imperative, my man." Freddie chuckled, then sipped
from his glass.
"Just so," Sherwin acknowledged. "I made the mistake of
not relaying those details to Moo-Lady Muriel. In my defense, she never mentioned her intention of coming to Town
either. We met inadvertently at Almack's the other night,
and, I must admit, we each surprised the other. There was a
rather unpleasant row."
"In the middle of Almack's?" Freddie's eyes widened in
surprise. "Well, Moo values honesty if nothing else. So I can
see why she'd be upset."
"We're no longer at daggers drawn. Managed to patch
things up for the time being. Hope it holds." Sherwin had
no idea how things would be between them when next they
met. Couldn't be any worse than it had been, really. "Have
you seen her?"
"No, I haven't stopped at Worth House yet. Just got into
Town and thought I'd wash a bit of traveling dust off before
dropping in on the family." Freddie set his empty glass upon the table. "I knew you two exchanged letters. I thought you
fancied her."
Perhaps Sherwin did, a little.
"No, there's nothing between us-not romantic-no, it's
nothing like that." Sherwin felt his face grow warm. He
knew there should not be any objection to the topics they
discussed. Men had been called out and shot for the unsavory
behavior of which Freddie spoke. And, being her brother,
he'd be the one taking the initiative to restore his sister's
honor.
"I believe you are in need of a friend," Freddie announced.
"I-I am in need of a what?" Sherwin stared at Freddie
as best he could, although the Earl of Brent appeared as a
hazy blob of brown.
"You need a male companion. Someone to set an example,
show you how to be handy with your fives, punt on tick,
watch that you don't stray into dun territory, and see to it
that-"
"-I dress well?" Sherwin straightened with interest.
"Is there a problem with your wardrobe?" Freddie eyed
Sherwin with less formality than Miss Torrington had last
night. "Your clothing appears to be finely constructed."
"I didn't choose these. My mother did." It was a confession Sherwin hated to voice.
"Oh, I see your point." Freddie reached for the decanter
and filled his glass.
"I think a man has a right to have a say about his own
clothing, don't
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