Simply Carnal by Kate Pearce

Christian would have preferred a brandy, but the look on his mother’s face was enough to dissuade him from making that mistake.
    Richard accepted his tea with far better grace than Christian and sipped at it without even a grimace. Eventually he turned to Christian.
    “It has been quite a while since I have visited London. Perhaps I might ask your advice as to the latest pleasures to be found here.”
    “What kind of pleasures do you have in mind?” Christian inquired, all too aware that Philip was struggling to keep his temper. “There are so many.”
    “As I have already offered to show you around town, Richard,” Philip said shortly, “I’m not quite sure why you are asking Christian.”
    Helene patted his hand. “Christian and Richard are of a similar age, and their interests may well be more compatible.”
    “Christian’s interests are hardly likely to attract Richard,” Philip snapped.
    Christian felt himself bristle. “How do you know? We are both your sons. We might share more than you think.”
    Richard met his gaze and nodded. For one moment it seemed that they were united against a common enemy—their poor father.
    “That is true.”
    Christian put down his cup. “If you like, we can go to my club and discuss the matter further.” He kissed his mother on the cheek and bowed to Philip. “Have a good trip. I’ll keep Richard entertained.”
    “I’m sure you will.” Philip didn’t look any happier. “We’ll see you in a week.”
    “I’ll try not to ruin either the business or my brother’s reputation before I see you again.” Christian winked at his mother, who didn’t smile.
    He nodded at Richard, who had also risen and was busy kissing Helene’s hand. “If you don’t mind the cold, we can walk to my club from here.”
     
    It took less than half an hour for Christian to find himself sitting opposite Richard in the quiet confines of his club. There were very few people about, but those who saw them tended to look quite hard at his half brother, as if trying to make the connection between them. Some even stopped to make conversation or ask for an introduction, which Christian was quite happy to give them.
    As yet another acquaintance wandered off, Richard caught his eye.
    “Are we creating gossip?”
    Christian shrugged. “I’m used to it. My family has been a source of constant excitement to the ton for years.”
    “Which is why I went abroad in the first place.” Richard grimaced.
    “Because of us?”
    “Partly, but even before that scandal emerged, there were some unpleasant rumors flying around about my father’s treatment of my mother.”
    “I must confess that I know very little about your mother. It is not a subject that comes up very often.”
    “Of course not. That’s because my father is probably too ashamed of his behavior to speak of it.”
    Christian frowned. “If you are suggesting that my mother had anything to do with your mother’s unhappiness, I’ll not take it well. As far as I understand it, your mother was dead before my parents met again, and that was purely a matter of chance.”
    Richard studied him over the rim of his glass. “I’m not suggesting your mother seduced him away from mine.”
    “I’m glad to hear it.”
    “But you have to understand that I grew up with a mother who seemed permanently unhappy and unwell.” Richard paused. “And it wasn’t difficult to see why she was like that. Whenever my father was near her, she became far worse.”
    “So you believe the rumors that he perhaps caused her death?”
    “Believe them? My mother told me herself that he was killing her.”
    Christian stared at Richard. “And you believed her?”
    “I ... used to but then as I grew older, I realized I had never really asked my father for his side of the story and that perhaps I had been unjust to him.”
    “What brought that about?”
    “My change of heart?” Richard’s smile was just like Philip’s at his most sardonic. “I started