about the stables and chamber pots every time Christopher and Nate get into the same room. Can’t we discuss something else?”
“Thank you, Ethan,” Christopher replied, smiling at his friend.
“Sure, we can discuss the Battle of Waterloo,” Nate spoke up.
Ethan grimaced. “That happened long ago. It has no relevance to anyone anymore.”
“Long ago? It was in June.”
“Exactly. Months ago. I don’t see any reason to concern myself with something that old. We ought to talk about something that’s happening now, something that impacts our lives at the moment.”
“You mean like the fact that no one knows where Lord Pennella is?” Christopher ventured.
“No one cares about Lord Pennella,” Agatha replied, an underlying disgust in her voice.
“Well, that’s true,” he consented. “And that being the case, we should let Paula talk about herself.”
“What if she’s shy and doesn’t feel like telling a room full of strangers about her self?” Catherine piped up. “I know I wouldn’t like it.”
Perry glanced at his wife. He secretly agreed with Catherine. Having to talk about himself in front of people he just met would make him very uncomfortable, and by the slight trace of pink in Paula’s cheeks, he guessed she would rather not. Sighing, he leaned on his cane and said, “Christopher, before you start asking Paula questions, why don’t you give her time to get familiar with everyone? Not everyone is as vain as you.”
“Nice one,” Nate whispered.
Pleased, he nodded his thanks to his friend.
The butler came into the room before Christopher could respond and announced that dinner was ready.
Relieved, Perry rose to his feet and offered to escort his wife to the other room. She accepted and the four couples went to the long table which was set with many fine dishes. Perry had to admit that Agatha arranged for some wonderful meals. He still couldn’t figure out why she married his cousin, but there was no doubt the two were happy and for that, he was glad his cousin could at least be a good husband.
The course of the meal went smoothly. Most of the talk revolved around the estates the couples would soon be going to until their return to London the following spring. Ethan and Catherine were looking forward to the birth of their first child early the following year. It wasn’t often that Perry cared what happened to Ethan, but in this case, he was happy for him.
Once the meal was over, Christopher asked to have a word alone with him while the gentlemen adjourned to one room and the ladies to another. As tempting as it was to deny his cousin’s request, curiosity got the better of him and he followed him to a small room filled with books. He hadn’t taken Agatha for a Gothic enthusiast, but those were mainly the ones that lined the shelves.
“Your wife enjoys G othic horror?” Perry asked, picking up a book and inspecting the title.
“We both do,” Christopher replied. “You ought to read one sometime. It’s much more interesting than the bland reading you do.”
“I happen to enjoy history.”
He yawned. “Which has no bearing on today.”
“Oh, I disagree. It has a lot to do with today. The rise and fall of many nations usually follow the same pattern.”
“The same could be said for a gentleman’s ability to pleasure a lady in bed. Did you read the book I gave you for your wife’s benefit?”
Perry glowered at him. He should have known his cousin would make the inquiry. “You spend way too much time minding other people’s businesses when you should be minding your own.”
“So, I take it you haven’t?”
Tapping his fingers on his cane, he said, “I’ll have you know she told me she’s satisfied in bed.”
He stared at him for a moment, his eyebrows raised in an irritating manner that warned Perry he wasn’t going to like what he heard next. And he was right, for Christopher asked, “Who is
“Thank you, Ethan,” Christopher replied, smiling at his friend.
“Sure, we can discuss the Battle of Waterloo,” Nate spoke up.
Ethan grimaced. “That happened long ago. It has no relevance to anyone anymore.”
“Long ago? It was in June.”
“Exactly. Months ago. I don’t see any reason to concern myself with something that old. We ought to talk about something that’s happening now, something that impacts our lives at the moment.”
“You mean like the fact that no one knows where Lord Pennella is?” Christopher ventured.
“No one cares about Lord Pennella,” Agatha replied, an underlying disgust in her voice.
“Well, that’s true,” he consented. “And that being the case, we should let Paula talk about herself.”
“What if she’s shy and doesn’t feel like telling a room full of strangers about her self?” Catherine piped up. “I know I wouldn’t like it.”
Perry glanced at his wife. He secretly agreed with Catherine. Having to talk about himself in front of people he just met would make him very uncomfortable, and by the slight trace of pink in Paula’s cheeks, he guessed she would rather not. Sighing, he leaned on his cane and said, “Christopher, before you start asking Paula questions, why don’t you give her time to get familiar with everyone? Not everyone is as vain as you.”
“Nice one,” Nate whispered.
Pleased, he nodded his thanks to his friend.
The butler came into the room before Christopher could respond and announced that dinner was ready.
Relieved, Perry rose to his feet and offered to escort his wife to the other room. She accepted and the four couples went to the long table which was set with many fine dishes. Perry had to admit that Agatha arranged for some wonderful meals. He still couldn’t figure out why she married his cousin, but there was no doubt the two were happy and for that, he was glad his cousin could at least be a good husband.
The course of the meal went smoothly. Most of the talk revolved around the estates the couples would soon be going to until their return to London the following spring. Ethan and Catherine were looking forward to the birth of their first child early the following year. It wasn’t often that Perry cared what happened to Ethan, but in this case, he was happy for him.
Once the meal was over, Christopher asked to have a word alone with him while the gentlemen adjourned to one room and the ladies to another. As tempting as it was to deny his cousin’s request, curiosity got the better of him and he followed him to a small room filled with books. He hadn’t taken Agatha for a Gothic enthusiast, but those were mainly the ones that lined the shelves.
“Your wife enjoys G othic horror?” Perry asked, picking up a book and inspecting the title.
“We both do,” Christopher replied. “You ought to read one sometime. It’s much more interesting than the bland reading you do.”
“I happen to enjoy history.”
He yawned. “Which has no bearing on today.”
“Oh, I disagree. It has a lot to do with today. The rise and fall of many nations usually follow the same pattern.”
“The same could be said for a gentleman’s ability to pleasure a lady in bed. Did you read the book I gave you for your wife’s benefit?”
Perry glowered at him. He should have known his cousin would make the inquiry. “You spend way too much time minding other people’s businesses when you should be minding your own.”
“So, I take it you haven’t?”
Tapping his fingers on his cane, he said, “I’ll have you know she told me she’s satisfied in bed.”
He stared at him for a moment, his eyebrows raised in an irritating manner that warned Perry he wasn’t going to like what he heard next. And he was right, for Christopher asked, “Who is
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