chambers after having something to eat. I’m rather tired and thought I’d retire for a bit,” he said. His lips quirked in a half smile. “Or is that not what you meant?”
“You know damned well that’s not what I meant,” Alex said. “Why can you not rest at your own damned house?”
Drew shrugged. “There are still repairs going on and all the hammering gives me a headache.”
Alex released a breath. “I knew you had a reputation with women, but I did not realize you were so crude.”
Drew raised his hands in a sign of surrender. “I didn’t realize she was yours, brother, or I wouldn’t have offered.” A cocky smile slid into place. He shrugged and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’d partaken of a pretty face on our staff. I hadn’t seen her before and wanted to introduce myself.”
The stench of too many days without a bath assaulted Alex. He cursed. “You stink.” Alex exhaled. “And she’s not mine. You’re a filthy mess, you need a bath and to lay off the liquor before you get yourself into trouble that I can’t get you out of.”
“I don’t recall asking
you
to get me out of anything,” Drew said, his tone acerbic. “Who is she, by the by?” he asked, deliberately ignoring his brother’s other comments.
“No one you need concern yourself with,” Alex said. “She is, however, a lady and you should never have spoken to her in such a crude manner.”
He shrugged. “She wasn’t dressed like a lady.”
“Regardless, you shouldn’t talk to any woman that way. You want some activity in that area and you know where you can find it. Be discreet, not an ass.” Alex rubbed the back of his neck. “Christ, Drew, you make it hard for me to run this family sometimes. You don’t give a damn about anyone but yourself and whatever you need to feel in that moment. It is long past time for you to grow up.”
Drew shoved off the wall, the arrogant smile gone and in its place a hardened scowl that gave Alex pause. “Go to the devil, Alex.” And with that, he walked away.
Alex listened to his brother’s heavy footsteps down the stairs. No doubt Drew was heading to the club or a gaming hell. He’d get himself killed living like that.
Briefly, Alex wondered what it was that drove Drew to live so recklessly. Was he simply that careless with his own life? There had been many times when Alex had been tempted to have one more glass of brandy after a particularly tedious day, but he was always well too aware of the tasks and duties he’d have to face the following day and he knew he’d need a clear head to do so. Even before he was Duke, his time in the military kept him vigilant about his frame of mind. Perhaps being a third son afforded one too much liberty and not enough responsibility.
The reasons for his reckless behavior mattered not. The point was Drew was single-handedly trying to destroy the Carrington name and Alex couldn’t stand for it. Drew would have to clean up his behavior if he was to continue receiving his allowance. The next time Alex saw him, he’d have to lay down that ultimatum. It was time for him to behave as an adult or risk a considerable portion of his annual income.
***
It was the afternoon of the following day that Alex found himself yet again at Mia’s cottage. It had occurred to him that since assuming the title, he’d been quite careful with all of the other Carrington properties, yet he had not inspected the cottage to ensure it was being properly maintained.
Rachel opened the door and gave him a polite smile. “Your Grace,” she said. A book dangled from her right hand. “We were just reading.”
“Miss Webster, you are not in my employ, there is no need to explain yourself,” he said. “May I come in?”
“Yes, of course, my apologies.” Rachel held the door further open and stepped out of his way.
Mia came to her feet from the worn sofa in the adjacent sitting room. “Alex, what are you
“You know damned well that’s not what I meant,” Alex said. “Why can you not rest at your own damned house?”
Drew shrugged. “There are still repairs going on and all the hammering gives me a headache.”
Alex released a breath. “I knew you had a reputation with women, but I did not realize you were so crude.”
Drew raised his hands in a sign of surrender. “I didn’t realize she was yours, brother, or I wouldn’t have offered.” A cocky smile slid into place. He shrugged and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’d partaken of a pretty face on our staff. I hadn’t seen her before and wanted to introduce myself.”
The stench of too many days without a bath assaulted Alex. He cursed. “You stink.” Alex exhaled. “And she’s not mine. You’re a filthy mess, you need a bath and to lay off the liquor before you get yourself into trouble that I can’t get you out of.”
“I don’t recall asking
you
to get me out of anything,” Drew said, his tone acerbic. “Who is she, by the by?” he asked, deliberately ignoring his brother’s other comments.
“No one you need concern yourself with,” Alex said. “She is, however, a lady and you should never have spoken to her in such a crude manner.”
He shrugged. “She wasn’t dressed like a lady.”
“Regardless, you shouldn’t talk to any woman that way. You want some activity in that area and you know where you can find it. Be discreet, not an ass.” Alex rubbed the back of his neck. “Christ, Drew, you make it hard for me to run this family sometimes. You don’t give a damn about anyone but yourself and whatever you need to feel in that moment. It is long past time for you to grow up.”
Drew shoved off the wall, the arrogant smile gone and in its place a hardened scowl that gave Alex pause. “Go to the devil, Alex.” And with that, he walked away.
Alex listened to his brother’s heavy footsteps down the stairs. No doubt Drew was heading to the club or a gaming hell. He’d get himself killed living like that.
Briefly, Alex wondered what it was that drove Drew to live so recklessly. Was he simply that careless with his own life? There had been many times when Alex had been tempted to have one more glass of brandy after a particularly tedious day, but he was always well too aware of the tasks and duties he’d have to face the following day and he knew he’d need a clear head to do so. Even before he was Duke, his time in the military kept him vigilant about his frame of mind. Perhaps being a third son afforded one too much liberty and not enough responsibility.
The reasons for his reckless behavior mattered not. The point was Drew was single-handedly trying to destroy the Carrington name and Alex couldn’t stand for it. Drew would have to clean up his behavior if he was to continue receiving his allowance. The next time Alex saw him, he’d have to lay down that ultimatum. It was time for him to behave as an adult or risk a considerable portion of his annual income.
***
It was the afternoon of the following day that Alex found himself yet again at Mia’s cottage. It had occurred to him that since assuming the title, he’d been quite careful with all of the other Carrington properties, yet he had not inspected the cottage to ensure it was being properly maintained.
Rachel opened the door and gave him a polite smile. “Your Grace,” she said. A book dangled from her right hand. “We were just reading.”
“Miss Webster, you are not in my employ, there is no need to explain yourself,” he said. “May I come in?”
“Yes, of course, my apologies.” Rachel held the door further open and stepped out of his way.
Mia came to her feet from the worn sofa in the adjacent sitting room. “Alex, what are you
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