into the chair again and spat a piece of thumbnail onto the carpet.
“I lost interest long ago in trying to persuade you to choose another way of life,” Tarquin said. “You are a vicious reprobate and a pederast, but I’ll not have you bringing public dishonor on the family name. Which is what will happen if the parent of some other altar boy decides to bring charges against you. Take a wife and be discreet. The rumors and the scandals will die immediately.” He tapped the broadsheet with a finger.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not foolin’ me, Redmayne. You wouldn’t give a damn if they hanged me, except for the blot on the family escutcheon.” Hesmiled, looking very pleased with himself as if he’d just successfully performed a complex intellectual exercise.
“So?” Tarquin raised an eyebrow.
“So … why should I do what you want, cousin?”
“Because I’ll make it worth your while.”
A crafty gleam appeared now in Lucien’s pale-brown eyes. “Oh, really? Do go on, dear boy.”
“I’ll take your creditors off your back,” the duke said. “And I’ll keep you in funds. In exchange you will marry a woman of my choosing, and you will both reside under this roof. That shouldn’t trouble you, since Edgecombe House is in such disrepair at the present, and it will relieve you of the burden of maintaining a household.”
“A woman of
your
choosing!” Lucien stared at him. “Why can’t I choose my own?”
“Because no one remotely suitable would take you.”
Lucien scowled again. “And just whom do you have in mind? Some ancient antidote, I suppose. A spinster who’ll take anything.”
“You flatter yourself,” the duke said dryly. “No woman, however desperate, would willingly agree to be shackled to you, Edgecombe. The woman I have in mind will do my bidding. It is as simple as that. You don’t need to concern yourself about her. You will have separate quarters and you will leave her strictly alone in private. In public, of course, you will be seen to have a young wife of good breeding. It should provide you with a satisfactory public facade.”
Lucien stared at him. “Do your bidding! Gad, Tarquin, what kind of devil are you? What hold do you have over this woman to compel her in such a matter?”
“That’s no concern of yours.”
Lucien stood up and went to refill his glass at the sideboard. He tossed the contents down his throat and refilled the glass. “All my expenses … all my debts … ?” he queried.
“All of them.”
“And you’ll not be prating at me every minute?”
“I have no interest in your affairs.”
“Well, well.” He sipped his brandy. “I never thought to see the day the Duke of Redmayne begged
me
for a favor.”
Tarquin’s expression didn’t alter.
“I have very expensive habits,” Lucien mused. He glanced slyly at the duke, who again showed no reaction. “I’ve been known to drop ten thousand guineas at faro in an evening.” Again no reaction. “Of course, you’re rich as Croesus, we all know that. I daresay you can afford to support me. I wouldn’t like to bankrupt you, cousin.” He grinned.
“You won’t.”
“And this woman … ? When do I see her?”
“At the altar.”
“Oh, that’s going too far, Tarquin! You expect me to trot along to church like the veritable lamb to the slaughter without so much as a peek at the woman?”
“Yes.”
“And what does she say about it? Doesn’t she want to see her bridegroom?”
“It doesn’t matter what she wants.”
Lucien took a turn around the room. He hated it when his cousin offered him only these flat responses. It made him feel like a schoolboy. But then again … the thought of Tarquin’s funding Lucien’s lifestyle despite his unconcealed contempt and loathing brought a smile to the viscount’s lips. Tarquin would squirm at every bank draft he signed, but he wouldn’t go back on his word. And he had set no limits on Lucien’s expenditure.
And to live
“I lost interest long ago in trying to persuade you to choose another way of life,” Tarquin said. “You are a vicious reprobate and a pederast, but I’ll not have you bringing public dishonor on the family name. Which is what will happen if the parent of some other altar boy decides to bring charges against you. Take a wife and be discreet. The rumors and the scandals will die immediately.” He tapped the broadsheet with a finger.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not foolin’ me, Redmayne. You wouldn’t give a damn if they hanged me, except for the blot on the family escutcheon.” Hesmiled, looking very pleased with himself as if he’d just successfully performed a complex intellectual exercise.
“So?” Tarquin raised an eyebrow.
“So … why should I do what you want, cousin?”
“Because I’ll make it worth your while.”
A crafty gleam appeared now in Lucien’s pale-brown eyes. “Oh, really? Do go on, dear boy.”
“I’ll take your creditors off your back,” the duke said. “And I’ll keep you in funds. In exchange you will marry a woman of my choosing, and you will both reside under this roof. That shouldn’t trouble you, since Edgecombe House is in such disrepair at the present, and it will relieve you of the burden of maintaining a household.”
“A woman of
your
choosing!” Lucien stared at him. “Why can’t I choose my own?”
“Because no one remotely suitable would take you.”
Lucien scowled again. “And just whom do you have in mind? Some ancient antidote, I suppose. A spinster who’ll take anything.”
“You flatter yourself,” the duke said dryly. “No woman, however desperate, would willingly agree to be shackled to you, Edgecombe. The woman I have in mind will do my bidding. It is as simple as that. You don’t need to concern yourself about her. You will have separate quarters and you will leave her strictly alone in private. In public, of course, you will be seen to have a young wife of good breeding. It should provide you with a satisfactory public facade.”
Lucien stared at him. “Do your bidding! Gad, Tarquin, what kind of devil are you? What hold do you have over this woman to compel her in such a matter?”
“That’s no concern of yours.”
Lucien stood up and went to refill his glass at the sideboard. He tossed the contents down his throat and refilled the glass. “All my expenses … all my debts … ?” he queried.
“All of them.”
“And you’ll not be prating at me every minute?”
“I have no interest in your affairs.”
“Well, well.” He sipped his brandy. “I never thought to see the day the Duke of Redmayne begged
me
for a favor.”
Tarquin’s expression didn’t alter.
“I have very expensive habits,” Lucien mused. He glanced slyly at the duke, who again showed no reaction. “I’ve been known to drop ten thousand guineas at faro in an evening.” Again no reaction. “Of course, you’re rich as Croesus, we all know that. I daresay you can afford to support me. I wouldn’t like to bankrupt you, cousin.” He grinned.
“You won’t.”
“And this woman … ? When do I see her?”
“At the altar.”
“Oh, that’s going too far, Tarquin! You expect me to trot along to church like the veritable lamb to the slaughter without so much as a peek at the woman?”
“Yes.”
“And what does she say about it? Doesn’t she want to see her bridegroom?”
“It doesn’t matter what she wants.”
Lucien took a turn around the room. He hated it when his cousin offered him only these flat responses. It made him feel like a schoolboy. But then again … the thought of Tarquin’s funding Lucien’s lifestyle despite his unconcealed contempt and loathing brought a smile to the viscount’s lips. Tarquin would squirm at every bank draft he signed, but he wouldn’t go back on his word. And he had set no limits on Lucien’s expenditure.
And to live
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