The Hunt Club Chronicles Bundle (22 page)

Any other day and he’d have sent Robert from him long ago. Educating his heir required a level of patience Aiden usually lacked. Today, however, his mood better suited the endeavor.

In the end, Josephine cleared her throat to get his attention. “Where were you last night?”

Aiden looked up from the estate reports and gave Josephine his best scowl for her interruption. “Not that it is any of your business, Mrs. Banks, but I was out with friends.”

He focused on the papers before him as the memory of Terrance Bridgewater caused a rush of heat to his groin. He thickened at the memory and had to use the thought of Lady Russell’s ample bosom again to diminish his desire.

As if sensing his mind had turned to scandalous territory, Josephine scrutinized him from head to toe. After a long moment, her gaze softened marginally. “You must have enjoyed yourself. I haven’t seen you smile so in years.”

Aiden wiped his hand across his mouth to hide the delicious warmth that trickled through him at the reminder of last night. Not even the prospect of tonight’s ball was enough to dampen his high spirits. He’d found Archer, or rather Terrance Bridgewater. The victory was as heady as last night’s pleasures had been.

Yet Josephine and Robert had to remain absolutely ignorant of that part of his life. He ignored her curiosity. “Did you want something?”

Josephine bit her lip, an unexpected and nervous gesture he’d thought her incapable of making. He dropped the pen to the desk and gave her his full attention. Something was surely wrong.

Her gaze cut to her son and back. “I was wondering about tonight.”

The ball again
? Aiden rolled his eyes at her single-mindedness. “You expect to arrive at eleven. The best looking carriage and grooms in attendance. The Duke of Lewes and his heir decked out in regal frippery. Is that correct?”

She bit her lips again, eyes straying to her son yet again. “Yes, but . . . if you have made other plans for your evening then I can offer your apologies to the
Henderson
’s. I am sure they will understand.”

Puzzled, Aiden regarded his sister-in-law. She was awfully keen to offer him a reprieve from the festivities, if launching a debutant could be considered festive at all. What the devil was she up to now? “Robert and I have matters to complete here, and then we’re off to my club to dine. We will return in time to change and escort you out. Never fear, Mrs. Banks. We will make a splash of it, as you wish.”

Again, she worried at her lip. “So you are going to the club. You’ve barely ventured there over the past few years.”

Aiden cursed under his breath. Josephine really did pay too much attention to his private affairs. Attending the club had, in fact, lost its appeal the minute Terrance had left
London
. Perhaps he should find Josephine another husband quickly so that he could divert her with his behavior instead. But who would want a pragmatic, shrewish, skinny widow?

A man with a strong character to start with. He regarded her warily. Perhaps, one that might even want her for his pleasures, too. It sat ill with him that his brother, Jared, had used her so poorly. From what he could tell, Jared had scarcely spent any time in her bed. She must get lonely with only him and Robert to harass.

He buried the frustration that rose up suddenly over the direction of his thoughts. He would not fall so low as to play matchmaker for Josephine. What she did with her life was none of his business. And his was none of hers. “We dine with
Staines
and others. I thought to introduce Robert around.”

Josephine’s face pinched. “About the club—”

Really, this was too much. Was he never to have a moment’s peace? “Mrs. Banks,” he bit out to silence her. “If you wish to have a lengthy discussion about my life again then I suggest you make an appointment for tomorrow. Right now, we are in the midst of debate over the old mill and you, madam, are interrupting. You’ve been quite adamant that Robert learn the family business, as it were. Have you changed your mind?”

Josephine blanched at his harsh tone. “No.”

“Good. I should not like to have wasted the day on a fool’s errand.” He waved his hand toward to door. “Until tonight, Mrs. Banks.”

Aiden held her gaze as she bobbed a curtsey, and then she turned and fled the room. The door closed loudly.

Beside him, Robert chuckled. “That’s telling her.” He thumped Aiden’s shoulder for good measure as if they were compatriots. Aiden jumped out of his skin. No one touched him. No one but Terrance and
Staines
dared.

Aiden stood and tugged down his waistcoat. Putting Josephine in her place had been necessary to stop the flow of her questions, but it had left a bitter taste in his mouth. He would not encourage Robert to laugh at his mother.

Yet, Josephine had been correct. He had barely hidden his good mood during the day. The tryst, a decadent and seductive coupling, had occupied his mind’s spare moments all day. He wanted, no needed, to be with Terrance again. He wished he’d not put him off, or that Terrance had not departed so suddenly this morning before they’d made further plans. But at least he knew where to find him.

He stared at the boy until he stopped smiling. “While it is true you must learn to keep others at a necessary distance, if I ever hear you laugh at your mother’s discomfort again, I’ll box your ears more soundly than if you’d gone ten rounds at Gentleman Jackson’s with no respite between.”

Robert’s mouth fell open and stayed open for quite a while, too. He swallowed suddenly, a mumbled apology tumbling from his lips.

Aiden raked his hands through his hair. Robert sounded as timid as Aiden had been before he’d gained the title. That had to stop. “Do not mumble as if you were nothing larger than a mouse. You will be the Duke of Lewes one day. Learn to act it. One’s family may ask anything of you, but not every question must be answered to their satisfaction. Occasionally, your mother has to be reminded that she is not in a position to order my life. But our relationship is completely different to yours. She gave you life, boy. Honor her for it.”

Robert nodded quickly then bent his head to the papers. Aiden let him work out the calculation alone this time while he paced the room. The mill wasn’t worth saving, the damage from the fire too great for the reward from its future labors to counter. Aiden wanted Robert to see that and make his own ruling. The first of many to come, he hoped.

After a while, Robert timidly put forward his assessment, one in line with his own thinking on the matter of rebuilding. His brother’s boy was a clever sort. Aiden nodded and had him write the letters for his signature to the estate steward to commence work on a newer site further downstream. Pleased with the afternoon, he sent his nephew away and returned to his bedchamber to change for dinner at the club.

He stood still as his valet, a quiet and unassuming older man, stripped and redressed him without a word. Yet a flare of embarrassment drifted over him as he remembered Terrance rendering the same service to him just this morning. Although he’d enjoyed the sensations of his lover’s hands stroking over his body, he should be able to dress himself. As his coat covered his hands and was tugged up into place, Aiden scowled at his reflection. He was next to useless wearing the current fashion of tight sleeves and bordered on the edge of frippery.

Aiden met his valet’s gaze. “See to it that all my coats are replaced, Forster. I’ve rather had enough of these tight fitted sleeves. Have the replacements made looser and perhaps some simpler waistcoats ordered. Never mind if Mr. Weston protests. Pay him double to work fast.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Forster replied impassively and departed for the errand. Tomorrow, he’d have new coats to suit his taste. He wouldn’t have to wait for Terrance’s assistance ever again.

He met his nephew on the stairs and together they crossed
London
in silence. Aiden’s mind fixed on memories of last night. Robert’s probably fixed on his ladies of the afternoon prior. However, sex had to wait. Attending the Duke of Staines’ dinner at the Hunt Club was more important. He handed off his hat to the major domo and prowled into the Grand Salon.

“Lewes!”
Staines
shouted, arm raised to wave him over.

As with most nights,
Staines
had the group of men hanging on his every word,
Redding
in position some feet behind. Their gaze met, and a slow smile crossed the footman’s face before he quickly wiped the expression clean. Damn man. Was it truly that transparent that Aiden had been buggered last night and was damn happy about it?

Staines
waved his friends away and turned on him. “Never ever do that to me again.”

They both knew he was referring to last night’s hurried leave taking in
Covent Garden
. “Sorry. Couldn’t be helped.”

Staines
smirked at his footman. “Seems to have done the trick for you, however.” He turned on Robert. “Mr. Banks, come meet Lord Clayburn and
Chandler
. These two fellows will lead you astray quicker than a maid on a stormy night. However, they do give the best parties in all of
England
. Why at the last one, there was this comely wench who—”

Staines
led Robert away and introduced him around. For a moment, Aiden watched the scene, a snippet of the future he intended where he didn’t feature, and winced. If all went to plan,
Staines
would be the one to manage Robert’s future. He just didn’t know it yet.

He accepted a whiskey from a passing servant and kept track of his heir. Robert glowed under
Staines
’ confidences in a way Aiden found unsettling. He glanced at
Redding
.

The other man watched too.

Rather than join the other lords, he settled in a chair nearer
Redding
.

Redding
regarded him warily. “I take it you found what you were looking for, Your Grace.”

“Yes.” Aiden swallowed another mouthful, quite surprised he’d rather converse with
Staines
’ footman than anyone else in the room.

Redding
shifted his weight, unobtrusively moving closer to Aiden, affording them greater privacy. “Interesting place
Bridgewater
’s living. That’s Byworth’s townhouse, by the way, if he didn’t explain the situation. Byworth housed his last mistress there.”

Blind jealousy rose up to choke Aiden. He ground his teeth over a curse and peered across the room without seeing it. If Byworth had touched Terrace, he’d choke him with his own prick.

“Of course, you know Byworth,”
Redding
continued, completely missing Aiden’s fury. “He’d do anything for a friend. Even for a lover’s friend, it seems.”

“Is that so?” Aiden bit out.

Redding
shook his head. “Don’t be taking matters the wrong way, Your Grace.
Staines
had a letter from Byworth today, asking him to keep his eye on
Bridgewater
, and you, should you meet here in
London
. Of course, his letter arrived late by a day. Since no trouble came from your renewed acquaintance last night, there’s an end to the matter.”

Aiden stood and glowered at his friend’s footman. “Did
Staines
have you follow me?”

“The garden is unsafe, Your Grace. He was right to be concerned.”
Redding
shook his head suddenly. “From what I understand,
Bridgewater
has been hiding under Byworth’s roof with Stackpool all along. The pair of them slipped into his household with barely a ripple of interest. Well, except for Stackpool. That one got Byworth’s attention from the start.”