“I’m trying to be a gentleman in front of Celeste.”
She snorted. “No need.”
Malcolm sighed and shook his head. “Sorry, Celeste, I don’t mean to be an ass. You are right. You deserve your proposed sum.”
Celeste beamed at him and stood. “I must prepare for the evening. Customers will be in soon.”
They waited until she left, and Malcolm sighed. “Did we really double her salary?”
Sebastian smiled. “She is worth it.”
“Agreed,” Miller added.
Sebastian rose and grabbed the decanter of brandy from a table. He refilled all three of their glasses before sitting back down. Both Miller and Malcolm studied him, glancing at each other occasionally.
“What is it?” Sebastian asked.
Miller cleared his throat. “We wanted to speak with you about Lady Hensley. She is a proper, respectable lady. We want you to be delicate with how you treat her and behave in her presence.”
Sebastian’s brows drew together in confusion. “What are you insinuating?”
Malcolm took a large gulp of his brandy and placed his drink on the table beside him. “I’m going to say it bluntly. This trip you are taking is an opportunity to take a break from all the vice you have been overindulging in. Lady Hensley is not accustomed to being around such things.”
Little did they know, he had already made her accustomed to his antics. He took a sip of his brandy. “Perhaps you have the wrong impression of her? Maybe she isn’t as proper as you think.”
Both Malcolm and Miller tilted their heads back and laughed. He didn’t laugh because the same guilt that clawed at him since his last encounter with Diana came rushing back. He flipped open his pocket watch, reading the phrase from his father. It was the text he tried his best to live by, except he hadn’t with her.
He’d been awful to her simply because he thought she was friends with Lilah and viewed him as his ex-lover did. Had he made some wrong assumptions? No matter what, his actions towards her were appalling. His remorse increased daily. Still, he grasped for some justification. “She can’t be that proper, and I assume, as a leader of theton, she thinks someone like me is beneath her. She will probably try to avoid me while we are on the trip.”
Malcolm looked at him, confused, and he was horrified to realize he might be blushing. His brother lifted a brow in his direction. Sebastian took another drink of brandy.
“She is the lady all others try to emulate when it comes to properness and decorum. In regards to judging you, I’ve never known or heard of her behaving in such a fashion. You knew her husband, as did we. He didn’t see commoners that way,” Malcolm said.
“We aren’t accusing you of attempting anything with her. She is not your type, and you are not hers,” Miller clarified.
Annoyance flashed through Sebastian. He ignored it, not wanting to delve any further into the uncomfortable emotion.
“She is friends with Lilah.”
“Where did you learn that?” Miller asked.
“I saw them together at an event put on by the London Society of Antiquaries.”
Malcolm snorted. “I’m not friends with everyone I’m seen with.”
The guilt in him intensified. Lilah had not once ever mentioned Diana to him before that day. She’d likely made those comments to cause trouble and annoy him. She’d been livid when he informed her he wouldn’t be continuing an affair with her after she settled into her marriage.
“Have care with your actions around her is all we are saying. I will see you tomorrow at the farewell dinner Addie is hosting for both of you,” Miller said.
Malcolm rose as well and watched Miller depart. He turned back to Sebastian and frowned. “Do not seduce her.”
Sebastian scowled at him. “Why would you say that?”
“You made a face earlier.”
“No. I didn’t.”
“I know you better than anyone.”
