“Yes, yes. I’m not barmy.” He added under his breath, “Just too young for everything, apparently.”
“Right, then. Best be careful who you waylay in gardens then. If you compromise some deb, there will be a whole host of problems to deal with that neither you nor your mama want right now.”
William nodded. His cousin was trying to help. “I understand. You know I’m not looking for marriage for the foreseeable future. I’ll take care.”
“Come, then. I want you to meet another MP.”
He trailed after his cousin, pausing when they hit the circle of light from the house to have Percy check how terribly he’d retied his cravat.
An hour and several important negotiations on bills currently in the House of Commons later, the Earl of Cheltenham found him.
Leaning in, the host murmured, “I’ve just sent Percy to collect your father. The earl passed out in the smoking room and Percy and a footman are helping him to your carriage. He asked that you meet them out front.”
Oh no. He hadn’t anticipated the added burden of being responsible for his father as he attempted to navigate the business his father should have been handling. William’s face flamed for the second time that night. “My lord, you have my apologies.”
The earl swept his apology away with a hand. “Come now, young Stanton. You are not even through university yet. Your father is a grown man. If he can’t handle himself, ’tis no one’s fault but his own.”
William nodded, gulping a breath.
“Perhaps next time you two younger Stantons will forget to show him the invitation, eh?” Cheltie said with a chuckle and a wink.
He managed a weak laugh before excusing himself to help get his father into their carriage.
Lying in bed later that night, the embarrassment faded, and the new names he had learned were overridden with thoughts of Charlotte…Mistress P.
He had so many questions. Why truss him and then leave? Having Nate as a friend meant he understood in theory that some people enjoyed being bound or binding their partners. Was that her preference, or was this just to reprimand him for wanting to touch her? Given that his cock had been hard until the cravat was undone, long minutes after she’d left, was it his preference? He did not have enough experience to know for sure, but he was willing to try it.
While he’d never before pursued a woman, Percy being four years older and William’s attendance at several stifling balls meant he’d observed some of the mating rituals. However, after their interaction in the garden, he suspected those might not work with Charlotte.
He’d simply have to find his own path.
* * * *
No balls were scheduled for the following night, and William escaped to meet South and Nate for drinks at Nate’s neighborhood pub. They planned to go to a gaming hell after that.
He threw himself onto the bench next to South and reached for an ale they’d already ordered for him.
“Rough day, chap?” Nate asked.
“Well, I wasn’t standing over a fire trying to bend metal to my will for hours on end, Folly, but yes.” It was his standard answer, an attempt to recognize that Nate’s job was harder than his on any day.
“Ah, but I love what I do. Can you say the same?”
“I like parts, and I think I’d like it more if it were fully mine so I could enjoy the fruits of my labor. ’Tis all a bit overwhelming at the moment.”
“Eh, time enough for that, old man.” South clapped him on the shoulder and waved his own drink. “Now’s the time to enjoy life. I can’t wait to show you the new spot I’ve found. The serving wenches are practically in chemises.”
Nate’s steady gaze encouraged William to expound, despite South’s dismissiveness.
“Right now, I am cleaning up a giant mess that I didn’t make, having to drag my drunken father out of balls, and trying to keep Emily out of trouble—”
“Emily?” Nate’s voice was sharp. “She’s barely seventeen, what trouble can she get into?”
“Shall I mention the most recent prank of filling Father’s pipe with weeds and lighting it to stink up the library—where I spend more time than he does? Or switching out the whisky with cold tea steeped to a matching color? I’m afraid to let her go on social calls with Mama, not that Mama has much time for that.”
South was snickering, but Nate was frowning. “Does she not realize how much you already have to manage?”
“I’m trying to be patient. After all, I was up to no good with you two at that age, we were just away from home.” William changed the subject, looking for ideas.
