“Look at us, Leo,” Edwin said, reminding him of his presence. “Married. The Unholy Duo married. Hell froze over.”
“You married the vicar’s daughter.”
Edwin laughed so hard that the people around them looked scandalized.
“So, Leo. How is married life treating you?”
Leo’s fingers tightened around the glass, but his face remained impassive. He expected exactly that question and was prepared.After all, he himself had teased Edwin with the same question when he got married.
“Ed, you and I both know better than anyone that this is a marriage born out of necessity.”
“It is still married life, and I am asking how you find married life. I noticed we don’t see you all that often at the gentleman’s club.”
“It would raise some suspicion if a newly married man frequented the club, now wouldn’t it?”
“No one would bat an eye if the infamous Lord Mildenhall played whist all night,” Edwin chuckled.
“But it would reflect poorly on Prim.”
“Ah.”
“I am not sure what thisahis supposed to mean.”
“It’s merely an exclamation that indicates the surprise I feel seeing my friend so invested in this marriage of necessity.”
Leo heard every little ounce of sarcasm that dripped from Edwin’s words and shot his friend a warning look.
“What?” Edwin smiled. “You got married to avoid a catastrophic scandal, you made yourself scarce for a month, and when youresurface, you don’t look half as miserable as I expected you to be.”
The glass of wine Leo was bringing to his lips froze for a few seconds. His eyebrow raised, he turned to his friend. His demeanor was serious.
“My family is plotting against me, and their weapon of choice is Prim. Until this is safe for both of us, I need to be on high alert, not slip, not even once. They are not toying, they are going for the jugular. The sheet, the plot at the Covington ball. All meant to turn me into a ruinous villain, and Prim dragged through the mud as collateral damage.”
Edwin looked at his friend, solemnly too.
“Then what is your plan, Leo?”
He finally drinks the wine, his lips a thin line in barely controlled anger.
“I will find the proof, Ed. When I do, I will expose them. Then Prim and I will be safe.”
“And then what?”
Leo looked away from his friend for a second, at Prim, who smiled at a group of mamas with their sons in tow.
“Then,” Leo said, concentrating on his friend again, “we can be more… relaxed. And I can obliterate you in whist once more.”
“You mean you will go back to being your… old self?”
Leo gave Edwin a warning look.
“I am saying once the threat is eliminated, things will change. For now, this is still war.”
“Is Prim aware of this particular decision?”
Leo frowned and was ready to give Edwin a piece of his mind when a voice cut through his rising anger, only to make it a flaming fury.
“It is so great to see you back in society, Leo,” Aaron materialized beside them.
