George took the seat opposite him, feeling the stress of the day dissipate.
“Yes, but only just.”
“Surely it was not that bad?”
“The ceremony itself was perfectly fine. It was the people there.”
Brandon gave a low chuckle. Unlike George, he never had an issue with appearing at ease. He had a personality that people were drawn to, and George was quite convinced that it was not an act.
“At least it is done, now. I heard the banns were read without interruption, which is no small feat in and of itself.”
“They were. I half expected my grandmother to say something, but she did not.”
“And your intended did not object either?”
George reached for the decanter and poured himself a measure. Brandon studied him over the rim of his glass, clearly pleased with the question he had asked.
“No, she did not.”
“That surprises me.”
“It surprised me as well.”
They drank in silence for a moment.
“And at least she did not faint,” Brandon added. “That would have caused comment.”
George shot him a look, but his friend did not take it as a warning. If anything, he saw it as something to smile at.
“You are enjoying this far too much.”
“I am enjoying that it is not my life,” Brandon replied easily. “I can simply watch on and see what you do with your predicament. Have you accepted it all yet?”
“That would imply that I had a choice. I did the only thing that I could do.”
“That is not true. You could have chosen to let her fend for herself, and yet you chose to marry her.”
“I chose necessity.”
“Which is more than most men manage.”
George leaned back slightly. He knew that if he picked up his glass, he would drink it in one and pour another, and he could not afford to indulge with all of the secrets that he was keeping.
“The wedding will take place within the month.”
“I did not realize it would be that soon.”
“It has to be. It gives less time for rumor to spread.”
“And I suppose it helps with the matter of the debt.”
“Yes.”
He was the only other person to know about the debt. George did not trust anyone else with something so terrible, and even then he had only told his friend because he thought he would be driven to madness if he had to keep it to himself any longer.
“But I thought that you only needed two more months?”
“I did, but he has insisted that I only have one.”
