Anthony jumped down, reaching for his coat. “Mind if we get out of here first?”
“Come on. I’ll buy you a drink.”
“Make it more than one and you’re on.”
The afternoon atmosphere in White’s was quiet, soothing, a place to relax, read the dailies, conduct business, discuss politics, gossip, or get drunk, as Anthony contemplated doing, all without the disruptive presence of women, who were not allowed. The lunch crowd was gone, leaving only the regulars, who lived more at the club than at home. The dinner crowd and serious gamblers had yet to arrive, though there were a few games of whist in progress.
“Who kept up my membership all these years?” James asked as they took seats away from the bow window before which the fashionable set would soon be gathering.
“You mean you’re still a member? And here I thought you were getting in as my guest.”
“Very amusing, dear boy. But I know bloody well Jason and Eddie boy wouldn’t have bothered.”
Anthony frowned at being cornered. “So I’m asentimental ass. It’s only a few guineas a year, for God’s sake. I just didn’t want to see your name stricken from the list.”
“Or you were certain I’d come back into the fold eventually?”
Anthony shrugged. “There was that, not to mention a bloody long waiting list to get in. Didn’t want to see you deserting us for Brook’s.”
“Malory!” Anthony was hailed and descended upon by a red-cheeked fellow of his acquaintance. “Stopped by your house yesterday, but Dobson said you were out. Wanted to clear up a little wager I have with Hilary. She saw this notice in the paper. You’ll never believe it, Malory. It said you’d married. ’Course I knew it couldn’t be you. Had to be some other chap, same name. I’m right, aren’t I? Tell me it’s a bloody coincidence.”
Anthony’s fingers tightened around his glass, but other than that, there was no inkling that he was bothered by the question. “It’s a bloody coincidence,” he replied.
“I knew it!” the fellow crowed. “Wait till I tell Hilary. The easiest five pounds I’ve won from her in a long time.”
“Was that wise?” James asked as soon as red-cheeks drifted away. “Imagine the disagreements it’s going to cause when he claims to have it from your own lips that you’re not married. There’ll be fights with those who know better.”
“What the hell do I care?” Anthony snarled. “When I feel like I’m married, I’ll admit I’m married.”
James sat back, a small smile playing about his lips. “So the ‘bemoanment’ has begun, has it?”
“Oh, shut up.” Anthony downed his drink andleft to get another. He came back with a bottle. “I thought you had a bone to pick with me. Pick away. It seems to be becoming a habit.”
James let the more interesting discovery pass for the moment. “Very well. Jeremy tells me Vauxhall was your idea, not his. If you’d wanted to be rid of us for the evening, why go through the lad?”
“Didn’t you enjoy yourselves?”
“That’s beside the point. I don’t like being manipulated, Tony.”
“But that’s precisely why I sent the message to the lad.” Anthony grinned. “You’ve admitted how hard it is for you to deny him anything, now that you’ve become such a doting parent.”
“Bloody hell. You could have just asked me. Am I so insensitive that I can’t appreciate that you might want to spend an evening alone with your new wife?”
“Come off it, James. You’re about as sensitive as a dead tree. If I had asked you to leave last night, you’d have stayed just to see why I wanted you gone.”
“Would I?” James’ smile came grudgingly. “Yes, I suppose I would. I’d have envisioned you and the little Scot running about the house bare-ass naked, and you’d never have been able to get rid of me. Wouldn’t have missed that for the world. So what was it, actually, that you wanted privacy for?”
Anthony poured another drink. “It doesn’t matter now. The evening didn’t end as I had hoped.”
“So thereistrouble in paradise?”
Anthony slammed the bottle down on the small table next to his chair, exploding. “You wouldn’t believe what she’s accused me of! Bedding that little twit of a barmaid we met the other night!”
“Careful, lad. I’ve fond memories of Margie.”
“Then you did meet her later?”
“Did you doubt I would, a pretty piece like that? Though the little vixen in breeches would have done…never mind.” James poured himself another drink, disturbed by the regret he felt at losing that one. “Why didn’t you just tell your lady I’d marked the girl for myself? I mean, we’ve shared women before, but there’s something unsavory about sharing in the same day, don’t you think?”
