Theirs had been a sharp initiation into understanding that a title and wealth did not give you anything when away from those who protected you. Together, they’d learned to survive, and when they were older, they’d sought retribution.
“Anthony?” Jamie asked. “Did you and Cavendish have an altercation?”
Swirling the brandy around his glass, he said, “We did at Hugh’s.” He went on to explain what had happened.
“And that is where you got the bruise, from the fight on the way home?” Jamie added.
“Yes.”
“You can’t keep doing this,” Toby said solemnly. “The gambling, the drinking and whoring—”
“We all fight our demons our own way,” Anthony said.
“And likely they will one day be the end of us,” Toby said softly.
“I rescued Miss Spencer from being run down by a horse earlier, and Cavendish arrived after the fact and asked if she was all right,” Anthony said changing the subject. He had no wish to delve into what drove him to do what he did, just as his friends didn’t.
“Miss Spencer,” Jamie said taking his lead. “Nice lady. Articulate and witty, unlike her father who is the simplest soul I have ever met.”
“Heathcliff,” Toby added. “Yes, jovial fellow, but completely brainless.”
“Miss Spencer is definitely not brainless,” Jamie said. “In fact, quite the opposite. I know little about the younger one, however.”
“Miss Spencer is a mouthy woman who is far too ready with her opinions,” Anthony said. He instantly had his friends’ attention. “What?” he asked when they said nothing but continued to stare at him.
“You never speak about a woman in such a way,” Toby said.
“Anyway, if we are honest, I’ve never so much as heard you mention one is pretty or whey faced,” Jamie said. “You just bed them and leave.”
“You make me sound like a rakehell,” Anthony protested.
“Which is exactly what you are,” Toby said with no remorse.
“Are you both finished with the assassination of my character?” he said, temper now tweaked.
“For now,” Toby added. “But back to Miss Spencer.”
“She annoys me,” Anthony said. “The woman has far too much to say for herself.”
“I like that about her,” Jamie said.
“I heard a rumor about Heathcliff,” Toby said scrunching his face which meant he was thinking.
“You’re a viscount. You really shouldn’t look like that when you think. It makes you appear simple,” Jamie said.
“Or constipated,” Anthony added, pleased they’d moved on from him.
Not much insulted Toby; he simply smiled. He then clicked his fingers.
“I remember now. I heard he had gone into a consortium of some sort, a gold mine somewhere, I believe. Apparently, it was all a hoax to fleece noblemen from their money.”
“Which is easy,” Anthony said. “And it can’t have taken all his funds because the man has brought his daughters to London for the season.”
“It was just a rumor, and we all know how many of them are swirling about society on any given day,” Toby added.
“Both Spencer sisters seem nice, although the youngest is a bit silly. All smiles and giggles,” Jamie said.
“Deuced glad we don’t have to do what they do,” Toby added.
