“Is Miss Devlin on the list?” Anthony asked.
“List?” Jamie raised a brow.
“We know you have one, and I’m quite sure we shared ours with you,” Toby said.
“Never let it be said that I have a say in who you wed, Jamie,” Liberty added. “But not Miss Devlin if you please. She is not suitable at all.”
“She chatters incessantly. Even if she is on the list, I agree with Liberty—”
“Of course you do because she’s your wife,” Jamie said. “You always agree with her.”
“As he should. Now, let us stroll,” Liberty said.
“Where is Florence?” he asked Toby and Liberty, placing his hand over the bruise now, casually. Florence had been a little girl when she’d come to live with Toby when her parents, Toby’s cousin, Thomas, and his wife, passed away. At the time, it had been terrifying for both of them. His friend had been a bachelor who had no plans to wed, but now, he, Liberty, and Florence were a happy family.
Jamie had come to love the little girl very much, and spoiled her, as did the others.
“She and her nanny, Miss Haigh, are studying nature today in the garden,” Toby said. “I wanted to stay, as it sounds rather fun actually, but Liberty told me I had to accompany her.”
“It certainly sounds more fun than this,” Jamie agreed, looking around him. He found Lady Alice with the Thomas twins.
“I like that woman,” Evie said, following his gaze. “Is she on the list, Jamie?”
“This conversation is over because I will not marry,” he said, feeling like his neckcloth was tightening on its own around his neck.
“But is she on the list?” Liberty said with a sweet smile.
“That look may have your husband yielding to your every wish; however, it will not move me.”
Toby clutched his chest. “Are you actually refusing her? I must try that sometime.”
“Very amusing, husband, but still he has not answered.”
“What is the bruise on your cheek from?” Evie asked, grabbing Jamie’s hand and tugging it from his face. Suddenly,the silence was deafening, and Anthony and Toby’s smiles changed to scowls.
“Ah, do you want a lemonade, Evie?” Liberty said, looking at her husband. “We shall procure some and cake—I think they will definitely need cake after the talk that is coming.”
“You will not make a scene here,” Evie said, patting her husband’s cheek. “I’m wondering if we should stay and mediate?”
“They’ll tell us later anyway, but we shall pretend they won’t,” Liberty said.
The women then wandered off, leaving the three men all now standing in a tight circle glaring at each other.
“You told us you were done with fighting,” Anthony snapped.
“Promised actually,” Toby added, scowling.
Jamie hadn’t thought he’d see his friends today, as they were usually in their houses playing happily married couples, and had hoped the bruise would have faded by the time he saw them again.
“I walked into a door,” he lied.
“No, you did not,” Anthony gritted out.
The sound of someone banging on a drum had them all jumping. Looking left, Jamie found a military band had begun to play nearby. At least they would not be overheard.
“You were fighting again, weren’t you?”
The anger in Anthony’s voice had Jamie’s rising.
