“A peer never goes to gaol over gambling losses. And there are ways around debt.”
William took another gulp from the flask. “Are there? I might have exhausted all of those.”
“You know you’re very welcome in Burchester. A few nights of good sleep, some country air. You’ll be a new man.”
“I just need to be in a place where there are no gaming hells. No dice, no cards. I need to remove myself from temptation since temptation will not remove itself from me.”
“Ah.” Phineas nodded and made a noise of agreement, but, in truth, he didn’t understand temptation. He never had. Surely, you either did something, or you didn’t. You bedded a pretty lady if she’d let you, or you didn’t. You gobbled an extra rasher or two, or you didn’t. You drank whisky, or you didn’t. What did temptation have to do with it? Surely, life was much better without it.
But his own desire to break down Caro’s bedchamber door on the last night of the hunting trip? He quickly dismissed that as an aberration. Caro would be in London in a few months, and he would easily find a way to satisfy all his fantasies.Hewould tempther, rather than the reverse.
Because Phineas Edge was not susceptible to temptation.
He reached across and patted William’s knee. “Good news for you. There are no gaming hells in Burchester.”
“Yes. Good news,” William said weakly.
“And we’ll find something else to do in the evenings besides cards. We’ll talk.”
“Do you ever do anything else, Phin?”
It was a jab, but Phineas didn’t mind. His friends liked his chatter. They wouldn’t be friends with him if they didn’t. And see? William had the beginnings of a smile on his face. Phineas was cheering him up already.
“And you have a good head on your shoulders, Will. You can help me with my problems on the estate.”
William took another swig. “What problems are those?”
“Money problems. The estate was in arrears when I got the title and it’s only become worse since then. I’ll take some of that now.” Phineas reached for the flask and William handed it to him with a grim look.
“Your money problems drive you to drink, too, eh?”
“Yes.” Phineas had been about to addand Edmund’s sister is driving me out my skull with lust, but he swallowed his words in the nick of time and took a swig instead.
Argh. He coughed. Whatever was in the flask was harsh and burned his throat. William was drinking the cheap stuff.
William shrugged and took the flask back. “I’ll look at the numbers if I can stay sober long enough. Try to pay you back for taking me in.”
“There’s no need for paying back. We’re friends, aren’t we? That’s what friends do. Offer shelter, succor—”
“A loan?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll look at the books and see what you can afford to loan me.”
“It’s too bad Jack isn’t around.” Jack MacNaughton was the wealthiest among their circle of friends. Even before he became a duke.
“Yes. But all his money is going to save farmers in Scotland now.”
“Really?”
William nodded. “I wrote to him last month about a loan. He didn’t turn me down when he wrote back, but, even six hundred miles away, I could tell he was reluctant.”
“Jack watches his pennies.”
“Yes. Not like you and me.”
Phineas felt a little sting. Yes, he outspent his income, but didn’t every gentleman? Well, every gentleman except Jack and George. No wonder they could afford to marry.
