“I don’t understand why you’d want to give up your mistress if you’re not in love,” Hawthorne said.
“Out of respect for my wife,” Yates said. He emitted a heavy sigh and looked at Simon. “I don’t suppose you would be interested?”
“I’m afraid not. In my experience mistresses are demanding and hard to get rid of.” His last one had even made a spectacle, chasing after him on Oxford Street when he’d tried to end things with her. It had been most embarrassing.
“Celeste isn’t like that. She’s quite agreeable and sweet.”
“Nevertheless,” Simon said.
“No wife or mistress,” Hawthorne said with a pitying look that put Simon on edge. “You must be in need of a good tup.”
“It’s not so bad,” Simon said.
Hawthorne raised an eyebrow. “Really? How long has it been since you last had a woman?”
Simon shrugged. He hated this – hated being made to feel lacking in some way. Attempting to show indifference, he busied himself with refilling his glass. “Three months or so.”
“Damnation,” Yates murmured.
“Hell, it’s no wonder you look so tense.” Hawthorne reached inside his jacket pocket, retrieved a card, and handed it to Simon. “If I may, I suggest you stop by Amourette’s on your way home tonight.”
“It’s a brothel, is it not?” Simon asked. When Hawthorne nodded, Simon instinctively winced. “I don’t think so.”
“I think it would be good for you,” Hawthorne said.
Simon glanced at the card, then swung his gaze back to Hawthorne. “This is in St. Giles.”
“Well, yes. But it’s clean,” Hawthorne promised, “and so are the women. In fact, they receive regular health checks at the local clinic.”
“That may well be,” Simon said, “but it’s still located in the worst possible part of Town. You can’t honestly think I’d go there.”
“Why not?” Hawthorne asked. “I do.”
“Yes, but Fielding isn’t like you,” Yates said. “He’s much more…”
“More what?” Simon asked when Yates failed to finish his sentence.
Yates averted his gaze. “Never mind.”
“No,” Simon said, unwilling to let the comment go. “I’m more what?”
“Reserved,” Yates said. “And stuffy.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“What he means to say,” Hawthorne murmured, bringing Simon’s attention back to him, “is that you don’t want to take any risks.”
“I fail to see how that’s a bad thing,” Simon said with a frown.
Silence followed before Yates quietly asked, “Has it never occurred to you that Gabriella chose Huntley because he was more exciting?”
Simon stared at his friends. “No. Not once.”
“You’re an unmarried man,” Hawthorne said, looking Simon straight in the eye. “A trip to Amourette’s won’t tarnish your reputation. If anything, it will make you more normal and less…”
“Less what?” Simon prompted when Hawthorne’s words trailed off.
The baron shrugged. “Boring, I suppose.”
