Gaze avid, Ashalmost skipped down the stairs. Ash loved a ball and didn’t carewho knew it. If Stephen looked for him in an hour, Ash would beescorting yet another lady to a dance, his love of it wellknown.
Subtly, Stephencrouched behind a well-placed potted plant, obscuring himself fromAsh. He didn’t need questions or condemnations or the faint hint ofdisapproval this evening: He had a plan, and he had a mind toexecute it.
“Stephen.”
Bloody hell, hehad sought to avoid the disapproval of one man and instead fellprey to another. Grimacing and not bothering to disguise it, heturned. “Oliver,” he greeted his brother.
Arms crossedover his broad chest, Oliver frowned. “I did not expect to see youhere.”
“Nordid I expect to see you.” He smiled thinly. “It seems we surpriseeach other.”
His brotherexhaled. “Can you not be civil for a half a second,Stephen?”
“Idon’t know. Can you?”
Shaking hishead, Oliver said, “Like that, is it?”
Clenching hisjaw, he averted his gaze and undertook his level best to ignore hisbrother. Why was he even here? Oliver barely attended societyevents, preferring instead to shut himself away in his study andplay about with paper and numbers until it was time to slumber,only to rise the next day and perform the same tedious tasksagain.
“Howgoes your studies?”
Stephen jerkedhis head around. “What?”
Oliver’s lipsthinned. “Your studies into the spiritual, the curriculum you wereso passionate about not three days past.”
“Oh,that.” He waved a hand. “A mere fancy.”
“Afancy,” Oliver repeated. His eyes narrowed. “How much debt do youcarry?”
Stephen’shackles rose. “What?”
“Howmuch, Stephen? How many creditors should I expect to darken thedoors of Roxegate with requests to settle youraccounts?”
“Iam the son of an earl. I do not need to pay for things.” Bedamnedif he told Oliver he held not one debt. He may have been aspendthrift and reckless in his youth, but he’d learned hisgoddamned lesson, and he’d learned it hard. Oliver, though, neversaw him as anything but a profligate and wastrel, and Stephencouldn’t be bothered to correct him.
Oliver sighed.“Do you require your debts settled?” he askedreluctantly.
“IfI should ever accrue debts that require settling, you may beassured you will be the first person I contact.” And then, just toagitate his brother, he said, “What do you know ofEgypt?”
Alarm litOliver’s eyes. “Egypt? Why?”
“Noreason.” Idly, he surveyed the crowd. Let his brother stew on thatone and imagine the worst. Stephen had no intention of anythingwith Egypt, but the opportunity to fluster his pompous, controllingbrother was irresistible.
“TheMarchioness of Demartine, Lady Alexandra Torrence, and Lady LydiaTorrence,” the majordomo announced.
Beside him,Oliver tensed.
Stephen’s lipstwisted. Ah, the reason for his brother’s attendance was finallyclear.
It was a poorlykept secret that Lydia loved Oliver and he her, and when Stephenwas younger, he’d placed numerous bets with Lydia’s brothers overwhen they would actually declare themselves and wed. The only thingstanding in their way—which was utter nonsense—was Oliver’sinsistence he was too old. Fourteen years separated them, but menolder than Oliver married women younger than Lydia all the bloodytime. His brother was being stubborn and stupid, but then Oliverwas often stubborn and stupid.
Now that Lydiahad arrived, he would wager a hefty sum his brother would not heara word he now said. “I have heard there are many wonders to beholdin Egypt,” he commented, if only to prove his theorycorrect.
“Hmm.” His brother’s gaze did not leave Lydia.
No outrage. Nodisappointed glance. “Hieroglyphics and the like. Pharaohs andsuch. Perhaps a visit is in order,” Stephen said, enjoying himselfimmensely.
“Perhaps,” Oliver said distractedly “Excuse me, brother.” Andwith that, Oliver strode after Lydia.
