“Yes, do invite Lady Eleanor to afternoon tea,” the Earl said.“I know Lady Colgrove would welcome her.”He glanced at his son.“I better get this one to his bed.Have a good evening.”
His brother ushered his son upstairs as a footman handed Benedict his coat and gloves.Shrugging into his greatcoat, he could only hope his club would distract him.
The sights and sounds of his club did not distract him.
Exhaling, Benedict took a draught of his whisky and belatedly remembered he did not sit here alone.“I apologise, Daughtry.What did you say?”
Across from him, the blond viscount raised his brow.“Ah, finally.Acknowledgement.I thought perhaps what I had been speaking of was of little interest, but then I remembered I am always fascinating and determined the problem must lie with you.”
The problem did indeed lie with him.El occupied his thoughts, as she had ever since she’d made her announcement.Not when he’d been trading jabs with Jack White at his gymnasium, or when he’d taken luncheon at the public, or when he’d attended alone the play El insisted he see so they could discuss it.Now, again he saw El, her eyes eager as her lush mouth told him she’d decided to take a lover.
Christ.Why was he thinking on El’s mouth?So she had luscious lips, he’d known that forever.There was no reason he should be noticing it any more now than he had last month, or last year, or the year before.Perhaps Daughtry could help.The need to discuss El’s plan burned within him and his old friend would not betray such a confidence, mainly because Daughtry knew if he harmed El in any way, Benedict would bloody kill him.
Looking about them, there was no one close enough to overhear, but he lowered his voice anyway.“Eleanor has decided to take a lover.”
Daughtry choked on his whisky, coughing wildly.Recovering somewhat, he managed, “Lady Eleanor—yourLady Eleanor—wants a fucking?”
Fucking.Christ.He had not even thought of it asfucking.The image of El naked beneath some man, her thighs hugging his hips as he thrust inside her, flashed through his mind.His hands clenched.“Don’t say it like that,” he gritted out.“She says she wishes to experience pleasure.”
“Apologies, old man.It was perhaps too bald of me, but it is shocking, is it not?”
“It is Eleanor.Of course she would concoct such a plan.”
Daughtry cocked his head.“You are not shocked?”
He was, and yet he wasn’t.As he’d told her, this was precisely something she would do.The fact that he’d been stewing over it was the surprising part.“There’s more.She’s chosen the bloody Earl of bloody Malvern as her lover.”
Daughtry’s brows shot up.“I suppose if one is looking to be debauched, Malvern is an excellent choice.”
Malvernwasa bloody excellent choice.The man was a hardened rake, mired in hedonism, but too he would not betray El.For all his degeneracy, Malvern never spoke of who joined him in his sensual debauches.Further, if there were any rumour, he would simply set his ice-blue stare to intimidate anyone who thought to castigate her into silence.Hewasthe perfect choice.
“And how does Lady Eleanor intend to start this affair with Malvern?They do not move in the same circles.”Daughtry frowned.“Though I could have sworn I saw him at the Thilthrope ball last week.”
Ignoring the roil in his gut, he said, “She said she is going to seek instruction on how to attract a lover, and for this instruction she intends to contact the madam ofLa Belle Jeune Fille Pieuse.”
Daughtry’s blue eyes widened, then he started to laugh.
Benedict scowled.“It is not funny, Daughtry.Eleanor, in all her wisdom, has determined to contact the abbess of a notorious brothel frequented by God knows how many members of the ton in an effort to engage lessons in how to seduce the goddamn Earl of Malvern.”
That set Daughtry off again.“Your Lady Eleanor is a cracker, is she not?”Sobering, he said, “Come now, Stapleton, surely this is all a fancy of hers.A lady would not risk her reputation in such a manner.”
“You do not know Eleanor,” he said darkly.
“If she is so determined, perhaps it behooves you to assist.If Lady Eleanor wants instruction, why should it not be you to instruct her?”
Everything in him froze.“Pardon?”he managed.
“If Lady Eleanor is so insistent upon this, offer your services.I would warrant she would back down immediately when face with the reality.And if she doesn’t, at least if it is you, you know her reputation is protected.”
Again the image of El naked beneath a man flashed through his mind, but this time El was naked beneathhim.Her thighs huggedhiships.Her voice moanedhisname.“I cannot instruct Eleanor.She is my friend.”
“So?”
“She is myfriend.”
Daughtry frowned.“This is precisely why I suggest this, Stapleton.As her friend, who would have greater care?”
Christ, Daughtry did not understand.He was El’sfriend.He could not… They could not…
