Race laughed and Susannah was amazed by how much she enjoyed just the simplest of conversations with him.
“As soon as the music starts up again, Susannah, we are going to dance.”
“Race, Duchess, there you are,” Sir Randolph said, walking up to them. “Morgan told me you were here, but there are so many blasted people in here it’s difficult to get around to finding anyone.”
“I have certainly seen you, Sir Randolph,” Susannah said, smiling at the debonair man.
His brown eyes twinkled, and his shoulders lifted. “You have?”
“On the dance floor,” Susannah said. “I think you’ve been out there for most every dance.”
Sir Randolph glanced eagerly at Race. “How do I look? Do I seem to be keeping up with the younger ones?”
Race hesitated, so Susannah said, “Most definitely, Sir Randolph. You appear very fit and agile to me, dancing rings around the much younger gentlemen.”
Gibby turned to her, obviously pleased by her comment. “Splendid. That’s what I wanted to hear.”
“What are you trying to do, Gib?” Race said, looking puzzled. “I’ve never seen you dance so much.”
“Never have. I don’t really care much for it. I do it only because it pleases the ladies. Danger Jim said I should dance every night, every dance, to help build up my endurance and help me find my wind.”
A deep wrinkle crowded the space between Race’s eyebrows. “Your wind? And who the… ” Race stopped himself as he threw a glance toward Susannah. She put her champagne glass to her lips to keep from smiling.
Race exhaled deeply and asked, “Gib, who is Danger Jim?”
“He’s the bruiser I hired to help me get ready for my fight. He says I have to keep working hard to find my ‘bottom.’”
“I can help you with that,” Race said in an exasperated voice. “Why don’t you try looking at the seat of your breeches? You might find it there.”
“Your humor amuses no one, Race,” Sir Randolph said with impatience. “Danger Jim said that a man’s ‘bottom’ is where he’ll find the depth of his wind, spirit, heart, and courage. Every pugilist has to find that before he will know what he’s made of.”
“Every man needs to find that whether he ever throws a punch. You know, Gib, there’s a reason Lord Chesterfield said, ‘There’s a fool born every minute.’”
“Nonsense, Race,” Susannah said while giving him a stern stare. “I’m certain that Lord Chesterfield said no such thing.”
“Well, he should have, because it’s a lot truer than most of the blather he wrote to his son.”
Susannah scoffed at Race and turned to the older man. “Pay him no heed, Sir Randolph. You don’t have to go looking for courage, heart, wind, or anything else. I can see you are brimming with all of them. Just have faith that when you need them most, they will be at your disposal.”
“Thank you kindly, Duchess. Race likes to be cantankerous from time to time, so I know not to take what he says to heart.”
“You give me reason to be ill-tempered, Gib,” Race muttered and then sipped his champagne.
Even though the two men sparred with words, Susannah sensed they had deep respect for each other. There was no hostility, resentment, or jealousy in their tones. She understood Race’s concern about the pugilism match. She had never seen one, but she had read a few graphic accounts of the prize-fighting matches, including some of Lord Byron’s writings about them. It was not a sport for the fearful or faint-hearted.
“Race, have you seen the posters that went up all over London this afternoon?”
“No.” His eyes narrowed again. “What are you talking about?”
“Posters announcing my duel in the park with Prattle.”
“It’s not a duel, Gib. It’s just a fight.”
“And I need to come up with a boxer’s name. You know all great pugilists have a fighting name.”
“Gibby, you are not a boxer, but this is not the place to get into that again. Besides, I just heard someone announce that a dance is starting, and Susannah has promised me a dance.”
“I wouldn’t talk to you about it anyway. I’m on my way home soon. I can’t stay up until the wee hours of the morning anymore. Danger Jim insists I get ten hours of sleep every night. It’s already two hours past the time he told me to be in bed.”
