Blinking several times, David allowed a long sigh.“I might have spent time at a brothel,” he whispered.
“Probably best for your prick that you didn’t.”
David rolled his eyes and made an odd sound in his throat.“Probably.”
“So...?”
David stared at his brother for a moment.“So...what?”
“Do you love her?”
The query was so unexpected, David straightened in his chair as if he had been struck.“Love who?”
Donald grunted his disbelief.“Vittoria.”
“What?!”
“Do you think you could at least...likeher?”he pressed.
“From whereisthis coming?”David asked in confusion.
Glancing back toward the door, Donald lowered his voice and said, “I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that there has been some...hopethat you and Vittoria might consider...courtship,” he stammered.
David blinked several times, his mouth opening and closing as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.“If I were a female, I would be down there on the floor having just fainted after hearing such a...such a ridiculous suggestion,” he claimed, pointing down to the Turkish carpeting with a forefinger for emphasis.“In fact, I might yet do so.”
“Which, given what you’ve told me, meanssheis probably about to pass out on the parlor room floor,” Donald said absently.
“What?”
Donald once again glanced in the direction of the door.“I have reason to believe Nikky is discussing the same possibility of courtship with her niece right about now.I was...unaware the two of you were...incompatible.”He rolled his eyes.
David dropped his head to the dining room table and began banging it on the cloth-covered surface.“If I wasn’t so damned amiable, and agreeable, I could still be betrothed to Lady Jane Fitzsimmons,” he murmured.“I could be looking forward to a life?—”
“Of extreme boredom,” Donald interrupted.
Straightening in his chair, David appeared a bit unsteady for a moment, his forehead red where it had struck the table.“What?”
It was Donald’s turn to scoff.“Lady Jane Fitzsimmons is perfectly pretty and proper, but you know damned well you would have grown bored if you were ever wed to her.Far better she ended up with Marcus Henley.”
Staring at his brother as if he had grown horns, David shook his head.“So instead of a perfectly proper and pretty young English girl, I’m supposed to marry ashrew?”he countered with disgust.
Donald cleared his throat and leaned forward.“I once thought Nikky a spoiled rotten brat,” he said in a whisper.He arched a brow.“But now I am very happily married to her,” he added, waggling both his brows.
Before David could reply, Donald got to his feet and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To the parlor to collect my gorgeous wife so she can have her way with me in our bedchamber.”
David watched as his brother disappeared, his brows furrowing in confusion as he replayed his brother’s parting words in his head.He finally chuckled softly.“Damnation,” he whispered softly.
