Page 39
I lined up my next shot, amused. Fairfax seemed to effortlessly breeze through life. He had a natural skill for most things he attempted and a keen sense of observation that was belied by the careless air he liked to affect. But when it came to billiards, he was horrible.
I made a series of shots and cleared the rest of the table.
“Fuck.” Fairfax reached into his pocket and extracted a note. I grinned as I accepted it. He’d win it back from me later, the next time we played cards. But it was always satisfying to best him at something.
Movement to my left had me turning to see that Clifton, Moreland, and Kendrick were approaching. From the grim expressions on their faces, I assumed something was wrong.
“What’s happened?” I asked when they reached us.
Clifton tilted his head to one side to indicate that Fairfax and I should follow him. We settled around a card table in the corner. It was late afternoon, and the room was beginning to fill with patrons, but this table afforded us a measure of privacy.
“Is Rexford joining us?” I asked.
Moreland shook his head. “This doesn’t concern him.”
Kendrick crossed his arms and met my gaze. “Since I drew the short straw, it falls on me to inform you that our wives are upset.”
My brows rose. “And you’re telling me this because…”
He blew out a breath. “They are not pleased because you’re treating Miss Sullivan like a mistress.”
“They like her a great deal,” Moreland added. “They’re worried that things will become awkward if you cast her aside and begin seeing someone else.”
I leveled a glare at Kendrick. “Aren’t you the one who used to have a mistress? And wasn’t Caroline on friendly terms with her?”
He shrugged. “And you saw how well that turned out. But my history doesn’t matter. Miss Sullivan is gently bred. She is not the type of woman one treats in such a way.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “I haven’t lied to her. She knows that I’m not ready to get married.”
Clifton scrubbed a hand down his face. “Look, we understand. Normally, we wouldn’t say a word, but they consider her a friend.”
I had to force myself to keep my tone even. “She isn’t my mistress. We’re merely enjoying each other’s company, and the lot of you are behaving like hypocrites.”
Fairfax had that annoying enigmatic smile again. “You’ve moved her into one of your properties, have you not? How is that not keeping a mistress?”
I pointed at him. “She’s paying rent. It’s no different than renting property to anyone else. And you are not to breathe a word to her about the property being mine.”
“She doesn’t know?” Moreland asked.
I shook my head. “No, but as I said, she’s paying rent. And when our arrangement is over, she is free to continue residing there as a paying tenant.”
“For how long?” Fairfax asked.
“As long as she wants.”
I didn’t enjoy the way the others were watching me now.
“Forever?” Clifton asked.
I shrugged. “That is up to her. But if she wishes, yes.”
Fairfax leaned forward. “And how is that different than having a mistress?”
“Or a wife,” Kendrick added.
I stared from one man to the other. Fairfax was amused, while the other three were a mixture of embarrassed and determined.
“Is this what we do now?” I asked. “Gossip about each other’s personal affairs? Speculate on marriages and matchmaking?”
