regardless of how many years go by. What I feel for her has not dissipated with time, it has simply been…untended.”
“Like a garden gone to seed.” Harry had something of a secret passion for designing gardens. It was Robert’s fondest hope that one day he would put that passion to a useful purpose. “The plants are still there; they just need to be uncovered and nurtured.”
“Exactly.” Robert nodded. “Last night I saw desire in her eyes, and even if I hadn’t noticed before, it hasn’t been there for some time. Nor, do I suspect, has it been in mine.” He met his brother’s gaze firmly. “I shall not let it slip away again.”
“That’s all very well and good but…” Harryblew a smoke ring as good as—if not even a tiny bit better—than his twin’s. “I still don’t think you pretending to be me is a good idea.”
“Perhaps not, but it’s the only idea I have.” He thought for a moment. “If indeed this is a ruse on her part, it will be easy enough to discern. And if not, well, I shall cross that bridge when it presents itself.”
“Still—”
“Aside from everything else, Harry, I had more fun sparring with her last night than I’ve had in a long time. And I suspect she did as well. Playing this game with Amelia, well, it might be just the thing to recapture what we once had.”
“Most couples seem to find the renewal of their marriage vows to be sufficient,” Harry muttered.
Robert laughed. “We have never been most couples. I fear I had forgotten that. Admittedly, while I might have been somewhat inept at it in the beginning, the pursuit of Amelia was the most fun I’ve ever had.”
“This could end badly,” Harry warned.
“No, it can’t. There has never been a divorce in this family and there never will be.” The muscles in his jaw tightened. “She is the most important person in my life, which is yet another thing I had forgotten.”
“Perhaps you should be telling her, not me,” Harry said quietly.
“I fully intend to but not quite yet.” He tapped the ash of his cigar into the tray affixed to the cigar stand. “In this game of ours, that is my trump card. The last trick of the hand, as it were.”
“I wouldn’t wait too long to play it if I were you.”
“Ah, but you aren’t me. However”—Robert cast his brother a wicked grin—“I fully intend to be you.”
“I still think this is a bad idea. But, as you are my brother and you did ask for my assistance, and as you’ve probably forgotten exactly what it takes to turn a woman’s head”—Harry considered Robert for a thoughtful moment—“I shall take on the burden of showering your wife with flowers, gifts, and whatever else comes to mind. Anonymously, of course.” He shrugged. “I think that would be best.”
“Anonymously?” Robert considered the idea. It had a great deal of merit. “Perfect.” He chuckled. “It will accomplish exactly what I need to accomplish without your direct involvement.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“You will have my undying gratitude.”
“As well as your immediate reimbursement for my expenses.”
“I intended as much. The game is on, Harry. And rest assured”—Robert leaned back, blew another smoke ring, took a quick puff on his cigar, and shot another directly through the first—“victory will most definitely be mine.”
Chapter 8
“I would say that very nearly everyone of note is here this evening.” Amelia sipped her champagne and surveyed the crowded ballroom from their vantage point off to one side, in front of the columns that separated the ballroom from a long gallery. “Mrs. Amherst must be quite pleased.”
“If indeed a crowd too large to allow movement without bumping into a dozen people, the sense that one is part of a herd rather than a gathering of sentient beings, coupled with overly stuffy conditions, indicate a successful event, then she should be beside herself with joy.” A dry note sounded in Robert’s
“Like a garden gone to seed.” Harry had something of a secret passion for designing gardens. It was Robert’s fondest hope that one day he would put that passion to a useful purpose. “The plants are still there; they just need to be uncovered and nurtured.”
“Exactly.” Robert nodded. “Last night I saw desire in her eyes, and even if I hadn’t noticed before, it hasn’t been there for some time. Nor, do I suspect, has it been in mine.” He met his brother’s gaze firmly. “I shall not let it slip away again.”
“That’s all very well and good but…” Harryblew a smoke ring as good as—if not even a tiny bit better—than his twin’s. “I still don’t think you pretending to be me is a good idea.”
“Perhaps not, but it’s the only idea I have.” He thought for a moment. “If indeed this is a ruse on her part, it will be easy enough to discern. And if not, well, I shall cross that bridge when it presents itself.”
“Still—”
“Aside from everything else, Harry, I had more fun sparring with her last night than I’ve had in a long time. And I suspect she did as well. Playing this game with Amelia, well, it might be just the thing to recapture what we once had.”
“Most couples seem to find the renewal of their marriage vows to be sufficient,” Harry muttered.
Robert laughed. “We have never been most couples. I fear I had forgotten that. Admittedly, while I might have been somewhat inept at it in the beginning, the pursuit of Amelia was the most fun I’ve ever had.”
“This could end badly,” Harry warned.
“No, it can’t. There has never been a divorce in this family and there never will be.” The muscles in his jaw tightened. “She is the most important person in my life, which is yet another thing I had forgotten.”
“Perhaps you should be telling her, not me,” Harry said quietly.
“I fully intend to but not quite yet.” He tapped the ash of his cigar into the tray affixed to the cigar stand. “In this game of ours, that is my trump card. The last trick of the hand, as it were.”
“I wouldn’t wait too long to play it if I were you.”
“Ah, but you aren’t me. However”—Robert cast his brother a wicked grin—“I fully intend to be you.”
“I still think this is a bad idea. But, as you are my brother and you did ask for my assistance, and as you’ve probably forgotten exactly what it takes to turn a woman’s head”—Harry considered Robert for a thoughtful moment—“I shall take on the burden of showering your wife with flowers, gifts, and whatever else comes to mind. Anonymously, of course.” He shrugged. “I think that would be best.”
“Anonymously?” Robert considered the idea. It had a great deal of merit. “Perfect.” He chuckled. “It will accomplish exactly what I need to accomplish without your direct involvement.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“You will have my undying gratitude.”
“As well as your immediate reimbursement for my expenses.”
“I intended as much. The game is on, Harry. And rest assured”—Robert leaned back, blew another smoke ring, took a quick puff on his cigar, and shot another directly through the first—“victory will most definitely be mine.”
Chapter 8
“I would say that very nearly everyone of note is here this evening.” Amelia sipped her champagne and surveyed the crowded ballroom from their vantage point off to one side, in front of the columns that separated the ballroom from a long gallery. “Mrs. Amherst must be quite pleased.”
“If indeed a crowd too large to allow movement without bumping into a dozen people, the sense that one is part of a herd rather than a gathering of sentient beings, coupled with overly stuffy conditions, indicate a successful event, then she should be beside herself with joy.” A dry note sounded in Robert’s
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