thought no more about them.
Chapter 4
The Honorable Mr. Frederick Broome, faultlessly turned out in evening dress, sidled up to his cousin, who was watching the dancers in the ballroom at Breckinridge with a marked lack of interest. “Nothing like your little entertainments, eh, Max?”
Max glanced at his slim, boyishly handsome cousin, envying him the easy elegance with which he wore formal dress. “There is nothing little about my entertainments,” he replied. “We missed you at my birth-night,” he added.
“Forgive me. I was visiting a sick relative,” Freddie replied, smiling as he told the obvious lie. “But no matter! I have had a full account of the orgy from the tenant. The lady doth not mince words. I’m surprised the letter didn’t combust as I read it. She seems to think she is owed some recompense. She wants half her rent returned to her.”
“Return all of it,” said Max. “I’ll give you a banknote for the full amount.”
Freddie hid a smile. “Was it as bad as all that? I’m sorry I missed it.”
“It was not an orgy,” Max said defensively. “It was a harmless costume ball.”
“How original,” drawled Freddie. “And the lady wearing only black shoes and gloves? What was she meant to be?”
Max frowned. “The shoes and gloves were red. It was Miss Sally Sugar, as the five of hearts. Rather clever, I thought.”
Freddie’s brows rose. “Have we established, then, that Miss Sugar is indeed a natural redhead?”
Max shrugged. “It could have been a red merkin, I suppose. I don’t know.”
Freddie sighed. “Then I suppose we’ll never know. As for Lady Waverly—”
“I neither know nor care. A most unattractive female.”
“Indeed? And her ladyship’s sister? Also unattractive?”
Max stirred uncomfortably.
Freddie grinned broadly. “May one assume at least that she is the Miss W——upon whom Mr. P——has lately been lavishing his attentions?”
“I may be in some trouble there,” Max admitted sheepishly.
“Oh, dear.”
“It was all very innocent,” Max protested. “The circumstances were extraordinary. Miss Waverly’s sister was ill—injured by me. I only meant to be kind. I was sure she regarded me as nothing more than a friend, looked up to me as an elder brother, almost. But it seems she was in love with me the whole time. She has sent me a letter ... and, Freddie? Freddie, there was a lock of hair in the envelope.”
Freddie’s long, elegant nose wrinkled in disgust. “Not from her monosyllable?”
“No, thank God,” Max said violently. “From her head. But that is quite vile enough.”
“Oh, yes. Perfectly vile. What did you do with it?”
“Do with it? I was so shocked, I threw it on the fire.”
Freddie shook his head. “Idiot! Now you’ll never be rid of her. She’ll always think you’ve got her revolting lock of hair hidden away somewhere as a treasure. You should have sent it back to her. Now you have a problem.”
“I paid too much attention to her.”
“Indeed you did, Mr. P——! I shouldn’t be surprised if Miss W——thinks you are engaged.”
“But I never made love to her,” Max protested. “She has nothing to accuse me of. I treated her as a kindly elder brother treats a younger sister, that is all. If I had known her true feelings—which, believe me, she hid quite well!—I should never have made her so many promises.”
Freddie pricked up his ears. “Promises? Oh, dear! Is Max ensnared at last?”
Max shook his head impatiently. “I promised her my assistance in society, that is all. I promised to give a ball for her and her sister at Sunderland House.”
“How dreadful. You might as well marry the girl. As it is, everyone will think you are engaged. Ah, well!” Freddie yawned. “I shouldn’t worry about it too much. If it gets too thorny for you, we can always take the necessary precautions.”
“It won’t come to that, I hope,” said Max.
“We can all hope,” Freddie replied.
Chapter 4
The Honorable Mr. Frederick Broome, faultlessly turned out in evening dress, sidled up to his cousin, who was watching the dancers in the ballroom at Breckinridge with a marked lack of interest. “Nothing like your little entertainments, eh, Max?”
Max glanced at his slim, boyishly handsome cousin, envying him the easy elegance with which he wore formal dress. “There is nothing little about my entertainments,” he replied. “We missed you at my birth-night,” he added.
“Forgive me. I was visiting a sick relative,” Freddie replied, smiling as he told the obvious lie. “But no matter! I have had a full account of the orgy from the tenant. The lady doth not mince words. I’m surprised the letter didn’t combust as I read it. She seems to think she is owed some recompense. She wants half her rent returned to her.”
“Return all of it,” said Max. “I’ll give you a banknote for the full amount.”
Freddie hid a smile. “Was it as bad as all that? I’m sorry I missed it.”
“It was not an orgy,” Max said defensively. “It was a harmless costume ball.”
“How original,” drawled Freddie. “And the lady wearing only black shoes and gloves? What was she meant to be?”
Max frowned. “The shoes and gloves were red. It was Miss Sally Sugar, as the five of hearts. Rather clever, I thought.”
Freddie’s brows rose. “Have we established, then, that Miss Sugar is indeed a natural redhead?”
Max shrugged. “It could have been a red merkin, I suppose. I don’t know.”
Freddie sighed. “Then I suppose we’ll never know. As for Lady Waverly—”
“I neither know nor care. A most unattractive female.”
“Indeed? And her ladyship’s sister? Also unattractive?”
Max stirred uncomfortably.
Freddie grinned broadly. “May one assume at least that she is the Miss W——upon whom Mr. P——has lately been lavishing his attentions?”
“I may be in some trouble there,” Max admitted sheepishly.
“Oh, dear.”
“It was all very innocent,” Max protested. “The circumstances were extraordinary. Miss Waverly’s sister was ill—injured by me. I only meant to be kind. I was sure she regarded me as nothing more than a friend, looked up to me as an elder brother, almost. But it seems she was in love with me the whole time. She has sent me a letter ... and, Freddie? Freddie, there was a lock of hair in the envelope.”
Freddie’s long, elegant nose wrinkled in disgust. “Not from her monosyllable?”
“No, thank God,” Max said violently. “From her head. But that is quite vile enough.”
“Oh, yes. Perfectly vile. What did you do with it?”
“Do with it? I was so shocked, I threw it on the fire.”
Freddie shook his head. “Idiot! Now you’ll never be rid of her. She’ll always think you’ve got her revolting lock of hair hidden away somewhere as a treasure. You should have sent it back to her. Now you have a problem.”
“I paid too much attention to her.”
“Indeed you did, Mr. P——! I shouldn’t be surprised if Miss W——thinks you are engaged.”
“But I never made love to her,” Max protested. “She has nothing to accuse me of. I treated her as a kindly elder brother treats a younger sister, that is all. If I had known her true feelings—which, believe me, she hid quite well!—I should never have made her so many promises.”
Freddie pricked up his ears. “Promises? Oh, dear! Is Max ensnared at last?”
Max shook his head impatiently. “I promised her my assistance in society, that is all. I promised to give a ball for her and her sister at Sunderland House.”
“How dreadful. You might as well marry the girl. As it is, everyone will think you are engaged. Ah, well!” Freddie yawned. “I shouldn’t worry about it too much. If it gets too thorny for you, we can always take the necessary precautions.”
“It won’t come to that, I hope,” said Max.
“We can all hope,” Freddie replied.
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