in one of the trunks, Laura nodded. “You are excused for now, Hinton.”
After the door shut, Justin glared at her. “I’ll stay with George. You may leave without me.”
She clasped her hands at her waist. “A tidy solution, but you’re liable to find yourself in much hotter suds once your uncle discovers you have run away.”
He scoffed. “Montclief doesn’t even remember I exist.”
“Oh, he remembers,” she said. “He called upon me yesterday while you were out. Apparently some of his friends reported having seen you running wild in the streets. He threatened to remove you to his country house.”
“Why the devil does he care? He hasn’t seen fit to even write to me.”
“He cares because your behavior reflects upon him.”
“Too bloody bad,” he muttered.
“Watch your language,” she said. “If you had used better judgment, your uncle would have left us in peace.” She brought her fist to her chest. “I had to answer for you, and believe me, it was unpleasant.”
“I haven’t done anything wrong,” he said.
“Do not lie to me,” she said, unable to keep the vehemence from her voice this time. “I had another visitor yesterday who returned your flask.”
He scowled. “What? I don’t have a flask.”
“You might wish to retract that statement. Lord Bellingham saw you push a flask beneath the staircase at Lady Atherton’s home. He brought it to me yesterday. It contained brandy.” She took a step closer to the bed. “Today, you were sick from imbibing liquor. If you continue with your rowdy ways, you are likely to suffer the consequences. Montclief will not tolerate your behavior and neither will I.”
Justin’s jaw tightened. “So you paraded the footmen and my valet in here in order to frighten me?”
She strode around the bed and hovered over him. “No, I did it because we are leaving today.”
“No,” he said, raising his voice.
“You have given me no choice,” she said. “I refuse to stand by idly while you ruin your life.” She drew his banyan out from the wardrobe and tossed it to him. “Get dressed.”
“Laura, I’m sorry,” he said.
“That’s not good enough,” she said. “You have persisted with this willful, wretched behavior, and I can no longer trust you.”
“Give me another chance.”
“I’m sorry, Justin, but you’ve gone too far this time.” She returned to the wardrobe, drew out a stack of folded shirts, and set them in the empty trunk.
“What if I refuse to go?” he said in a surly tone.
“Then you will likely find yourself under your uncle’s management. I daresay he will be harsher than I am.”
He punched the pillow behind him and regarded her with a scowl.
She returned to the wardrobe and drew out stockings.
“Stop,” he said. “I’m sorry. I just don’t feel well.”
She halted. “Whose fault is that?”
“I swear to you I won’t do it again.”
“You’ve lied to me more than once. The trust is broken. Hinton will finish packing your trunk. Get dressed. We are leaving today.”
“No, I won’t go.”
“I’ll send the footmen to your room in two hours. If you do not cooperate, I will have them force-march you out to the carriage, dressed or not.”
“Laura, no. Give me a chance, please.”
“It’s too late, Justin.”
Laura directed the maids to pack all of her belongings and walked downstairs to the drawing room. She retrieved her lap desk and drew out paper, ink, and pen in order to write a note to Lady Atherton. Laura would miss her friend, but Justin’s welfare came first. Her son would learn a hard lesson today. No doubt he would be humiliated when they returned to Hampshire after such a short time, but she’d given him ample warnings.
She’d only written the salutation when the door opened. Justin walked inside with a guilty expression. “I know you said that an apology isn’t good enough, but I wish you would give me another chance.”
“Be seated,” she said, indicating the
After the door shut, Justin glared at her. “I’ll stay with George. You may leave without me.”
She clasped her hands at her waist. “A tidy solution, but you’re liable to find yourself in much hotter suds once your uncle discovers you have run away.”
He scoffed. “Montclief doesn’t even remember I exist.”
“Oh, he remembers,” she said. “He called upon me yesterday while you were out. Apparently some of his friends reported having seen you running wild in the streets. He threatened to remove you to his country house.”
“Why the devil does he care? He hasn’t seen fit to even write to me.”
“He cares because your behavior reflects upon him.”
“Too bloody bad,” he muttered.
“Watch your language,” she said. “If you had used better judgment, your uncle would have left us in peace.” She brought her fist to her chest. “I had to answer for you, and believe me, it was unpleasant.”
“I haven’t done anything wrong,” he said.
“Do not lie to me,” she said, unable to keep the vehemence from her voice this time. “I had another visitor yesterday who returned your flask.”
He scowled. “What? I don’t have a flask.”
“You might wish to retract that statement. Lord Bellingham saw you push a flask beneath the staircase at Lady Atherton’s home. He brought it to me yesterday. It contained brandy.” She took a step closer to the bed. “Today, you were sick from imbibing liquor. If you continue with your rowdy ways, you are likely to suffer the consequences. Montclief will not tolerate your behavior and neither will I.”
Justin’s jaw tightened. “So you paraded the footmen and my valet in here in order to frighten me?”
She strode around the bed and hovered over him. “No, I did it because we are leaving today.”
“No,” he said, raising his voice.
“You have given me no choice,” she said. “I refuse to stand by idly while you ruin your life.” She drew his banyan out from the wardrobe and tossed it to him. “Get dressed.”
“Laura, I’m sorry,” he said.
“That’s not good enough,” she said. “You have persisted with this willful, wretched behavior, and I can no longer trust you.”
“Give me another chance.”
“I’m sorry, Justin, but you’ve gone too far this time.” She returned to the wardrobe, drew out a stack of folded shirts, and set them in the empty trunk.
“What if I refuse to go?” he said in a surly tone.
“Then you will likely find yourself under your uncle’s management. I daresay he will be harsher than I am.”
He punched the pillow behind him and regarded her with a scowl.
She returned to the wardrobe and drew out stockings.
“Stop,” he said. “I’m sorry. I just don’t feel well.”
She halted. “Whose fault is that?”
“I swear to you I won’t do it again.”
“You’ve lied to me more than once. The trust is broken. Hinton will finish packing your trunk. Get dressed. We are leaving today.”
“No, I won’t go.”
“I’ll send the footmen to your room in two hours. If you do not cooperate, I will have them force-march you out to the carriage, dressed or not.”
“Laura, no. Give me a chance, please.”
“It’s too late, Justin.”
Laura directed the maids to pack all of her belongings and walked downstairs to the drawing room. She retrieved her lap desk and drew out paper, ink, and pen in order to write a note to Lady Atherton. Laura would miss her friend, but Justin’s welfare came first. Her son would learn a hard lesson today. No doubt he would be humiliated when they returned to Hampshire after such a short time, but she’d given him ample warnings.
She’d only written the salutation when the door opened. Justin walked inside with a guilty expression. “I know you said that an apology isn’t good enough, but I wish you would give me another chance.”
“Be seated,” she said, indicating the
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