Page 70 of Sincerely, the Duke
“Maman?” he said in a warning voice.
“Oh, don’t worry, Your Grace. They are family, arethey not? And I will treat them as such as long as they give me no cause to do otherwise. Perhaps I’ll invite a few friends to join us. Not as many as at the wedding and no one you would disapprove of, dearest. Young, handsome gentlemen such as the duchess’ sisters would enjoy talking to. Perhaps Mr. Mercy and Mr. Malcolm.”
Rick gave a rueful snort.Malcolm?Again. Rick couldn’t get away from the man.
A few minutes later, Rick left his mother’s house and drove his curricle down to White’s. He walked in, taking off his hat and gloves and handing them off to the attendant. Midafternoon was usually the quietest time of day at the club but he heard billiard balls smacking in the gaming room and a smattering of conversations coming from the reading room.
Wyatt and Hurst were waiting for him at their usual table near the front window that faced St. James’ Street. He knew what they wanted to know.
On his way to join them, he nodded to a couple of gentlemen he passed but took no time for polite conversation.
“Am I late?” Rick asked, pulling out a chair to join them at the table. Brandy had already been poured for the three of them but judging by the glasses, his friends had been waiting for him before taking their first drink.
“No,” Hurst replied. “We just arrived.”
His friends looked at each other as if they still hadn’t decided what they wanted to say next, but Hurst swiped his hair away from his forehead with the back of his hand and came right to the point. “Is the rumor the countess heard about triplets true?”
Rick grimaced. “I have no idea about anything she might have heard twenty years ago, yesterday, or today. Nor do I care.” He picked up his brandy and took a drink.
“That’s good enough for me.” Hurst lifted his glass.
“For me too,” Wyatt agreed, adding the clink of his glass to their toast. “Why did it take you so long to meet and let us know?”
“I’ve been— Hell’s teeth. Can’t a man stay at home for a few days and enjoy his wife?”
“No further explanation needed on that either,” Wyatt said with a grin. “We worried after the ball. Not knowing if the gossip caused you and Edwina trouble.”
“No,” Rick said, seeing no reason to say more about the matter. “I am doing my best to adjust to Edwina’s sisters in the house. When I suggested they live with us, I had no idea how much trouble they would be.”
“In what way?” Hurst asked, placing his drink on the table in front of him.
“Probably the same way I had to adjust to Fredericka’s nieces and nephew living with us,” Wyatt suggested. “A time of adjustment is needed.”
“He’s living with three beautiful young ladies,” Hurst said, with a grin. “How much adjusting is there to do concerning that?”
“A lot,” Rick grumbled good-naturedly. “None of them can play an adequate game of chess or cards in the evenings.”
“That’s probably because they talk constantly and don’t study the game,” Hurst suggested.
Wyatt nodded in agreement.
“During the day they squabble over embroidery thread, reading, and anything else they can think of,” Rick complained with a bit of a grin. “Eleonora enjoys playing the pianoforte, which she does quite well, but feels the need to sing at the same time, and that is where the problem lies. I haven’t found a room in the house yet where I can’t hear her.”
Wyatt and Hurst laughed. Rick sipped his brandy again, thinking it was good to be with his friends.
“We do have news that won’t make you any happier than your sister-in-law’s serenading,” Wyatt offered as he moved his glass in a circle on the table.
“As long as the fever stays away, I can manage anything,” he said, knowing he wanted a long life with Edwina.
Wyatt gave him awe’ll seelook, and said, “When we let it be known that the Brass Deck Club was looking for younger members, Matthew Malcolm applied for membership.”
Rick tensed. “What the devil will that man do next? He should know I’m a founding member and wouldn’t vote for him.”
“Obviously he doesn’t,” Hurst murmured.
Rick expelled a short burst of breath. “When did this happen?”
“Today. Some of the team seem quite excited he’s interested in joining. With you now married as well, the fear is that your participation will soon be less and less as with Wyatt. Malcolm is a damn good marksman. Has there been more to his machinations than what we saw from him at the shooting match?”
