Page 79 of Duke with a Deception
“You are likely on his side, having seduced Whitby’s sister yourself,” Riverdale pointed out uncharitably.
Richford’s jaw went hard. “I will thank you not to speak of my wife in such terms, Riverdale. You go too far.”
But Riverdale wasn’t finished.
He raised a brow. “The truth is suddenly too far?”
King suppressed a wince on Richford’s behalf, for their friend had been involved with Whitby’s innocent sister, Lady Rhiannon, when the latter had stolen into their last house party in disguise. Richford had fallen in love with her, but he’d been too stubborn to realize it until he’d nearly lost her, the idiot. Fortunately, King had been there to offer him counsel and pull him out of the drunken stupor into which he had fallen, supposing Lady Rhiannon was forever lost to him.
“Your quarrel is with King, not with me,” Richford said, sounding cross.
“Yes, if anyone ought to have a quarrel with Richford, it is I,” Whitby added. “Fortunately, we handled our difference of opinion like gentlemen.”
“If that is what you call planting me a facer until my wife thrashed you with a fire poker,” Richford said, grinning.
“Her Grace thrashed Whit with a fire poker?” King broke in. “I’m all ears.”
“She has a surprisingly strong arm,” Whitby admitted ruefully. “Perhaps coming to blows wasn’t the most reasonable course of action. I applaud my sister for keeping me from beating Richford to a bloody pulp.”
“I wasn’t defending myself, and you know it,” Richford countered, sounding miffed by Whitby’s description. “I agreed that I deserved a trouncing for my lack of discretion.”
“Lack of discretion,” Riverdale repeated grimly. “That is what you call it?”
“Good God, Riverdale,” Camden interjected. “We all know how much you love your sister, but must you carry on? We are not here so that you can flay poor King and Richford alive with your tongue.”
“Kingham deserves to be flayed. And worse.”
King held his friend’s glare, saying nothing, because Riverdale wasn’t incorrect. He wouldn’t defend himself entirely. He knew that marrying Verity and going along with her false memories had been wrong. But he had been too selfish to care. Now, he was desperately in love with her, and he was still too selfish to risk losing her, even if he cared.
The guilt was eating at him more steadily by the day. The deeper in love he fell with Verity, the more certain he was that he needed to tell her the truth. If he waited too long, and if she remembered on her own, the chances of her forgiving him were dangerously slim.
“Stubble it, Riverdale,” Brandon said in a pleasant tone of voice that bore no sting. “I hereby call this meeting of the Wicked Dukes Society founders in order. We have a pressing problem on our hands, one which must be addressed.”
“We do indeed,” Riverdale said.
King raised a brow in challenge. Perhaps if they were to come to blows, it would be a good thing. Riverdale was clearly holding on to a great deal of anger. Meanwhile, King was drowning in remorse over keeping the truth from Verity.
“The members have already begun submitting their funds for the next house party,” Brandon continued, ignoring Riverdale’s grumble. “However, as all six of us are now happily wedded husbands, none of us wishes to incur the wrath of our beloved wives by hosting at Wingfield Hall.”
Riverdale muttered something under his breath that King was sure was an insult directed at him. Likely, it was for the best he hadn’t been able to discern the words.
“Surely one of us could host,” Camden suggested.
Brandon turned to him. “You, perhaps?”
“Christ no,” Camden denied. “Rosamund would have my hide.”
“I don’t think Miranda would be in favor of my hosting either,” Whitby said.
“Sybil will castrate me,” Riverdale offered.
“Rhiannon would likely turn the fire poker on me,” Richford added with an amused grin.
“What about you, King?” Camden asked.
There had been a time in his life when he couldn’t have fathomed not wanting to host their raucous house parties or partaking in the debauchery himself. No longer.
King shook his head. “I am a rake reformed, I fear.”
