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Saturday, 16 July 1825
Pentney House
After dinner
“You cannot believeI will let you do this without telling Papa. Timothy, it is too dangerous!”
Lord Timothy Aloysius Percival Surrey, heir to the Earl of Pentney and Eloise’s baby brother, flopped back on the foot of the bed and moaned as if the world were ending. His fingers scrubbed hard through his blond curls. “Ellie! You cannot! It would spoil everything.”
Eloise watched him in the mirror of her dressing table. She tried to sit still as her maid, Cordelia, finished combing out her hair and twisting it into a tight chignon, but she seriously wanted to strangle Timothy. “It would certainly spoil everything for Mama and Papa if you get hurt. Or worse. You cannot think this is a good idea! Running around all hours of the night with your friends? The four of you are barely out of leading strings!”
He sat up, glaring at her. “Now who is exaggerating? I’m five and ten! I’m of age. Girls that age get married. Even younger. I could get married if I wanted. And Mowbray is old!”
“Six and ten is not old. And girls marry that young to be protected inside a home. Not so they can gallivant around the city doing God knows what. Just because you are old enough by law does not mean you should do so. And I certainly would not want to be in the room if you made this pronouncement to Papa.” She looked at Delie in the mirror. “God save us from Etonians who think they’re grown and invincible.”
“Iamalmost grown. Galpin’s already had his first who—”
“Timothy!” When he grinned, Eloise tried to pretend the word had not bothered her. “You are notthatgrown. What about Rowbotham?”
Timothy gave a lazy shrug. “He is too much of a prig. He did not want to come tonight.”
“Is he not also your friend?”
Another shrug, and he looked down at his hands, fiddling with one fingernail.
“Perhaps you should visit him instead.”
“He whines. And I really dislike being at their house. I do not know how you can stand it.”
“We all do things we need to, even if we do not wish to. You should learn that now, young man.”
The pout resumed. “You are being petty. And selfish.Youare going out gallivanting tonight.”
Delie had finished with the chignon, and this time Eloise did turn on Timothy, scowling. “I am most certainly notgallivanting. I have an appointment. I’m taking our carriage and Delie as my chaperone. A footman and a coachman will be with us. And Papa knows where I’m going, who I’ll be with, and when I’ll be back. I’m also thirty years old. Are you willing to tell Papa where you will be?”
Timothy pouted better than even her sisters. “No. He would never let me go.”
“Of course not. He does not want to see you hurt.”
“I willnotget hurt. We are just going to a gambling salon, then try to find—” He glanced at Delie and for the first time, he hesitated, his cheeks reddening. The unflappable Delie simply arched an eyebrow at him.
“You know. Girls. Women.” He looked down at his knees.
Eloise refused to be shocked. “Why not ask Papa about taking you and your friends to White’s? That’s where gentlemen gamble. You have no idea what is in store at a gambling den.”
His look turned sharp. “Do you?”
“Of course not!”
“Then how do you know it’s dangerous?”
“Because I read the papers! Bow Street never raids White’s. They raid places in Covent Garden all the time.The Morning Chronicleis filled with such reports. What if you get picked up and carted to jail?”
“I’ll tell them I’m the son of an earl and they’ll let me go.”
Delie coughed, and Eloise bit her lip.Time to change tactics.“Timothy, I love you. I could not live with myself if something happened to you, and I did not do all I could to stop you. And you must keep in mind what it would do to Mama and Papa.” She sat next to him on the bed and pulled him into her arms. “You are my favorite brother.”
