For a man who knew David’s and my marriage was temporary, he certainly liked to draw attention to the fact that I was David’s wife.
“Julia and I have worked longer hours than David. He seems to think he has work to do in his study instead.”
Garrett eyed David suspiciously.
David shook his head and lifted his hands in defense. “Idohave work to do in my study.”
“Well,” Garrett said, “tomorrow you shall not be allowed in your study. We will all work on the orchard, and I will see for myself who is pulling the most weight.”
“You aren’t afraid of calluses?” I asked Garrett, the playful banter of the gathering making me bold.
He held out his hand. He had calluses on most of his fingers, and his knuckles were thick and heavy—nothing like the hands of a gentleman. “Too late for that, I’m afraid.”
Both David and Julia frowned at Garrett’s hands. Those calluses must have come from his time in London. Did everyone in this family have secrets?
“How do you explain those to Father?” David asked. “You won’t get hands like that at brothels and gambling halls.”
Garrett grunted. “I also don’t go around holding Father’s hands. There is a limit to what I will do to stay in his good graces.”
David’s spine stiffened. “Your limit is, perhaps, too high already.”
“I saw the Mortensens’ new roof on my way in,” Garrett quipped back. “I think they might disagree.”
Julia could see I was struggling to follow the conversation. “Garrett has quite the reputation in London, and according to Father’s accounts, he spends an exorbitant amount on riotous living.”
“And Lord Murphy doesn’t mind that?” I asked.
“Mind it?” Garrett laughed. “He sees it as an established way to control me. As long as I’m living well above my means, I’ll always need to toe the line with him.”
I looked at his hands again. “What are you doing while you are supposed to be in those places?”
Garrett’s face flattened. “Don’t think too highly of your new brother, Mrs. Tate. A lot of the time, Iamin them. He would know if I wasn’t. And the times I’m not?” He shrugged. “I find other ways to keep myself busy.” Garrett didn’t seem to want to talk about his life in London anymore.
I took a deep breath, resigned to my role as one who was always bright and airy about anything that came her way. “I suppose, if your hands will not be on our conscience, we have no choice but to allow you to do our manual labor for us.”
Garrett laughed, and his eyes went to David. “I think your childhood instincts were right about this one. Youshouldkeep her.”
His words, light as they were, hit like daggers. Heknewof our agreement. He knew David never would. David didn’t look at me, but I wondered if his brother’s words had hit him as hard as they had me.
After tea, the four of us played whist for the rest of the afternoon. David must have already started his ban from the study, for he showed no signs of leaving now that Garrett was here.
David and I were always on a team and played well together. David seemed to know exactly what I was thinking and could play the correct card based on how long I stared at him.
How did I know a slight flick of his eyebrow meant I should lay down a spade? I didn’t—not for certain—but I’d been right seven out of ten times, which was enough for us to trounce Julia and Garrett.
When I looked up at the clock after what had seemed at most an hour, I blinked. “It’s five o’clock already?”
“It can’t be.” David turned to the clock and seemed as surprised as I had been. Julia and Garrett nodded as if their inferior play at cards was, at least, trumped by their more accurate ability to guess at the passage of time. “I hate to leave when we are so terribly ahead at cards, but I’m afraid Anna and I will have to excuse ourselves to dress for dinner.”
“I have no doubt it pains you very much,” Garrett said wryly. “Tomorrow, we shall have to separate the two of you. Together you have too much of an advantage.”
“I’m never good at cards.” David said. “The credit goes to Anna.”
“Perfect,” Garrett said with his dazzling smile. Where did these Tate men get such perfect smiles, with their fine teeth and just enough spark in their eyes to make one think they were hiding something? “She will play with me.”
I put a hand to my chest. “I cannot guarantee a repeat performance. I’ve never played better than I did tonight.”
Garrett shrugged. “As long as David plays worse, we should fare well enough.”
