“At least she didn’t reject you outright,” Roswell pointed out.
“That is true,” Brixton said. “I can’t believe that I want to willingly fall prey to the parson’s mousetrap.”
Roswell chuckled. “It happens to the best of us.”
Brixton leaned forward in his seat. “I don’t know what she sees in that blasted Featherstone. The man is loathsome.”
“That he is,” Roswell agreed.
“I heard that his mistress is increasing,” Brixton said. “Apparently, she accompanied him to Lady Harvey’s ball, and she made quite a spectacle.”
“How so?” Charles asked.
“Her gown left little to the imagination, and she was blatantly flirting with the other gentlemen at the ball,” Brixton shared.
“What did Featherstone do about it?” Roswell inquired.
“Nothing,” Brixton replied. “He was too busy flirting with the debutantes.”
“Bounder,” Roswell remarked.
Brixton nodded his agreement. “Yet Marjorie is still encouraging him. It is maddening.”
“Perhaps Miss Whiston is not the one for you, then,” Roswell proposed.
“You are wrong,” Brixton said. “I just need to convince her of it.”
“How do you plan on doing that?” Charles asked.
Brixton reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a coral necklace. “I saw this at the jewelers, and I thought of her.”
“You intend to bribe her with jewelry… again?” Charles questioned incredulously.
“No, I intend to woo her with jewelry. It is very different,” Brixton claimed as he returned the necklace to his jacket pocket.
Roswell grinned. “I’m afraid you are past hope.”
Brixton held his empty glass up as a server walked past the table. “That is how my father won over my mother,” he shared.
Charles watched as Featherstone entered the room with a drink in his hand. “Do not look, but Featherstone just stepped into the room.”
“Apparently, they will let anyone in White’s now,” Brixton muttered under his breath.
Featherstone approached their table with a broad smile on his lips. “Good evening, gentlemen.”
Roswell lifted his brow. “I am surprised to see you here tonight, considering you were too busy to show up at the House of Lords today.”
“I’m afraid I had an urgent matter that I needed to attend to,” Featherstone said. “I assure you that it couldn’t be helped.”
“Were you bedding your mistress?” Brixton asked.
A smirk came to Featherstone’s lips. “Wouldn’t you care to know, Brixton?”
“I assure you that I couldn’t care less what you do with your time, but you missed an important vote on the floor,” Brixton said.
Featherstone waved his hand dismissively in front of him. “I have no doubt that my meager little vote did not matter.”
“Every vote counts,” Roswell stated.
