“I am an excellent liar,” Greydon insisted. “I make my living lying to the people closest to me.”
“Then you need to work on that.”
Greydon glanced around the room. “There must be someone else in this room that you can bother.”
“I know many people in this room, but none are in need of me as much as you are.”
“Why do you think I need you?”
Lord Roswell grinned. “I am rather good at providing advice. Some might even call me an expert on love.”
“Now you are just spouting nonsense.”
“Perhaps, but I am an excellent listener,” Lord Roswell said.
Greydon reached for his drink. “What will it take for you to go away and leave me in peace?” he asked as he brought the glass up to his lips.
“There is only one reason why you are so ornery, and it is a woman,” Lord Roswell said matter-of-factly.
“You aren’t wrong,” Greydon admitted.
Lord Roswell’s smile grew. “The love master is all knowing.”
“Will you stop calling yourself that?” Greydon asked, lowering the glass to his lap. “No one will ever call you that.”
“I don’t think that is true. It is rather catchy, if you ask me,” Lord Roswell joked.
“But no one is asking you,” Greydon stated.
His friend’s smile disappeared but the mirth was still in his eyes. “Will you tell me what happened between you two?”
Greydon let out a sigh. He might as well tell Lord Roswell the truth. With any luck, it would cause him to leave faster. “I offered for Enid, but she turned me down.”
“Interesting,” Lord Roswell said. “Why do you suppose she did that?”
“She still harbors scars from her first marriage and she doesn’t believe she is worthy of me,” Greydon admitted.
“What do you intend to do about that?”
“I intend to fight for her,” Greydon replied. “She is my match, my other half, and I won’t allow her to walk away.”
“But what if it is for the best?”
Greydon reared back. “How can you even say that?”
Lord Roswell shrugged. “Lady Enid is ruined, and your reputation will suffer as a result of it.”
“I care little of my reputation.”
“But perhaps you should,” Lord Roswell said. “If you are a laughingstock amongst high Society, how do you expect to get any serious work done in the House of Lords?”
“I have no intention of playing the political game.”
“You say that now, but things could change when you inherit your father’s earldom,” Lord Roswell said.
Greydon shook his head. “I would rather have Enid for a wife than approval from theton.”
Leaning forward, Lord Roswell said, “I just want you to acknowledge that you will be fighting an uphill battle if you wed Lady Enid. Your friends might abandon you, you could stop receiving invitations to social gatherings, and thetonwill turn against you.”
