Page 9 of Holding Onto Love

The drawing room was located near the front entrance. It was a pleasant, airy room entered through two tall doors that were almost never closed. As Jasper approached, he could see Hazard standing inside. If he could see Hazard, it meant that Hazard would have seen Collingswood leaving.

Still, that was no cause for alarm. Hazard might recognize the man, but should have no reason to connect the call to Vanessa.

He drew himself up and walked into the room. Hazard’s bright yellow waistcoat was unusually foppish. If things became awkward, he would tease him about it.

“Good afternoon, Iversley,” Hazard said, teasing him. He was no longer simply Lord Jasper Taverston. He outranked Viscount Haslet.

“Haz. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

“Not at all. I haven’t been waiting long.” Hazard nodded toward the hall. “Wasn’t that Collingswood, the younger? Has Wilkerson let you down? If you need a new man—”

“Yes, it was Collingswood. No, I am perfectly content with my own solicitor.” He offered nothing more. He watched his old friend consider digging, then letting it go. Jasper pulled the folded speech from his pocket. He held it out. “Very nice. It won’t get the votes, but I applaud the effort.”

“Oh, I’m not expecting anything this go around. I’m laying the groundwork. I hoped you would argue something specific so I can shore up any glaring weaknesses before I speak.”

“I marked a few places. Our argument is always the same. Cost. The wars have sapped the treasury.”

“Which means our priorities are wrong.” For a moment, Hazard sounded harsh. But then he shrugged, and his more usual good humor replaced his frown. “But I didn’t come here to harangue you. I came because it is past time for you to get well-foxed and bemoan your lost days of wild irresponsibility.”

Jasper would have joked that he had never had wild days, but that would not sit well with Hazard, who knew better. Still, his days of wild irresponsibility were already far in the past. He’d been more faithful to his mistress than most men were to their wives.

“I’m in mourning,” he pointed out. “It would be disrespectful to my father.”

“Bollocks. I’m not suggesting you drink a wheelbarrow at White’s and start tossing insults at peers. I’m talking about a seedy place in Southwark where no one will know you if you start singing bawdy songs.”

Jasper recoiled. “I won’t go to a brothel—”

“With me?” Hazard laughed roughly, showing teeth. “Believe me, I would not take you anywhere I would be interested in going.” He shook off his annoyance and added, “This is not a brothel, merely a pleasantly disgusting drinking establishment.”

Jasper hadn’t meant to scorn Hazard’s company—even if rumors of his predilections were true. But he had no interest in running to light skirts. On the other hand, drowning his sorrows did hold some appeal.

“I have a better idea. We’ll drink here. The liquor is better and the entertainment more refined.”

Hazard looked at him narrowly, then said, “I suppose I’ll be spared having to carry you home. Billiards or cards?”

“Billiards. Crispin had me practicing.”

“Did you win?” He sounded skeptical of the possibility.

“Once.” Jasper turned to the door, gesturing for Hazard to accompany him. “Will brandy do or will you want champagne?”

“I wanted gin. But brandy will do.”

They climbed the stairs and then strolled the hall toward the billiards room. Jasper searched for something to say, something innocuous. “I’m thinking of having the walls painted.”

“Eh?” Hazard pulled a snuffbox from his pocket. He offered it, out of habitual politeness, Jasper supposed, though he must know by now that Jasper would wave it away. He’d never seen the appeal of that particular vice. Hazard took a pinch and put it back, waiting for Jasper to continue.

“Yes, they look rather dingy. If I’m going to undertake such a project, it would be best to do it while the place is empty.”

Hazard snorted, rejecting the conversational topic for the feint it was.

Jasper stopped to speak to a footman. “George, have a bottle of brandy and a couple of glasses brought to the billiards room.”

“Yes, my lord.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. The billiards room was dark and dreary. The air smelled stale. Jasper crossed the room to push open the curtains. When he turned around, he saw Hazard leaning a hip against the table, arms crossed over his chest, looking at him with an amused irritation.

“Are you going to tell me, or do I have to wait until you are drunk and weepy?”