Page 81 of Waiting for Love

They all clambered from the table with alacrity. Except Hazard, who stood slowly, as if rising from slumber. He had been seated beside Olivia. When she’d spilled, Benjamin realized, Hazard had not applauded. He didn’t even laugh.

“Brandy in my study, gentlemen,” Jasper announced, continuing the parody of a formal dinner party. Benjamin felt a flash of disappointment. He’d prefer Olivia’s company to brandy.

The men and women parted outside the dining room. As the men made their way to the study, Benjamin had the strong sense that something was wrong. They filed into the room and Jasper shut the door. He retrieved a bottle and glasses from a cabinet. They each took a glass after he poured.

“We should sit,” he said, dropping into his own chair. “We may be a while.”

They sat. Benjamin was disturbed by how morose Hazard looked. Jasper regarded him with concern.

“We met your cousin at the park this afternoon.”

“Yes, I know. He mentioned it.” Hazard’s frown looked pained. “I’m sorry. I hope he wasn’t too very bothersome.”

“No. He behaved perfectly correctly. If anything, I was rude.”

Hazard didn’t respond to that. Instead, studying his glass, he said, “He appeared on my doorstep this morning. He was supposed to stay in Cumbria. That was the bargain. But he has never in his life kept his word.”

No one said anything. They drank, and Jasper got up to pour another round.

“How long does he intend to stay?”

Hazard snorted. “Until he has exhausted his credit. And mine.”

The two brothers regarded him with commiseration, but Benjamin didn’t understand. He had thought Hazard’s fortune to be inexhaustible.

Hazard slammed down his hand. “He marched into my home, mine, as if he owned the place already!”

Already?

“Throw him out,” Jasper said.

“He will not go. Am I to hire ruffians to toss him out bodily?”

“I would.”

Hazard sniffed. Then he turned to Benjamin. “Bertram is my cousin’s son, and, to my eternal regret, he is my heir. He has been living on expectations all his life and now he has decided I am not dying fast enough to suit him.” He choked and faced toward Jasper again. “He will drive me to my grave.”

Jasper made an angry grunting noise.

“The war is over. Maybe I should go to Italy.” There was a quiet desperation in Hazard’s tone. His voice dropped to barely audible. “Chester said he would come, too, if I go.”

“Haz,” Jasper murmured.

The room grew silent enough that Benjamin noticed the faint tick of the wall clock. The walls felt oppressively close.

When Hazard he spoke, it was as though tears were avoided only by anger. “He says he has come for the Season to find a wife. And that someone needs to ensure the family line. The devil of it is, he is right. Damn him.” He wrung his hands together. “And damn me for failing to do it. If he goes anywhere near Olivia, Jasper, shoot him.” Then he gasped out something that was more a sob than a laugh. “No. Have Reginald do it. You’ll miss.”

“He will not be permitted to bother Livvy,” Jasper said. “Don’t concern yourself with that. I will not waste time with Reg. I’ll call Crispin home.”

Hazard rubbed the back of his hand across his eyes and said, “I am making too much of this. He has done this before. Nothing comes of it.”

“This?” Reg asked, echoing the question in Benjamin’s head.

“Makes threats.” Hazard waved his hand, dismissing whatever threats there might be. But now Benjamin had pieced it together. Why Hazard’s heir was this wastrel of a fellow and not a son of his own. Why Hazard would go to Italy. Why Lord Chesterfield would go with him. Rupe. So, it was true. This was why no clarification for “threats” was forthcoming. And why no one asked. Hazard was committing a crime punishable by execution.

Hazard drained his glass. Then resorted to his snuff box. When he seemed more in control of himself, he said, “You invited me for supper because you had something to discuss?”

“It isn’t important.”