Page 64 of The Wedding-Crashing Duchess

“The tea is for me.”

“You ordered enough for two.”

“I assumed you would ignore the first request to leave.”

Gregory’s smile widened.

“You do know me.”

“I know that you make yourself difficult to remove.”

“And yet you will not allow me the chance to know your wife,” Gregory said, allowing the humour to fade just enough to make the complaint sound sincere. “Ronan, I am not asking for anything unreasonable, and I do not understand why you are treating a simple introduction as though it will expose some delicate secret. The honeymoon ended a week ago, Augusta is no longer settling into the house under the excuse of privacy, and I am not some distant acquaintance who will carry every observation into a drawing room. I am your friend, and I would like to meet her.”

Ronan set down the pen he had not used.

“You are not discreet.”

“I am perfectly discreet when the matter deserves it.”

“You decide very few matters deserve it.”

“That is an unfair summary of my character, although I admit it contains enough truth to make argument inconvenient,” Gregory replied. “Still, I have never betrayed your confidence, and I would not make Augusta uncomfortable merely to satisfy curiosity.”

“You are making me uncomfortable to satisfy curiosity.”

“That is different, since irritating you has been part of our friendship for years.”

Ronan leaned back in his chair, although the movement only made the exhaustion in his shoulders more apparent.

“You will meet her eventually.”

“I dislike eventually,” Gregory said. “It is a word used by people who hope delay will become refusal without requiring them to say so. I have therefore decided upon a more practical arrangement, and I shall remain for dinner tonight.”

“No.”

Gregory blinked as though the answer had surprised him, then he looked towards the clock.

“You may object now if it helps preserve your sense of authority, although I have already informed my household that I will not return before evening, and I am wearing a coat suitable for dinner, so the matter is largely settled.”

“It is not settled,” Ronan said. “You cannot invite yourself to my table.”

“I have done so many times.”

“Not when I have specifically told you not to.”

“You have never specifically told me not to with such speed, which only strengthens my determination,” Gregory replied, and then he crossed one ankle over the other. “You are behaving as though allowing Augusta and me to sit in the same room will produce some catastrophe, and now I must know whether the fear concerns what she might learn about you or what I might notice about the two of you.”

“There is nothing to notice.”

“That reply arrived quickly as well.”

Ronan looked at him with open irritation.

“You will not stay for dinner.”

“I will.”

“No.”