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Chapter Twenty-Five
“Welcome to Hurrow,” Marcella said brightly.
Even Marcella’s cheerful greeting wasn’t enough to break through the heavy cloud which seemed to fall over them all. Not too long ago, this very estate had belonged to his cousin. Reginald’s Aunt Blaire smiled brilliantly. Beside her, Simon looked as stiff and cold as a marble statue.
“Thank you!” Blaire exclaimed. “Why, did the two of you just happen to be at the door, or did you come rushing to greet us?”
“We spent some time in the garden,” Reginald replied.
Did he imagine that Simon’s gaze remained fixed upon Marcella? Reginald felt something hot and fierce curl in his chest. He remembered what Marcella said about her finding something undefinable, butoddabout Simon.
“How marvelous!” Blaire exclaimed. “A pity we couldn’t join you for that. You must forgive me for not properly coming to call, but I thought it would be the most delightful surprise if Simon and I visited unexpectedly. The most wonderful things in life are those which we do not anticipate.”
Thatwas something which Reginald and his aunt would never agree upon, but then, their experiences withsurprisewere quite different from one another’s. For Reginald, surprise meant a pistol not working, a robbery going wrong, or the too timely appearance of a constable.
“So they are,” Marcella said. “We’re very delighted to see you. Would you’d like to join me in the drawing room, My Lady? Adeline is also here. It could be quite enjoyable with the three of us.”
Blaire waved dismissively. “Please, call meBlaire. We’re family now, however distant our relations.”
“Blaire, then,” Marcella replied.
Reginald could think of little that he’d dislike less than abandoning his lovely wife and charming aunt in favor of his cousin Simon, but this might be a blessing in disguise. This might be an opportunity to get some answers aboutwhySimon had chosen to squander their fortune.
And he might be able to imply that his cousin ought to be around less. Even if Marcella couldn’t articulate any rational reasons for why Simon might make her uncomfortable, the fact that he did was enough for Reginald to want him far away from the estate.
“Shall we go to my study, cousin?” Reginald asked.
Simon nodded stiffly. “Of course.”
They parted ways, Marcella offering only a small smile to Reginald’s plight. It would be preposterous of him to ask to join her, but Reginald was sorely tempted to. He could claim ignorance of protocol, but then, there would still be Simon to contend with.
Once the ladies left, Reginald set a brisk pace to his office, bounding up the stairs. He heard Simon make a small, huffing sound as he fought to keep up with Reginald’s longer stride.
“Your study isn’t going to move if you don’t hurry to it,” Simon said.
“I’m unaccustomed to going slow,” Reginald retorted. “Slow highwaymen are quickly captured.”
Let Simon remember just how dangerous I can be.
Reginald had no intentions of doing anything beyond posturing a little, showing how much power he had. Even if he was a gentleman, he wasn’t the usual one, and he had no intention of letting Simon bully him. When Reginald recalled how Simon’s gaze had seemed to linger on Marcella, it made his blood burn.
“Charming,” Simon drawled.
“I know.”
Reginald rounded to the floor of his study and threw open the door. Matthew wasn’t there; he’d gone to London to meet with a solicitor. It was just Reginald and Simon, which was for the best. Someveryungentlemanly words might be said, and Matthew Smythe would most definitely not approve of them.
“Have a seat,” Reginald said, as he took his own place behind the desk.
Casting him an annoyed glance, Simon lowered himself into the nearby chair. His gaze swept critically over the room. “I see you wasted no time in changing the place to suit your own tastes.”
“By removing the excessively gaudy amount of art, yes,” Reginald replied. “This is a study, not a museum to flaunt before my guests.”
“What would you know of taste? You spent a decade away from theton,” Simon pointed out. “Or have you forgotten that?”
Reginald smiled thinly. “Marcella has taste enough for the both of us, and I don’t appreciate how you leered at her.”
Simon laughed haughtily. “Are you going to say that to every gentleman who dares to look at your wife? She must really dislike you if you fear she’s going to cuckold you already.”
