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“S o this is where you’ve been hiding,” his friend said with a broad smile.

“Were you looking for me?” Christopher asked, surprised.

“I was, actually. I wanted to be sure you were all right. Your footman couldn’t tell me your whereabouts, but I thought I’d come by here for a quick nip before retiring for the night. I’m glad I did,” Colburne said, taking the seat opposite.

“I do not generally keep my household constantly appraised of my movements, no. Why wouldn’t I be all right?” Christopher responded, a little confused.

“Lady Moreton was concerned about you, that’s all. She said that you’d told her you would try to attend the Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society get-together this evening.” Colburne raised his hand to wave down a footman, but then realized he was seated in the dark and probably couldn’t be seen. “Just a moment.”

“I’ve got a bottle of rum I’d be happy to share. Just get yourself a glass,” Christopher told him as he stood.

“Ah, excellent.” He stepped away and returned just a minute later, followed by a footman with another glass for him.

The rum was poured, and the men lifted their glasses.

“Here’s to ladies who are thinking of us,” Colburne said.

Christopher couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “I will drink to that.” He did, and then asked, “Was she actually upset I didn’t turn up?”

“She was. I found her lurking by the door, looking worried.”

“Well…”

“She didn’t understand why you might not show, oddly enough,” Colburne commented after another sip of his drink.

“Surely…”

“She’s probably the most kind-hearted woman I know.”

Christopher sighed. “And I was a cad and told her I’d be there. I tried, actually. I made it as far as the door.”

“But?”

“But I didn’t want to face the reactions,” Christopher admitted. “The gasps, the fear-filled eyes, the winces.” He could have gone on but felt he’d made his point.

“It can’t be easy.”

“It’s not. Not when… I don’t mean this to sound conceited but—”

“You were the most handsome boy at school.” Colburne said it for him.

“I think I might have been,” Christopher admitted.

“You always had the girls.”

“Yes. But that’s not going to happen again, now, is it? It’s surprising Lady Moreton doesn’t cringe every time she sees me. I’m not quite sure how she doesn’t, to be honest.” Maybe he’d had too much to drink. He was being awfully forthright this evening.

“I think she cares about you, not your face. She mentioned you were the most handsome man—inside—and really didn’t care so much about the outside,” Colburne said, a little smile playing on his lips.

“Did she?”

“She did.”

“She has yet to get to know me well, clearly,” Christopher said with a little laugh.

Colburne burst out laughing—a little too hard for Christopher’s liking. “I have a feeling she’ll like you even then.”

“Well, that just shows a lack of good judgement on her part.”

“You missed a very enjoyable party,” Colburne said, changing the subject.

“Did I? And how was it different from any other society party?” Christopher asked.

Colburne thought about it for a minute and then gave a little shrug. “Well, it started off with Archer Fitzwalter doing his usual rounds of the room, asking absolutely every man if they’d be interested in investing in his new company. It then moved to Lord Kineton having his nose broken by Miss Benton, and concluded with a huge toast to no fewer than six marriages. So, no, maybe you’re right, it was no different from any other social gathering,” he finished with a laugh.

Christopher couldn’t help but burst out laughing as well. “Lady Moreton did mention the six marriages to me when she asked me to come, and I have to admit the number still astounds me. Did Miss Benton—whoever she may be—break Lord Kineton’s nose on purpose or was that an accident? And you will have to explain further who Archer Fitzwalter is, and why he’s drumming up investment for his business at a party.” In truth, Christopher didn’t think he’d ever been so diverted.

“Miss Benton punched Kineton, although I don’t know she’d actually intended to break his nose. Apparently, he made an indecent advance. She responded appropriately—at least to my mind.”

“My goodness! Remind me never to make any sort of advances to the young lady,” Christopher commented with a chuckle.

“And Archer Fitzwalter is a very nice fellow but rather single-minded. He’s been fighting for the East India Company and had an idea about paying the farmers of Madras a reasonable amount for their goods or some such thing. You’d have to ask him for the details, but he’s so set on funding this company he’s starting that he doesn’t seem to do anything else. He might be wooing Miss Benton, but to be honest, I haven’t been paying a great deal of attention.”

“Hmm.” Christopher hadn’t exactly been on the lookout for a new investment opportunity, but this sounded intriguing. “You wouldn’t happen to know how to get in touch with him? It sounds like something I might want to learn more about.”

“Last I heard he was staying with Kineton.”

A clock nearby rang the hour. Colburne jumped from his chair. “My God, I didn’t realize it was so late. I really should get going.”

“I’ll walk out with you,” Christopher said, standing as well. He was still thinking about Fitzwalter. “I wonder if my butler would know where this Kineton fellow lives.”

“If he doesn’t, I’m sure he could discover it easily enough,” Colburne said, as they wandered past the few remaining men in the reading room.

“Looks like most everyone’s already gone home,” Christopher commented.

“Oh, I’m sure the gaming room is still packed,” Colburne said with a laugh.

“There’s a gaming room?”

“Yes. Wickford has done an excellent job with the design of the club, hasn’t he? You don’t even hear the shouts and cries.” Colburne briefly opened a door opposite the one they’d just walked out of, and they were blasted with the noise and ruckus of the games. When he closed the door again, it was once again nearly silent in the foyer.

“That is well done!” Christopher agreed. He also suddenly realized that he’d just walked past a number of men without even noticing anyone’s reaction to him—if there had even been any. He’d spent a very enjoyable few hours in public and hadn’t been bothered or caused anyone to faint, gasp, or recoil. He was definitely going to have to come back to this club.

~April 24~

Freddie was sitting up on the edge of his bed when Christopher arrived at the hospital the next afternoon.

“Well, look at you!” Christopher said, grinning as well as he could. He could feel his face trying to stretch his scar into an unfamiliar shape. It tugged and pulled and probably made him look horrific, but he persisted, nonetheless.

“Can ye believe it, the doctor says I can go?” Freddie asked, shaking his head in disbelief. He was smiling too, but it wasn’t as bright and sure as it should have been, Christopher noticed.

“That’s excellent, but there’s something else, isn’t there?”

Freddie gave a dry laugh. “Well, they say I can go, only I don’t quite know where.” He scratched at his greasy head.

“What do you mean? You’re coming home with me. Where else would you go?”

“That’s very good of ye, Major, but I couldn’t impose. I’ll… I’ll find someplace,” Freddie started, his cheeks turning ever so slightly pink.

Christopher could tell the man was embarrassed at not having a home to go to, but truly, how could he? He’d been a footman living in his employer’s home when he joined the army. There was only one thing Christopher could do to help Freddie save face, and he didn’t hesitate for even a moment. “There is no place for you to find, unless you’d prefer to find another place of employment. Is that what it is? You’d rather not work for me anymore. If so, I can certainly understand and will be happy to write you a letter of reference—”

“What? You… you want me…?” Freddie couldn’t even finish his sentence, he was so taken aback.

“Of course I need you to come back into my employ. I can assure you, leaving you was not my idea. We’ve been together for years, Freddie. And no one knows just how I like things as well as you,” Christopher explained as if it were a matter of course.

Freddie just shook his head. “I can’t… I can’t thank ye enough, Major.”

“You have no need to thank me—truly. I am a stubborn old thing, and I like to have people around me who I know and who know me. That’s that.”

“I, er, I won’t quite be up on me feet right away…” he started.

“No. I am well aware. But you will have your room, nonetheless. I know that as soon as you can return to work you will do so with your usual attention to detail and care.”

“Ye know I will!” Freddie agreed with enthusiasm.

Christopher helped his old friend from the hospital after all the paperwork was handled. He was happy to be there for the man. Peter might be a little put-out by being replaced, but Christopher would write him a letter and see what he could do to find him a new post once Freddie was on his feet again.

They were approaching the front door to leave when it opened, and Lady Moreton stepped in.

“Oh! Lord Pennyston,” she said, stopping short directly in front of him.

He gave her a bright smile. “Lady Moreton, how lovely to see you.” His words might not have been as welcome as expected though—she immediately lost her smile.

Putting her hands on her hips, she frowned at him. “You didn’t come to the party last night! I waited, and you never showed.”

“What? How could ye do that?” Freddie said, very unhelpfully.

Christopher frowned at him. “I didn’t—”

“Yes, you did! You said you would come to Lady Ayres’ party, and unless you showed up after I left at half-past eleven…” she said, clearly unhappy with him.

“Well, you see… I actually did show. I went. I stood outside the house,” Christopher explained. This was dashed awkward!

“Outside? You stood outside ?” she clarified, not becoming any less angry.

“Yes. And while I was doing so, a fellow came up—er, Lord Wickford, do you know him?” Christopher asked, possibly hoping she would become distracted by a change in topic.

“I do. Continue,” she said, folding her arms.

“Oh, er, yes. He joined me and said that he was supposed to attend the gathering but decided he’d much rather go for a drink. He invited me to join him,” Christopher finished.

“So you went to some club with another fella rather than meet Lady Moreton ?” Freddie asked, clearly surprised by Christopher’s actions. She too looked at him expectantly.

“Well… it sounded very nice. And I can tell you it was. He’s got a very nice—”

“You went to Powell’s to drink with Lord Wickford rather than join me. Well.” She sighed and looked away. There was steel to her eyes when she turned back. “Very well. You clearly prefer another man’s company to mine. Sergeant Jones, I am sorry to see you leaving us,” she said, directing herself to Freddie and completely dismissing Christopher.

“What? No!” Christopher objected. She’d misunderstood him.

“What, no? You said you went with Lord Wickford rather than joining me inside. Did you not just tell me this?” she clarified.

“Yes, I did, but not because I didn’t want to be with you. If you hadn’t been at a party, I can assure you I would much rather have been with you,” Christopher said.

“Oh. So, it was the party you didn’t want to attend. Then why did you tell me you would? Did you think to make a May game of me?” she asked. “Because I can tell you quite a number of people asked why I was waiting by the door, and the looks they gave me when I told them I was waiting for you were… well, they were rather sad.”

“I’m so sorry. Of course I didn’t... I just…” Christopher didn’t have a good answer. Telling her he’d only agreed to go because she had called in the favor he’d offered didn’t sound very nice.

She waited much too patiently for Christopher to say something, but he had nothing.

“Listen,” he said finally. “This isn’t the time or place to discuss this. Freddie is probably already exhausted just standing here all this time. I will speak with you soon and, er, we’ll make other arrangements or, or something.”

She looked up at him with slightly pursed lips—clearly still not happy.

He stepped around her. “It was lovely seeing you. I’ll… er, I’ll… see you again, I’m certain.” He had no idea how or when, but he would—he would make sure of it. He would just do so when her anger had cooled.

*

Ellen watched Lord Pennyston and Sergeant Jones leave the hospital. She was not happy, not at all, not with either of them.

Lord Pennyston didn’t have an excuse for not showing at the party last night. He didn’t even try to make one up. And Sergeant Jones, while it was wonderful that he was well enough to leave, she was going to miss his lively conversation. The fact that his presence also brought Lord Pennyston to the hospital was not lost on Ellen, either. How and when would she ever have an opportunity to see a man who didn’t attend society functions?

She just didn’t see him stopping by for a visit, and she was not in the habit of hosting an at-home once a week like so many other ladies did.

No, she had a horrible, hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach she might never see that handsome, sweet, annoying man again.