Page 24

Stapleton House

Marylebone, Mayfair

London, England

W hen Alexander entered the drawing room in Stapleton House—his former home until Lewis had married—he stifled a groan to find not only Duncan there but also his mother.

Since Lydia had a prior commitment with her father that evening—she was attending a rout—he’d decided to call on his brother and perhaps ask Lewis’ council on the matter of the doctor’s daughter.

Yet now there was an audience, and he didn’t want or need that.

“Ah, Alexander, how lovely to see you here tonight too,” Lewis greeted from his position at the sideboard.

Currently, he poured out two cut-crystal glasses of brandy while the new countess talked quietly with the dowager on a low sofa.

“Sit, sit. It will be good to have an at-home this evening and to share a meal like we used to.”

“Indeed.” He crossed the floor, and at the sofa where his mother sat, he leaned over and bussed her cheek. “Good evening, Mama.” Afterward, he took Cecilia’s hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed the back. “Countess.”

Both ladies tittered while Duncan snorted from his position on the sofa opposite theirs.

“Doing it up too brown brother,” Duncan said with the shake of his head.

Dropping onto a cushion beside his brother, Alexander peered at him. “There is nothing wrong with showing a bit of charm and class, even if it’s only to family. You should practice that sometime.”

“Don’t think to lecture me in deportment. I’m by far more charming than you.” A chuckle came from his brother.

“Stop, the two of you,” their mother said with a sniff. “It has been far too long since we were all together as a family.”

Alexander snorted. “We were just together for Lewis’ nuptial ceremony a month ago, Mama. That’s hardly an age.” When Lewis brought over glasses of brandy and gave them to both him and Duncan, he grinned. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome. I’m glad you came for dinner.” Lewis took his own glass to a chair near his mother’s location.

“As am I.” A meal was a meal, and if he didn’t need to pay for it, all the better. Some foods were still scarce due to last year’s mess of not having a summer when crops failed, but to be honest, his appetite had been lagging ever since he’d met Lydia. “What is on the menu tonight?”

The new countess smiled. “Roasted chicken in cream sauce for the main. Beyond that, I don’t remember, for doing the menus weekly isn’t something I especially excel at.”

“It will come easier with time, dear,” their mother said as she patted Cecilia’s hand.

“You are doing an incredible job, Cecilia,” Lewis said with enough obvious affection in his gaze as he looked at his wife that Alexander felt a touch uncomfortable.

“Do hush, Lethbridge,” she murmured with a blush in her cheeks. “I am trying my best.”

Lewis sipped his own brandy with an indulgent smile. “What brought you out here tonight, Alex? Thinking of entering another bout? There’s one coming up, but I’m not certain if there are empty spots or not.” He shot a glance to Duncan. “Is there?”

Duncan shrugged. “I don’t believe so, unless one of the fighters drops out, but if you want me to put Alex’s name on the wait list, I will.”

Excitement buzzed at the base of Alexander’s spine at the prospect of boxing for prize money again. “I’m interested.”

Their mother frowned. “Didn’t Lewis’ injuries last month show you that boxing isn’t good for your health? It is a waste of time besides.” She shook her head. “I wish you boys wouldn’t put yourselves into harm’s way with it; I don’t care that you consider fighting your father’s legacy.”

“It is better to claim bare knuckle boxing as a gift from Papa than knowing we all have to scrimp and work a trade to fill the empty coffers.” With a shrug, Alexander left the relative safety of the sofa in order to pace the floor in front of the cold fireplace.

Since the windows were open, a summer breeze wafted into the room, redolent with the scent of flowers and the smell of the air just before it rained.

“I’m not interested in having a discussion about this, Mama.

These are the circumstances, and we are all trying to find our way through. ”

“Is the boxing salon turning a profit, then?” his mother wanted to know. On the surface, it was an innocent enough question.

“While I keep the books, I’m by no means an expert at it.

” Alexander turned to bounce his gaze between his brothers, who both looked at him intently.

“Stapleton Boxing Salon has been in operation for just over four months. The first two, there was much red in the ledgers, but then we’d been new at it.

In the following two months, we have signed at least thirty clients, and within that number, thirty percent of them have been contracted for private lessons, which bring in more income than coming for lessons at the salon. ”

“Then all is well?” his mother asked with a hopeful expression.

“All is steady.” Alexander took a long sip of the brandy.

He winced as the liquor stung his throat.

“However, during the past month following Lewis’ wedding, he has been absent from the salon.

Many of the men who come to the salon do so because of the chance to box or spar against him—a champion.

They want to talk about our father, and Lewis is the best one with that knowledge. ”

“What are you trying to say, Alex?” Lewis asked with a warning growl in his voice.

Well, damn. He hadn’t meant to bring this up so soon and certainly not within this company, but there was nothing for it.

Turning the full force of his attention on his older brother, he sighed.

“The fact of the matter is this. The moment you married, it is as if you’ve forgotten about everything else in your life.

” Briefly, he looked at Cecilia. “Not that you aren’t worth his time, love, for you are, and you match him perfectly. Make him a better man.”

Odd how the right woman had the power to do that.

The new countess nodded. “I take no offense, for I have said something along the same lines as you. I, too, feel he needs to divide his time between me and the salon, and since we haven’t gone on a wedding trip, there is no excuse.”

“Especially since this business venture is still quite new,” Alexander finished with a nod.

“And it was your idea to begin with as a way to fill the family coffers. The men wishing to have lessons taught by a Stapleton brother by and large want you, Lewis. Whether you like it or not, your name is well known to most people who are interested in bare-knuckle boxing; they come to be instructed by you, and when days go by without your presence in the salon, crowds flag.”

“To say nothing of the fact you completely ignored Alexander at his bout last week,” Duncan said into the silence that followed. “We started the salon together; we should continue in that same vein. If we all chase are own pursuits, the salon will fail.”

Alexander rushed to add on another tidbit.

“That isn’t to say the salon should be the only thing of importance in any of our lives.

However, since it is a new business, we all need to put a good bulk of our time and energy into making it a success.

” Pausing to sip his brandy, he then blew out a breath.

“I am sacrificing my time and patience by continuing to work on the ledgers even though I’m not good at it nor do I enjoy it. You can make a sacrifice as well.”

Duncan cleared his throat. “At least until such time that the salon can maintain self-sufficiency and you can begin spending more time with your lovely wife.”

Good God, would they all be given dressing downs?

When he assumed his brother would bluster and yell, Lewis nodded and appeared to think over the suggestions and accusations.

He nodded. “I think you are correct, Alex, and let me apologize for being absent. I shall make a point to be in the salon for at least half of each day. Would that satisfy some of your complaints?”

“For me, yes.” Alexander nodded and glanced at Duncan. “What about you?”

His youngest brother shrugged. “It would be a good change.”

Something deep inside prodded Alexander to speak up and advocate for himself.

“At some point going forward, I would like to move away from doing the books for the salon and try my hand at managing the business, which would allow me a more hands-on approach. I could help all aspects of the salon run more efficiently if I didn’t have to struggle with the ledgers and accounts.

And it would allow you to move away from that and into taking over private lessons. ”

Silence met that statement, and as knots formed in his gut, Lewis finally nodded.

“We shall talk about that later, but you’ve brought up good points that will have me thinking differently on how we run the salon.” He offered a tight grin. “Thank you for the insights.”

He let his breath ease from his chest as relief flowed through him. “You’re welcome. I think if we shift responsibilities between the three of us, everyone will have more leisure time and feel happier with the tasks we’re working on.”

“Impressive, brother,” Duncan said with that same sentiment reflecting in his eyes. “You’ve changed, somehow. No longer are you a pushover, or unwilling to voice an opinion that might ruffle feathers.”

“You are correct, Duncan,” Lewis agreed. He then drained the brandy from his glass as he rested his gaze on Alexander. “There is something different about our brother.” Interest lit his eyes while surprise lined their mother’s face. “What have you been occupied with of late?”

Oh, dear God.

Alexander shook his head. “Nonsense. I’m the same man that I’ve always been.”