Page 2 of On the Ropes of Scandal (With Love in Their Corner #3)
Of course, it was Lydia who answered. “The earl isn’t wrong. I’ve studied medicine for a long time. Men, especially, are prone to contracting quite nasty things when they’ve visited too many beds.”
Oh, God.
Heat went up the back of Duncan’s neck. How did they even come to this topic? “I am careful of who I’m intimate with.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Lewis went on with a wave of his hand. “The family grows weary of your scandals and on-dits. The best course is if you find honest work to give you a sense of purpose.”
What was this, then? Hot anger rose in his chest. “I bring in quite enough money for the salon, and I’ve won more than enough bouts recently to keep that funding flowing.” His downfall was expensive women and the lure of the gaming tables.
And too much high quality, imported brandy.
When his mother cleared her throat, all eyes went to the dowager. “Or, barring that, you can join the church.”
After a few moments of shocked silence, hilarity erupted around the room.
“Duncan?” Alexander nearly fell off the sofa in his amusement. “Can you even imagine him as a vicar? A pious man? A man who is responsible for leading sinners to the light?”
His mother narrowed her eyes. “What’s better than an example?”
Even Lewis’ lips twitched. “I don’t believe we need to go that far, and no, the church would kick him back, for he is not a penitent man.”
The dowager huffed. “He could be if he but tried. Besides, having structure in his life would benefit him. Relying on being humble and caring about other people might have a profound effect on him.”
What kind of shit is this?
The conversation was over. Duncan rose to his feet and brushed a piece of lint from his sleeve. “With all due respect, Mama, I am not joining the church. In fact, I’d rather not step foot in a church for any reason, thank you.”
“Then go into banking, son. It should keep you busy.”
He blew out a breath. “Alexander’s the one with a head for numbers. Clearly, I can’t take care of the income I do have, so that’s also a no.”
Lewis held up a hand. “Calm yourself, Duncan. I truly don’t believe that is in your future either.
” He nodded. “However, you’ll need to sort yourself out.
An honest days’ work. No more dropping into the salon when it suits you around your other…
activities. You’ll come in and open the salon, help Alexander with lessons, and then close it out with either him or me. ”
“Ah, but here’s the rub.” He refused to let his family bully him.
“I used to do that, but I was annoyed when you fellows decided your wives were more important and left me with the responsibility of running the salon by myself more times than not.” What had been a three-man operation was often neglected, and he was tired of it.
“Quite frankly, I never signed on to take care of everything by myself, and when I’m stuck at the salon, I don’t have the freedom to talk to men who might invest in our business, which is where my talents lie. ”
At least his brothers had the grace to look uncomfortable. It was something.
“And if I’m being fully honest, I don’t want to toil for the rest of my life for something that won’t fully benefit me.” If it sounded harsh, he couldn’t help that.
“I understand.” Alexander nodded. “That is our fault, and you’re right. Just because Lewis and I are married, we shouldn’t shirk our duties.” He offered an apologetic smile. “I’m trying to do better.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Duncan groused.
Though Lewis exchanged a glance with his wife and then nodded, he said nothing.
“Boys, that is enough.” His mother guided the direction of the conversation back to the topic at hand.
“Do better, Duncan. Out of all my sons, you are the one who reminds me the most of your father.” When the other two boys protested—for she’d also said the same about them at one time or another—she nodded.
“It’s true. Your father was handsome, charming, a quick talker, could make anyone agree with him…
and he also had his failings, but he was happiest when boxing. ”
“I can see that.” Yet Duncan shook his head. “Papa also died early and left his family with nearly empty coffers. That isn’t being mindful of said family or the future.”
His mother frowned. “That aside, he was a family man and would have done anything for all of us.”
“Except apparently make certain we were financially secure,” Alexander muttered.
“Again, enough.” His mother rebuked them all, and her glare was quite fierce.
“I grow weary of how you cut your father’s legacy and name to ribbons.
Yes, we are still climbing out of a spot of bother, but your father did his best. He always wanted you boys to speak of him fondly, and yet here you are complaining.
At least you still have his holdings and properties, so practice gratitude instead. ”
At once, all three of them apologized.
But Duncan felt the need to defend himself.
“To be clear, I’m not giving up boxing nor my position at the salon, but I do want help.
” He caught his brothers in his gaze. “Also, romance and love is not an excuse to abandon what you had before. As for the scandals…” He shrugged.
“I promise to keep my comings and goings more discreet. They aren’t something I can give up either.
Nor should I have to. We are not Puritans. ”
Not that he could keep a mistress—or pay high-class courtesans—on the limited funding he possessed.
“Fine.” Slowly, Lewis shook his head and agreed. “That’s acceptable. None of us have the right to tell you what you can or cannot do with your life. We can only advise. As long as you keep away from the gossipmongers.”
“Good.” Relief twisted down Duncan’s spine. “Continuing in the vein of business, I have a bout in two days in Surrey. Will you both attend?”
“Uh…” Alexander shook his head as he tugged at the knot of his cravat.
“I have already made plans with my wife. We are hosting our first dinner party. Her father will attend since he’ll be in London for a few days from Cambridge.
Frankly, we want to make the most of the time with him and come to know each other better. ”
“Ah.” Fair enough. “Lewis? What about you?”
His older brother frowned. “I have duties to parliament. Though the session hasn’t started, I’m sponsoring an idea that I hope might someday become a law, but I need to write my speech and finish a bit of research.
Possibly, I’ll put in several late nights in the process.
At least in this, I can do some good, more than Papa did with his seat in the Lords. ”
Of course, it was all quite legitimate, but that further annoyed him.
Duncan shook his head then shoved a hand through his hair, which was a few inches longer than the current fashion demanded—another rule he didn’t care to follow.
“Of course, when it’s me in the ring, you two can’t manage to come for support.
Even after I have been there for both of you in every bout you’ve entered.
” Again, he felt wildly underappreciated.
“I’ll have to bring a friend to be my knee man and perhaps snag an urchin for my water boy. ”
Lewis took a few steps toward him, and when he reached out, Duncan minced away to avoid being touched. “Don’t come the crab with me. I can’t help that I’m an earl.”
“Of course you can’t; it’s something we’ve all known you would be eventually.
” He’d even bragged about it when they’d been youths.
“Just remember, the title won’t be there for you when you need a human connection.
” As annoyance continued to fill his chest, he stormed to the door.
All this drove home the fact that women in a permanent capacity in a man’s life were a horrid idea.
“Thank goodness I have no romantic entanglements on the horizon; at least my life won’t be ruined. ”
Then he strode out of the drawing room and hit the stairs nearly at a run. He didn’t need any of this in his life, and if his brothers couldn’t respect him, then to hell with them.