Page 51 of To Pleasure a Prince

“So how do you mean to get her back?” his sister asked.

His fantasy evaporated, leaving him uncomfortably aroused. Setting his hat on his lap, he forced himself to concentrate on her question. “I don’t know.”

“Might I make a suggestion?”

He sighed. “Why not?

“If you want to impress Regina…”

Hours later, Marcus found himself on the threshold of the Blue Swan in the pouring rain, demanding to see his half brother. After leaving Louisa at the Iversleys, he’d gone to Byrne’s house, only to learn from the butler that Byrne never came home before 4:00A.M. Such was the life of a gaming club owner.

And since this was the first time Marcus had entered the club through the front, the porter gave him trouble.

“But you aren’t a member, sir,” the man said, his upper lip curling in distaste at the sight of Marcus’s unfashionable overcoat and dripping beard. “No one can enter who is not a member or a guest of a member.”

“If you don’t fetch the owner at once, I swear I will—”

“Draker!” his brother exclaimed, coming out into the hall. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Trying to see you,” he snapped.

“By coming through the front door of my club?” Byrne waved the porter aside. “What a novel idea.”

“Very funny.” Marcus stepped inside and stamped his feet to dislodge the mud that had accumulated in his travels about town. “I’m not in the mood for your humor tonight.”

As the porter took Marcus’s soaked coat and hat with a look of disdain, Byrne chuckled, not the least bit perturbed. He led Marcus to his offices. “What’s wrong that would bring you out in this weather?”

“Nothing that eradicating the entire female race wouldn’t cure.”

“Ah. Woman trouble.”

They entered the office, and Byrne closed the door.

“Women are a plague upon the earth.” Marcus headed for the fire to warm his chilled hands.

“You’re just now discovering that?”

Marcus cast him a foul look. “You don’t seem to have trouble with them.”

“Because I keep them in their place. The minute one of them starts trying to make my life a misery, I move on to the next.”

“I don’t have that choice. One of the troublemakers is Louisa.”

“Can’t help you with that, I’m afraid. I have no sisters, thank God. So if you’re here for advice—”

“I’m here because I need a favor.”

Byrne’s eyes burned with curiosity. Though Marcus, Iversley, and Byrne had all sworn to lend each other aid whenever asked, Marcus had never required Byrne’s help before. “What sort of favor?” he asked.

Marcus stared into the fire. “I need a voucher for Almack’s.”

“I already told Iversley that the Lady Patronesses don’t meet until Monday. While I’m sure that Louisa’s application will be approved, I can’t guarantee—”

“It’s not for Louisa.” He gritted his teeth. “I need one for me.”

There was a long moment of shocked silence. Then Byrne began to chuckle. Then laugh. Then howl like a pack of children run amok.

Marcus whirled to face him. “It’s not that funny.”