Page 28 of Vanquished by a Viscount (Tales from the Brotherhood #3)
Charlie greeted them and took a seat at the table, his spirits as light as the birdsong coming in through the windows from the garden.
When Gray entered the room, his heart soared even higher.
Gray did not even try to hide the fondness in his smile as he took a seat next to Pettigrew and launched into a discussion about the fishing expedition they had planned for that day.
Even when Robert and then Barbara joined the company in the breakfast room, the mood stayed light and amiable, though the two sat at opposite ends of the table and only looked at the other when they thought they were not being watched.
All was well.
For an hour.
Breakfast had just broken up when the butler, Prescott, stepped into the breakfast room doorway and announced to Robert, “My lord, Mr. Howard Bradford is here to see you.”
Charlie perked up and turned quickly away from Lady Sandridge, who he’d somehow fallen into conversation with. He knew the name well. Bradford was one of the officers of the South Eastern Railway with whom he’d had a great deal of correspondence.
“Good,” Robert said with a nod, as if Bradford was expected. “Send him to my study. I shall be along shortly.”
Charlie blinked. So Robert had not been making things up when he said he had urgent business with the railroad.
What caught Charlie’s attention as well was the way Gray had gone rigid at Bradford’s name. And not with the same sort of interest that Charlie felt. If anything, Gray suddenly looked terrified. His face had gone splotchy, and when he peeked at Charlie, a wariness filled his eyes.
Charlie frowned slightly at his lover, but he was distracted as Robert rose and walked around the table. “Might I join you?” he asked, pushing his chair back and standing. “I have been engaged in business with Mr. Bradford myself for some time now and would like to greet him.”
“Yes, of course,” Robert said with a smile.
Charlie felt a glimmer of hope as Robert glanced back down the table, meeting Barbara’s eyes with a tender, possibly apologetic look.
Barbara met it with a sad expression and lowered her head to stare at her plate.
It was not a beautiful moment of reconciliation, but at least the two of them were no longer at each other’s throats.
It was Gray’s reaction that took Charlie more by surprise. Gray rose quickly, pushing back his chair with a jerk that nearly knocked it over, and rushing to join Robert and Charlie as they exited the breakfast room.
“Are you interested in railroad business as well?” Charlie asked him with a sly grin as the three men left the room and headed across to the other wing of the house and Robert’s study.
“I, er, yes,” Gray said, agitated for some reason. “You know I have always been interested in the railway business.”
An old kernel of dread tightened in Charlie’s gut. It was true. He and Gray had developed their interest in the new and expanding railway together years ago. That did not stop him from feeling as if something else were the matter, however.
Charlie had never met Howard Bradford in person, though he had corresponded frequently with the man over the last few years.
He had imagined Bradford would be the same sort of paunchy, middle-aged, industrialist with receding hair and massive sideburns that seemed to predominate in the industry.
He was surprised to find that Bradford, while middle-aged, was tall, fit, and handsome.
The silver at his temples made him look distinguished rather than old, and when he turned from where he stood by the bookshelves at the far end of the study, saw them, and smiled, even Charlie’s committed heart purred a bit at the man’s appeal.
“Mr. Bradford,” Robert greeted the man, stepping forward and stretching out a hand. “Welcome to Hawthorne House.”
“It is my pleasure to be here,” Bradford said in return, his voice deep and rich. He took Robert’s hand and shook it. “You have a magnificent house and lovely grounds.”
Robert chuckled with pride, already charmed by the man. “Allow me to introduce my brother, Mr. Grayson Hawthorne, and my wife’s brother, whom I believe you’ve corresponded with, Lord Charles Aspenden, Viscount Broxbourne.”
Bradford let go of Robert’s hand and offered his to Charlie, who was standing nearest to him, but his eyes lit with something more than just politeness when he glanced past Charlie to Gray. “We’ve met,” he said, his rich voice dropping to a sensual tone.
With those two words, the bottom dropped out of Charlie’s stomach.
He pulled his hand out of Bradford’s and took a step back, ostensibly so Bradford could move past him to greet Gray.
Bradford had eyes for no one else in the room as he approached Gray and took his hand, not just in an ordinary handshake, but with both of his, as though in holding Gray’s hand he was holding a treasure.
Gray cleared his throat, his color high, and choked out, “Bradford.”
“Come now,” Bradford said. “There is no need for such formality. Not between old friends.”
“The two of you are acquainted?” Robert asked carefully, sending Charlie a worried look.
“Yes, we are,” Gray said with what looked like a forced attempt to appear casual. “From years ago.”
“It was not that long ago,” Bradford said, raking Gray with a gaze. “Not that long ago at all. We met in Italy.”
“Have you come to discuss the railroad?” Gray asked quickly and a bit too loudly.
Bradford must have realized he’d made his feelings a bit too apparent. And they were most definitely apparent. He dropped Gray’s hand and took a step back, turning so that he could address Robert and Charlie as well, though Gray was clearly the central focus of his attention.
“I have indeed,” he said with a smile. “I trust you received my letter, Lord Felcourt?” he asked Robert.
“I have,” Robert began hesitantly, glancing between Bradford and Gray, then peeking at Charlie.
“I am interested in hearing more about South Eastern Railway’s proposal to buy a chunk of Hawthorne House land for the Maidstone line.
The information you sent me was intriguing, but I should like to know more. ”
“I will be only too happy to accommodate you,” Bradford said, radiating good will.
Charlie narrowed his eyes slightly. Was that good will and charm genuine or was Bradford a snake in the grass that would rise up and give Robert a fatal bite?
Charlie schooled his expression to neutrality a moment later when Bradford shifted to say to him, “I am delighted to find you at Hawthorne House as well, Lord Broxbourne, though I must confess that your kind host,” he gestured to Robert, “informed me of your presence here this summer. I might have been able to conduct this business by correspondence, but when I learned you were here, I had to come in person.”
His gaze snapped straight to Gray, as if his words were meant for him and no one else.
To his credit, Gray looked as though he might expire and sink into the floor. But whether that was because he was embarrassed to have what was clearly a past lover suddenly return to his life or eagerness to reclaim said lover was unclear.
God! What would he do if Grayson chose Bradford over him?
The thought was manic and potentially ridiculous, given the way things had been going, but Charlie could not drag his eyes away from Bradford.
Hell, if he had not been so much in love with Grayson at the moment, he would have thrown himself at the man and begged to suck his cock, though he typically preferred the other role.
“Shall we go for a walk around the estate to examine the land that might be purchased?” Robert asked, glancing between the other three of them as if figuring out the tangle that had just descended on them.
“That would be lovely,” Bradford said, the picture of graciousness. “Mr. Hawthorne, are you coming with us?” he asked Gray.
Gray glanced to Charlie with a desperate look, though whether desperate to remain in Bradford’s company or to explain things, Charlie could not tell, and said, “Yes. That is, if my brother requires my presence.”
“I could always use your council when discussing matters of the family estate,” Robert said. “And yours as well, Broxbourne, since you are more or less a member of the family.”
He glanced pointedly at Bradford. Charlie wondered if he was attempting to inform the man that he and Gray were together in some way.
Whatever the case, Bradford remained nothing but smiles without a hint of suspicion in his eyes. He smiled like a man with full confidence that he could have whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it.
Charlie was doomed.