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Authors: Sarah Winn
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wanted to clean up the mess on the table but hesitated to interrupt such an intense conversation. Malvern's fists slowly relaxed, and he waved the waiter over.
While the table was being cleared, Malvern opened his cigar case and selected a rod of tightly wrapped tobacco, conspicuously not offering one to his tablemate. When the waiter had finished clearing away the mess, Malvern ordered a fresh brandy, again ignoring his companion.
The waiter glanced nervously at Neil, who shook his head, not wanting anything to disrupt this last chance at softening Malvern's stance against Prudence.
"So,” Malvern said after the waiter left, “what else does your sister want from me?"
"She hasn't told me that she wants anything, but I can tell she's intimidated by you. Is it too much to ask for you to be, at least, pleasant to her?"
"Pleasant? Huh! That's something I've had trouble being ever since our evening at the theater."
"You've always been able to charm women, even those you intended to never see again. Doesn't it make sense to expend a little of that charm on the woman you're going to be tied to for life?"
Malvern bit down on his cigar, and for a moment, Neil feared he'd gone too far. “I only accept advice on my personal life from close friends, and you and I ceased to be friends five days ago."
Neil gave a curt nod. “Thank you for hearing me out.” He got up and walked out of the room, keeping his back straight and avoiding eye contact with anyone else.
Despite Malvern's brusque dismissal, Neil had seen the way the skin tightened around his eyes, a sign Neil's words had caused Malvern to think about his treatment of Pru. This humiliating interview might prove worthwhile after all.
Prudence murmured, “No, thank you,” to the footman offering her a serving of roast duck. Lady Carolina had announced earlier that this would be a simple meal, since there would only be three dining, but they were already up to the fourth course. It seemed silly to Prudence for three people to sit at a table that could hold twenty and be served by four footmen and a wine steward, but then no one had asked for her opinion, and she wasn't about to volunteer it.
"Don't you like roast duck, Prudence?” Lady Caroline never missed anything that happened at her table.
"Yes, ma'am, but I want to save room for dessert,” Prudence replied.
Lady Caroline turned back to her son. “She eats like a bird."
"Good,” he replied. “I can save money on groceries."
"What a thing to say.” Lady Caroline looked as if his remark offended her. “I hardly think you need worry about the expense of feeding a wife.” Then she smiled slyly. “But you might worry about what we've spent in the shops this week."
Malvern looked at Prudence over the top of his wine glass. “I do hope you bought something that isn't black."
"Yes, now that she's into the second phase of mourning, some color is allowed, although I had to convince Prudence it was proper. She's very conservative."
He smirked. “About some things."
Prudence fastened her attention on her plate, determined not to let the fact she was being talked about as if she weren't in the room disturb her.
"Don't be tedious,” his mother chastised. Although Lady Caroline did not hesitate to point out Prudence's faults, she jumped to her defense whenever Malvern said anything critical. Prudence wished Lady Caroline would just ignore his surly attitude, because her defense only increased Malvern's anger, as shown by the way he now glowered.
Perhaps Lady Caroline came to the same conclusion, for she suddenly changed the topic. “So tell me more about your dinner with the Duke of Litton. Who else attended?"
"The usual crowd. I was the youngest man there."
"I hope you behaved yourself and made a good impression on them. I'm sure Litton is positioning himself to lead the charge against Peel. This is a perfect opportunity for you to gain influence. If Litton and his friends manage to form a new
While the table was being cleared, Malvern opened his cigar case and selected a rod of tightly wrapped tobacco, conspicuously not offering one to his tablemate. When the waiter had finished clearing away the mess, Malvern ordered a fresh brandy, again ignoring his companion.
The waiter glanced nervously at Neil, who shook his head, not wanting anything to disrupt this last chance at softening Malvern's stance against Prudence.
"So,” Malvern said after the waiter left, “what else does your sister want from me?"
"She hasn't told me that she wants anything, but I can tell she's intimidated by you. Is it too much to ask for you to be, at least, pleasant to her?"
"Pleasant? Huh! That's something I've had trouble being ever since our evening at the theater."
"You've always been able to charm women, even those you intended to never see again. Doesn't it make sense to expend a little of that charm on the woman you're going to be tied to for life?"
Malvern bit down on his cigar, and for a moment, Neil feared he'd gone too far. “I only accept advice on my personal life from close friends, and you and I ceased to be friends five days ago."
Neil gave a curt nod. “Thank you for hearing me out.” He got up and walked out of the room, keeping his back straight and avoiding eye contact with anyone else.
Despite Malvern's brusque dismissal, Neil had seen the way the skin tightened around his eyes, a sign Neil's words had caused Malvern to think about his treatment of Pru. This humiliating interview might prove worthwhile after all.
Prudence murmured, “No, thank you,” to the footman offering her a serving of roast duck. Lady Carolina had announced earlier that this would be a simple meal, since there would only be three dining, but they were already up to the fourth course. It seemed silly to Prudence for three people to sit at a table that could hold twenty and be served by four footmen and a wine steward, but then no one had asked for her opinion, and she wasn't about to volunteer it.
"Don't you like roast duck, Prudence?” Lady Caroline never missed anything that happened at her table.
"Yes, ma'am, but I want to save room for dessert,” Prudence replied.
Lady Caroline turned back to her son. “She eats like a bird."
"Good,” he replied. “I can save money on groceries."
"What a thing to say.” Lady Caroline looked as if his remark offended her. “I hardly think you need worry about the expense of feeding a wife.” Then she smiled slyly. “But you might worry about what we've spent in the shops this week."
Malvern looked at Prudence over the top of his wine glass. “I do hope you bought something that isn't black."
"Yes, now that she's into the second phase of mourning, some color is allowed, although I had to convince Prudence it was proper. She's very conservative."
He smirked. “About some things."
Prudence fastened her attention on her plate, determined not to let the fact she was being talked about as if she weren't in the room disturb her.
"Don't be tedious,” his mother chastised. Although Lady Caroline did not hesitate to point out Prudence's faults, she jumped to her defense whenever Malvern said anything critical. Prudence wished Lady Caroline would just ignore his surly attitude, because her defense only increased Malvern's anger, as shown by the way he now glowered.
Perhaps Lady Caroline came to the same conclusion, for she suddenly changed the topic. “So tell me more about your dinner with the Duke of Litton. Who else attended?"
"The usual crowd. I was the youngest man there."
"I hope you behaved yourself and made a good impression on them. I'm sure Litton is positioning himself to lead the charge against Peel. This is a perfect opportunity for you to gain influence. If Litton and his friends manage to form a new
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