Passions of a Gentleman (Gentlemen of Honor #3) - Rose Gordon Page 0,53
the carriage.
“Bedlam, sir?” Banes questioned.
“The Hughes house,” Simon clarified. “I need to speak to someone there before I find Rae.”
“This is Bedlam?” marveled Seth a short time later as the carriage pulled up in front of Rae’s girlhood home. “It looks more like a shack.”
“It’s Bedlam,” Simon said. “You’ll be captivated by the chaos and deafened by the noise as soon as the front door swings open.” He patted the top of Seth’s head. “I promise.”
Seth grinned wildly. “All right! I knew coming with you would be fun.”
Simon would wager the boy was about to be in for more fun than he could have ever dreamed of. “Seth,” he said as they walked up the dusty path that led to the house. “If you get frightened, just keep in mind if you tell your mama where we’ve been and what you’ve seen, she might become a lot more frightening.”
Elation touched the boy’s feature. “I can’t wait.”
Just then a warlike battle cry rent the air, followed by a series of yelps and screams.
“Sounds like you won’t have to wait any longer,” Simon said to the wide-eyed boy. He cautiously reached his hand forward toward the door. Decorum dictated he should knock, but what was the likelihood they’d even hear it?
Throwing all good breeding and manners to the wind, Simon grasped the doorknob, twisted it, and threw open the door, to reveal a scene even he couldn’t have dreamt up.
In the great parlor room with two aging settees overturned stood four shirtless boys, covered in mud and each yielding a makeshift bow and arrow.
“Welcome to Bedlam,” Simon murmured to Seth.
Seth’s grin widened, if such a thing were possible. “How are you connected to these people?”
“I’m hoping to be connected by marriage,” Simon admitted quietly then laughed at the boy’s unhinged jaw. “Peter, Lucas, Joseph, and Samuel, this is my nephew, Seth. Can you boys play for a few minutes while I talk to your papa?”
Without needing further invitation, Lucas waved Seth over to him and before Seth reached Lucas’ side he was flinging his shirt over the side of the toppled sofa.
Chuckling, Simon made his way out of the room before he got injured. It was astonishing their mother allowed them to play such a game in the house. Then again, with how short and plump she was, how could she possibly stop them?
“Hullo, Simon,” Dara cooed when she spotted him in the hall.
“Dara,” Simon greeted with a low bow. “Jane.”
Jane simply stared at him.
“Is something the matter, Jane?”
“No,” she said at the same time Dara said, “You left without telling her goodbye.”
Simon cringed. He had the oddest feeling she wasn’t the only one who’d be upset about that. “I’m sorry, Jane,” he said, sinking to his haunches. “I made a mistake and I hope you can forgive me.”
Jane sniffed and thrust her hand out toward him.
Dutifully, he kissed it. “Am I forgiven?”
“I suppose,” she said with another sniff. “But I don’t think I can marry you now.”
Simon sorely hoped her sister didn’t have the same reaction, not that it was anything less than he deserved. “Hmm, well, what about your sister? Can I marry her then?”
The little girl crossed her arms and took a defensive stance in front of Dara.
“How about Rae?”
Jane pursed her lips. “I suppose so.”
“Hopefully your father does, too.” Simon stood. “Do you lovely young ladies know where I might find him?”
“With Mama in the woodshed,” Jane said, pointing a stubby finger in the general direction of where the woodshed was located.
That explained why the boys were acting like savages in the house, Simon reasoned, walking past said group of savages in search for the door. Whhhhhhr. A stick flew through the air, missing his ear by a mere inch. “Seth,” he warned without looking over his shoulder to verify.
All the boys erupted into laughter, and four more arrows came in his direction. He ducked down then rolled on the floor to dodge them, leading the boys to laugh harder. Holding his hands up to protect his head, he walked on his knees to the door, pulled it open and sighed with relief when he was to the safety of the front porch.
Boys, he thought with a rueful shake of his head. Who would have ever thought the day would come when he found their antics amusing? Rae. She must have known all along such an ability was buried deep inside of him.