Passions of a Gentleman (Gentlemen of Honor #3) - Rose Gordon Page 0,60

you to be happy, and to me, I think what will make you the happiest is going back to London.”

“But what about the wedding?”

“I’ve already told you, you have my permission to elope. Or if you want to plan it while in London—keep in mind, Brooke might be more annoying than me when it comes to wedding plans, so you might want to find someone else, but not her mother…” She shuddered. “Whatever you want to do, Henrietta, I’m game for.” Juliet’s arm came around her shoulders. “Just remember to send me a letter…”

As buildings came into view and commotion floated to her ears, Rae’s heart squeezed. She wasn’t sure if she’d suggest to Simon to elope immediately. His parents were well known residents of London, they might prefer there to be a wedding at St. Gregory’s.

The coach pulled up to Lord Townson’s townhouse just as Brooke and Andrew were going out for a walk.

“You came back?” Brooke gushed.

“Juliet insisted.” That was true enough. “Can I stay?”

“Of course!” Brooke barked orders to the coachmen while Andrew went back inside his townhouse, returning with the butler.

In no time, Rae’s things were unloaded and being unpacked in her guest room.

“Come, walk with us.” Brooke’s offer held no question.

Rae smiled and joined the duo. “How was the house party?”

“Tedious,” Andrew answered for his wife.

Brooke shook a finger at him. “It was only tedious for you because you had to behave.”

“It’s so much more fun when I don’t.”

Sighing, Brooke turned toward Rae. “Andrew and the Duke of Gateway detest one another. Unfortunately for both of them, they married sisters.”

“It wouldn’t be so bad for Madison to become a widow,” Andrew said jovially. “Then she could marry proper.”

“I’m assuming her husband would say the same of Brooke,” Rae ventured.

Andrew scowled, and Brooke laughed. “I daresay, you have them pegged,” she said.

“So if the two of you don’t like each other, how do visits work?” Rae asked. Simon and Giles didn’t seem to like each other from what she’d gathered. Perhaps Andrew and the duke’s method could work for them.

“Well…” Andrew said slowly.

“They’ve both been threatened,” Brooke said.

Rae frowned. She doubted Brooke actually threatened her husband.

“We just make it work,” Andrew said softly. “Our dislike for one another began long before either of us met our wives and is of little consequence now. We just like to goad the other.” He tipped his left shoulder up in a careless shrug. “And if the opportunity presents itself to make the other look like a fool, we don’t hesitate.”

Rae couldn’t see Giles and Simon doing that, either. No matter. If the earl and duke had found a way, surely Simon and Giles would, too.

24

Simon whistled and hummed and even tapped his toe as he went about his work. Any time he started thinking about Rae and her perfect body molded against his, he’d get louder and speed up the beat. He needed to keep his attention on finishing up the last of the files and then he was going to see a townhouse Mr. Nelson had found for him that would be perfect for him and Rae. Apparently it was easier for a man to find a suitable family home than it was for bachelor’s lodgings. Or perhaps that was because Simon paid him a small ransom to make this his top priority.

Either way, the house was already empty and would be ready to move into within a week.

Simon glanced at his pocket watch. He still had two hours before he was to meet with Mr. Nelson.

He eyed the papers scattered on his desk and sighed. His need to stay so occupied so he didn’t have time to think of Rae had pushed him to finish all the work that had piled up during his series of brief absences this Season. All that remained was sorting them and putting some away and sending others out.

With a sigh, he set to work. At least it’d keep his mind on something else until it was time to leave.

“Mr. Appleton,” Mr. Crabtree, the secretary, said, poking his head in the door. “A missive has just arrived for you.”

Simon frowned at the man. Each day the post and any other messages Mr. Crabtree had received during the day was delivered at precisely two o’clock every afternoon. “Is this urgent?”

“I don’t believe so.” He lifted the letter up near his bespectacled face. “But it is scented, so perhaps you might think so.”

Simon snatched the missive from the insolent man and broke open the