Page 11 of Vanquished By A Viscount
“I will converse upon whichever topic you would like me to,” Charlie said, relaxing into his role of charming older brother as they approached the chairs.
He moved as if he would take a seat near the far edge of the group, but Barbara quickly tugged him in the opposite direction. “You cannot sit there,” Barbara whispered. “Winifred’s Aunt Violet will be joining us shortly, and that seat is reserved for her. You must sit here.”
Charlie moved dutifully where Barbara tugged him, but he groaned inwardly as Barbara deposited him in an empty chair mere feet away from where Gray sat. At least Gray faced the other direction and appeared deep in conversation with the gentlemen of the other circle of chairs.
Charlie squirmed in his chair until he was as comfortable as he could be. By all outward appearances, he was a part of the ladies’ conversation alone. He could hear the others speaking, and indeed, the sound of Gray’s voice laughing over whatever the other conversation was about had the hair on the back of his neck standing up, but it would still be a simple thing to ignore Gray entirely.
“My brother may be a viscount, but he is also an expert on all things pertaining to the railroad,” Barbara said, beaming at himthen glancing around to her friends with a proud smile just as Charlie raised one of the savory tarts to his mouth. “He will be able to answer all of your questions pertaining to the increase of railroad lines across England.”
Every set of eyes in their small group turned to him just as he opened his mouth and prepared to bite down on the tart. Suddenly becoming the attention of six ladies, all of them eager to not only hear what he had to say, but in the case of Lady Winifred and her aunt, to assess him as a potential mate as well killed the last of Charlie’s appetite. He lowered the tart without taking a bite and set his plate aside on a small table by his chair.
“Er, there is much to say about the expansion of rail travel in England,” he began awkwardly.
“You must tell us everything, Lord Broxbourne,” Lady Carolina said with genuine interest.
“You must tell all,” one of the gentlemen Charlie had not met yet said behind him.
Charlie flinched and turned slightly, only to determine that the gentleman who had spoken was not addressing him, but rather Gray.
“But where to begin?” Gray asked with a laugh, his voice just a bit too loud. “There is so much to say, and so little that can be spoken of aloud.” He lowered his voice cheekily at the end, causing the other gentlemen to chuckle.
Charlie bristled at what he could not help but think was a deliberate attempt to catch his attention and rub his nose in Gray’s adventures.
“It is my understanding that within a decade, the entirety of England will be united by rail travel,” Lady Suzanne said, pulling his focus back to the conversation in front of him. “My brother, Lord Moreland, has been keeping abreast of new developments, particularly where the formation of new companies to build railroads is concerned.”
“We are in early days,” Charlie said, smiling at Lady Suzanne, even though she could not see the gesture. “There are as many newly formed companies hoping to win government contracts and to make their fortunes as there are material advancements to the engines and trains themselves.”
“Tell us about Paris,” one of the gentlemen behind Charlie asked. “I’d wager you have a great many tales you could tell of those sinful streets.”
One of the other gentlemen guffawed. In front of Charlie, the ladies politely sipped their punch or nibbled on their savory bits, oblivious to the tone of the conversation taking place beside theirs.
Charlie cleared his throat, hoping the men would become more aware of where they were and who might overhear them.
“Paris is overrated,” Gray said, ignoring Charlie’s warning. “The real paradise of my wanderings was Spain.”
“You don’t say,” another of the gentlemen said in a ribald voice.
“Do your railroad interests lie more with the companies and contracts that are being created or with the development of trains, Lord Broxbourne?” Lady Winifred asked.
“I am interested in both as they complement one another,” Charlie said, working to keep his focus ahead of him, not behind. “As a point of interest, I am fascinated by the capabilities and promise of the machinery of railroads. As an investment, I follow the developments in contracts and companies.”
“There was a particular fortnight I spent in Valencia that I will never forget,” Gray said behind him.
“Valencia, you say?” Pettigrew asked.
“Yes, where there are unlimited soft mounds and inviting curves,” Gray answered wickedly, “all smooth and warm and invitingly spread.” He paused briefly, then said. “I am referring to the beaches, of course.”
“Of course, of course,” one of the gentlemen said as the others laughed knowingly.
At least, they thought they knew what Gray referred to. Charlie was the only one who understood what sort of curves and mounds his former lover meant. Although Robert and Pettigrew likely knew as well. Charlie tried not to let his mind wander into images of his former beloved tangled up with some other man’s sun-kissed body, tried not to hear their moans and grunting. He tried his hardest not to be jealous as well…which was probably the entire reason Gray was blurting his stories so indiscreetly.
“Are the railroads a good investment, Lord Broxbourne?” Lady Winifred’s Aunt Violet asked with genuine interest. “I have heard conflicting information on that score. For every story of a man making his fortune in the railroad there are ten other of one being left destitute.”
“There was one beautiful young thing who caught my fancy and held it for an entire fortnight,” Gray went on.
“They are a good investment as long as one chooses an appropriate company,” Charlie said, his head beginning to hurt as he attempted to pay attention to two things at once. “Fortunes will undoubtedly be made on railroad stocks in the next few years, but I believe one will find that if they throw themselves away on cheap goods that look appealing on sight but prove to be shallow and fickle, they could lose everything.”
Gray twitched slightly behind Charlie, which brought a tight smile to Charlie’s face. Good. The wastrel had heard him after all.
