Page 48 of Vanquished By A Viscount
Gray wanted to throw up his hands and scream. He turned to find Robert and Howard approaching them from the end of the hall, having come in through one of the back doors.
Charlie stiffened and stood at his full height, staring at Howard as though looking for the chinks in a rival’s armor.
“Mr. Bradford here has just made the suggestion that he regale us with a lecture about the recent advancements in therailroad business as a way to entertain the house party guests tonight,” Robert went on.
“It is the least I could do to assist Lady Felcourt in keeping her guests happy and satisfied,” Howard said with smiles for everyone, but a particular glint in his eyes for Gray.
“I think Barbara would be grateful for that,” Charlie said, though Gray knew him well enough to sense the reluctance behind his gratitude.
“Excellent,” Howard said, clapping his hands together. “I have been invited to stay and join the house party for a few days as well, so you must excuse me if I return to the inn in Maidstone to gather my belongings and have them transferred here.”
“Not at all,” Charlie said with a gracious bow, stepping aside to allow Howard to walk past them to the front hall.
Howard paused near Gray to say, “We must have our reunion chat this evening.”
“Yes, of course,” Gray said, followed by an anxious laugh.
Howard nodded and walked on.
Gray turned to find Charlie glaring at him.
“Is something amiss?” Robert asked.
“Do you plan to tell him?” Charlie stared at Gray.
“Tell me what?” Robert asked.
Charlie broke eye contact with Gray and marched away, saying, “I must find my sister and inform her of the change in tonight’s program.”
Gray and Robert watched him walk away before Robert turned to Gray and asked, “Tell me what?”
Gray sighed and took a few steps toward the wall so that he could slump against it. He buried his face in his hands and groaned, “I spent time with Bradford in Italy.”
“Oh, Grayson,” Robert sighed, moving to lean against the wall with him. “Paying the piper, are you?”
“Paying him everything I have,” Gray admitted, sending his brother a doleful look. “But in case you were wondering, Bradford is a good man and an honest one. You can trust him with the railroad business.”
Robert hummed and crossed his arms. “But can I trust him with my brother’s heart?”
“I love Charlie,” Gray said before truly thinking about it.
He’d never admitted as much to his brother, or even himself, but expressing the sentiment did not make him feel better or more confident about the muddle he was in. It only made him sad and terrified that Charlie would not forgive him for the impulsivity of the last few years, even if he was to blame for much of that impulsivity.
“Well, there’s nothing to be done now,” Robert said, pushing away from the wall and offering Gray a hand. “We still have the worst house party in the history of England to see through, and a potential land sale to the railroad company to contend with on top of that. We’ve no time for tears.”
“Tell that to your wife,” Gray said, grasping his brother’s hand to give him the leverage to stand straight.
Robert sent him a withering look, but strangely enough, that made Gray feel better and sent him into ironic laughter. Everything around them had been turned upside down, but at least he was not fumbling through romantic entanglements and mishaps on his own.
Fifteen
Why on earth would Grayson want him when a man like Howard Bradford clearly wanted him as well?
Charlie tried not to let that thought consume him as he put as much distance between himself and Gray as he could. Whether Robert had issued the invitation or Bradford had invited himself, the man was there to stay. Even in the mildest turn of events, Charlie suddenly had competition for the affections of the man he had firmly believed would have feelings toward him no matter what, even if those feelings were hatred.
“Charlie, whyever are you looking so glum?” Barbara asked him when he found her in a small circle of her friends out on the lawn, under a marquee, painting teacups.
“Glum?” Charlie blinked, feigning complete ignorance of his sister’s astute observation. “I am not glum. I have come to tell you that there has been a change of plans for tonight’s program.”
