Page 66 of The No Good Irresistible Viscount Tipton
“Come, Tipton, I did not invite you here for an idle chat.”
Rayne matched the comment with an equally direct question of his own. “Why the imperial invitation, sir?”
Sir Thomas Bedegrayne slapped his palm against the table and looked about the room. He glared at the few men brave enough to boldly stare in their direction. “A bunch of gossipy old women,” he mumbled. “Did you know there is a bet in the books?”
Since Rayne did not frequent the club, he shook his head. “What was the wager?”
“That I would kill you the moment you returned to town with my gel.” The older man’s smile reminded Rayne of a wildcat playing with a snake.
“I plan to live a long life. Do you object?”
The smile warmed a degree. “Oh, I had my fantasies, Tipton. However, my boy Brock spoke up for the match. In fact, he insisted on it.”
“I discovered Brock was a reasonable young man, once he stopped challenging me.”
“It makes me wonder, though…,” Sir Thomas trailed off. His eyes widened at some undisclosed insight. “You have something on him. Something he didn’t want bandied ’bout town.”
“Brock’s business is his own,” he replied, sensing the ambiguous answer would infuriate his companion. Rayne did not have to wait long for the outburst.
“Lies and half-truths are the same in my book, Tipton,” he grumbled. Bushy brows drawn together in an uneven line, he looked every inch the outraged father. “Drunk or sober, my boy has a functioning mind. What did you threaten him with to bring him in line?”
Rayne weighed his options. Bedegrayne appeared to be a sensible man. Rayne doubted he would murder a man for doing right by his daughter. “I told him Devona was my mistress.”
Sir Thomas laughed. “And he believed you? My gels are ladies. Not one of them would risk their papa’s wrath.”
“I reminded Brock that it mattered not whether it was truth or fiction, thetonrelishes such scandals. The downfall of the reckless Devona Bedegrayne would be a tasty morsel for the jaded.”
The older man’s eyes narrowed as if he found something distasteful in front of him. “You would ruin a young gel because it amuses you? By God, you are as evil as they say.”
“You forget. That lady is my wife. Her reputation is secure and I would call anyone out who says otherwise. We are on the same side, sir.” Rayne got up. He was mildly surprised to see Sir Thomas do the same. “Since your daughter is safe in my hands, are we finished?”
“Not quite.”
He did not expect the hammerlike fist his father-in-law planted in his stomach. He doubted he would have stopped him even if he had. Awhooshof air expelled from his lips. It was a respectable connection. Rayne doubled over, using his hand to brace himself against the table. His eyes began to water.
Sir Thomas leaned over so that his lips were an inch from Rayne’s ear. “Don’t think marriage is saving you from staring at me from across a dawn field. My gel has tender feelings for you, so we will consider our disagreement at an end. Welcome to the family, Son.”
