Page 14 of Invitation
Chapter 6
March 1814
The Phoenix Club
Ryder Street, London
“Idon’t think rake is a strong enough word.Wastrel is perhaps more fitting.”
Lucien wiped his hand over his face, unable to dispute Evie’s assessment of poor Tobias.His reputation had taken a hit the previous spring, and not because Lady Bentley, the former Lady Priscilla, had overlooked him in favor of her husband.It was because she’d told everyone that he’d wanted to kidnap her to Gretna Green.Her story concluded with her talking him out of it, but Lucien and their friends knew the truth.
Nevertheless, he’d become a pariah, and since Society thought him a rogue, he’d embraced their assumptions wholeheartedly.He’d spent the last several months drinking, gambling, and womanizing his way to the top of the list of London’s Most Scandalous.
He lounged in his usual spot this evening, an oversized chair in the corner of the gaming room, a glass of some spirit dangling from his fingertips.Yes, wastrel was a more apt description.His father was horrified by his behavior, and the more he pressed upon Tobias to tidy himself up, the more deeply Tobias plunged into ignominy.
“He’s fine,” Ada Treadway, the club’s bookkeeper, said quietly.She stood beside Evie, a delicate daisy next to Evie’s brilliant, lush rose.They didn’t spend a great deal of time on the gentlemen’s side of the club, but on Tuesdays, this side welcomed women into their members’ den.
Evie snapped her head toward Ada.“You don’t have a tendre for our resident profligate, do you?”
A light tremor passed over Ada’s shoulders.“No.I simply like him.I like everyone.”
Lucien smiled warmly.“Indeed you do, which is a lovely trait.”Evie had brought Ada back to London with her.Lucien did not know the entire story of what had brought her here, other than she’d been a governess and decided that work didn’t suit her.She’d needed to begin anew, and there was no better place for that than the Phoenix Club.
“I’ll go and speak with him,” Ada said.“He really just needs a friend.”She took herself off toward Tobias.
Lucien looked about the gaming room, where several members played cards and others billiards.He turned to Evie.“Is everything ready for our first ball next week?”
When they’d designed the renovations that had split this one house into the two distinct parts of the Phoenix Club, he’d come up with the idea to have a removable partition on the ground floor that would allow them to open up a large ballroom between the two sides.On Fridays, they would host a ball, which would be the only time young, unwed ladies on the Marriage Mart could enter the club.They were still not members, of course, but they could attend a ball with a sponsor who was a member.
“Yes.I’m rather nervous about it.If the food and drink is not regarded as superior to Almack’s, I will consider it a failure.”
He chuckled.“As will I.But rest assured, that will not be difficult to achieve.”
Evie put her hand on his arm, and they walked through the parlor to the stair hall.As they entered, he heard a commotion from the next room, the entrance hall.
Glancing at Evie, whose expression had grown concerned, he took her hand from his arm and said, “Wait here.”
Lucien stalked into the entrance hall as a gentleman’s voice rose.“I’m a new member.You must let me in!”He tried to push past the two footmen who were barring his entrance into the club.
“Someone trying to force their way in?”Lucien asked from behind his employees.
“Yes, my lord.”One footman moved to the side, which allowed Lucien to see the nuisance.
“Good evening, Bentley.”Lucien stepped up to the threshold.The footmen had done an excellent job of keeping the man outside.“Did I hear you say you’re a new member?”
Bentley, a large man but with little athletic prowess, given his extreme struggle and subsequent failure in trying to push past the two footmen, scowled, for he knew Lucien owned the club—everyone did.“I should be.Where is my invitation?”
“Nonexistent.And let me tell you, this is not the manner in which you go about trying to obtain one.”Lucien didn’t remotely try to keep the glee from his voice.
“This is because of Deane.Your support of him is pathetic.Cut him loose, and you’ll find your invitations will improve.”Damp strands of Bentley’s brown hair fell over his forehead.He attempted to brush it back into some semblance of style, but failed rather spectacularly as it flopped forward once more.
“My invitations are just fine.It seems yours are the ones which are lacking.”Lucien gave the man a pitying stare.“Now, if you can’t behave like a gentleman and leave of your own accord, my men will see that you’re removed.Please don’t make them work harder than they ought.”
Pivoting on his heel, Lucien found Evie standing in the center of the entrance hall with a satisfied smile playing about her lips.She clapped her hands.“Well done.”
He bowed.“Thank you.Just a minor irritation.”
“I do wish people would stop trying to force their way in.”Evie shook her head as they turned together to return to the stair hall.
