Page 43 of Indecent
“Shall we sit for a moment?” Lord Lucien asked.
A moment seemed to indicate he intended them to have a short conversation. “Certainly.” Bennet sat in one of the chairs and Lucien took the other.
“You didn’t come here for brandy,” Bennet said, noting that his host had closed the door behind them when they’d come inside.
“No. I wanted to talk to you about your membership. I wonder if you might not be comfortable here after all.”
Bennet’s mind worked through that rather quickly. “You want me to resign?”
“It might be best.”
Anger pricked at Bennet, but he tamped it down. “You were quite eager to have me join.”
Lord Lucien rested his elbows on the arms of the chair and steepled his fingers. “Yes, and I wonder if we weren’t premature.”
“I believe you were desperate to have me attend an assembly so I could court your sister,” Bennet said blandly, again trying to keep a rein on his ire.
“That’s true. To be frank, we worked very hard to get you approved because Cassandra asked me to.”
“And now you regret it.” He tried not to sound irritated, but it was very difficult. “I thought the Phoenix Club welcomed those who were often excluded elsewhere.” That certainly fit Bennet.
Lord Lucien frowned, deep furrows lining his brow. “We do.”
“I won’t resign,” Bennet said. “Will you expel me?”
“We haven’t ever expelled anyone.” Lord Lucien grimaced before adding, “Not permanently.”
“I’d like to stay. As it happens, I find I’m rather unpopular at the moment since the news of my financial situation became known.”
Again, Lord Lucien grimaced. “That’s somewhat my fault. I’m the one who told my father, and he decided to share it with all of White’s.”
“I suppose I should expect expulsion from there too.”
Lord Lucien shook his head. “I’m not expelling you.”
Bennet finally relaxed. “Thank you.”
“Though I do wonder how you can afford the membership fees.”
Thankfully, they were less than other clubs, but Lord Lucien made a good point. Perhaps Bennet should resign from everything, even if it did cast him deeper into the pit of public disdain.
“You’re right,” Lord Lucien continued. “We do invite those who aren’t always welcome everywhere else. It’s just that, and let me be perfectly honest, we don’t know you very well. It’s rather embarrassing to me that we extended you an invitation without realizing your financial state.”
“If I decide I can afford the fee, does it matter?” Perhaps Bennetdidn’twant to be a member.
Lord Lucien’s eyes hardened. “It does when you misrepresent yourself and try to trick my sister into marriage.”
“This is a purely personal issue, then.” Bennet understood. He didn’t have siblings, but he would do anything to protect his family. “I have apologized to Lady Wexford. My behavior was quite poor.”
“You weren’t the first to do that to a young lady, and you won’t be the last. It’s just that she is my sister.”
“I understand. If I had a sister, I believe I would be equally outraged. Would you really like me to leave the club?” Bennet hoped not. The ability to perhaps see Prudence wasn’t the only reason he wanted to stay. With his invitations all but dried up, he needed somewhere to go to meet potential brides.
“No, stay. But don’t withhold information.”
Bennet would never agree to that. There were things he wouldn’t reveal to anyone. “I shall do my best.” That was all he could say.
Lord Lucien stood and went to the sideboard to pour a drink. Bennet sipped his whiskey, liking it even more now than when he’d first sampled it.
