Page 21 of The Design of Dukes (The Beautiful Barringtons 2)

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“Christ, Gran. Did your aunt invite every marriageable chit in England?” Haven complained from a leather winged-back chair. “Will I be forced to play charades? Or some other silly game no dignified marquess should be forced to play?”

“You are hardly dignified,” Blythe said from his place closer to the sideboard.

Haven scowled in his direction.

“Depends on what you deem beneath you,” David answered his friend. “I’m sure there will be charades this evening in the drawing room, and Aunt Pen has arranged a game of bowls on the lawn for tomorrow.”

“Just give me a bloody pistol now. I’ll go shoot something in the woods to relieve the tedium. Or better yet, I’ll shoot myself in order to avoid participating in such nonsense. I can just imagine a flock of young ladies all tossing bowls about the lawn at me.”

“Perish the thought, Haven.Noneof them are after you.” Blythe gave Haven a smug look. “Not with a duke and a ridiculously wealthy earl who looks like me in residence. Even Estwood is far more charming when he chooses to be. Or at least his money is.”

“You can’t have one conversation without mentioning the size of your purse, can you?” Haven snapped.

“I wasn’t talking aboutmywealth,” Blythe pointed out. “But Estwood’s. Where is he, by the way?”

“Estwood will arrive later tonight, hopefully in time for dinner,” David answered. “A delay in London. One of his business ventures required immediate attention.”

Estwood was involved in all sorts of schemes, some of which David approved of and many he did not. Ruthless and brilliant, Estwood disregarded all obstacles and a great many people in his pursuit of wealth. He’d amassed a great deal, making Blythe look like a pauper in comparison. But it was never enough. All the wealth in the world would never buy Estwood what he sought most.

“You, Haven, will have to settle for one of the plainer girls, though a well-dowered one,” Blythe stated in a conversational tone. “Isn’t Lady Mildred still unmarried? I think I saw her wandering about as I made my way to your study, Gran.”

“Lady Mildred is a bit long in the tooth for my tastes.”

“Sheisquite ancient, but also very desperate. Or Lucy Waterstone. Her father is dying to marry her off. The lispisunfortunate.”

Haven gave Blythe a chilly look. “You, Blythe, are nothing more than a spoiled dandy with little to recommend him but his looks. You are fortunate I didn’t strangle you on the ride here.”

David put his hand up before the growing tension between the two resulted in blows. Itwasa miracle they hadn’t killed each other on the journey from London. Haven and Blythe argued often, the hostility between them sometimes resulting in long stretches when the pair didn’t speak to each other. David had almost sent a coach for Haven’s use so he wouldn’t be subjected to Blythe’s baiting, but Haven, ever sensitive regarding his poverty, would have seen the gesture as the charity it was.

Blythe was unfortunately correct about Haven’s circumstances. The estate he’d inherited was rundown, stripped of the former glory it had once commanded. Returning from abroad, Haven had been greeted with a dead father who had passed along his title as well as a great deal of debt. Haven’s sister had been reduced to living like a beggar with a distant relation. Everything which wasn’t entailed had been sold, leaving Haven very little else. He still struggled to repay the remaining creditors, refusing loans or outright gifts of money. The damage done to his family’s reputation was extensive, thus resulting in Haven’s propensity to duel. He thought his honor infringed upon regularly.

Blythe, on the other hand, possessed a well-managed estate and an enormous fortune, inherited from a father who had not squandered the family wealth on the turn of a card. His perpetually sunny disposition was in stark contrast to Haven’s gloomy outlook. Blythe was charming, well-liked, and fawned over by every woman within his radius, including his mother and five sisters. In short, Blythe had everything Haven did not.

“Are you going to allow him to threaten me, Gran?” Blythe said teasingly. “I should challenge Haven to a duel. Settle things between us once and for all.”

David refilled Haven’s glass. He had yet to take a sip of the contents of his own, not wanting the scotch to induce him to relinquish even a bit of his iron control, especially when The Barrow was filled with guests.

“I’d be short one friend,” he warned Blythe. “I’ve not that many to begin with and can’t afford to lose either of you. That would leave me with only Estwood at the card table.”

Blythe was a decent enough shot, but challenging Haven, who was deadly with either swords or pistols, wasn’t wise. “Stop antagonizing Haven.”

Blythe clinked his glass with the unsmiling Haven’s. “Very well. I apologize, Haven. Lady Meredith Claremont is here. She’s pretty.Lovelybosom. Much younger than Lady Mildred.” He wiggled his brows.

“Have you compromised her?”

“No,” Blythe said, not the least offended by Haven’s question. “And I promise not to steal so much as a kiss if your interest lies in her direction.”

“Fine.” Haven curled his lip. “I shall consider her and anyone else who has been invited. Perhaps Granby’s aunt is seeking to secure more than one match with this party.”

“I’m not sure she’s eager to secure mine,” David said off-hand, receiving a curious look from Haven.

Blythe studied the contents of his glass, remaining silent. A first.

“Lady Richardson seeks a husband for her daughter,” David finally said, if only to break the sudden tension in the study. “I met her briefly upon their enthusiastic arrival. Attractive enough. And there’s two other young ladies, cousins of Lady Richardson, who were invited at the last minute. I haven’t seen them, so I can’t speak for their appearance, but perhaps one of them will do. Youarestill a marquess, Haven. Waterstone wants a title for his daughter.”

“Waterstone is a bigger deterrent than his daughter’s lisp.” Haven snorted. “I can’t imagine enduring his company for a lifetime.”

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