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. How many times have I told you to call me Edward orde Raaf? Pye half smiled in acknowledgment at the familiar words, but it was to Simon he spoke. Iam glad to see you well, my lord.We had news of your near murder. Simon shrugged easily. A trifle, I assure you. De Raaf frowned. That s not what I heard. The boy slammed a full mug of coffee down beside Pye.De Raaf s jaw dropped. How did you do that? What? Pye s gaze lowered to the empty space on the table before the earl. Aren t youhaving a cup today? I He s decided to give up coffee, Simon cut in smoothly. Heard it s not good for the libido.Huntington wrote a treatise on it recently, didn t you hear? It especially affects thosenearing their middle years. Really. Pye blinked.De Raaf s pale, pockmarked face crimsoned. What a lot of rot Can t say I ve noticed it affecting me. Simon smiled blandly and sipped his coffee. Butthen again, de Raaf is considerably older than I. You lying And he s recently married.Bound to have a slowing-down consequence, that. Now see here Pye s lips twitched.If Simon hadn t been watching closely, he d have missed it. But I mnewly married as well, Pye interrupted softly. And I can t say I ve noticed any, ah, problem.Must be the age. Simon felt a strange pang as he realized he was the odd man out.They turned in unison tothe earl.Who sputtered, Despicable, lying, caddish The boy whirled by again.De Raaf frantically waved his arm. Ahhh,damn! The lad disappeared into the kitchen without ever turning his head. Good thing you ve given up the sacred brew. Simon smirked.A crash came from the brawl in the corner.Heads swiveled.The country squire had thedandy, sans wig, on his back against a table.Two chairs lay broken nearby.Pye frowned. Isn t that Arlington? Yes, Simon replied. Hard to recognize him without that atrocious wig, isn t it? Can t thinkwhy he chose pink.No doubt that s the reason the rural chap is pummeling him.Probablyovercome with loathing for the wig. They were arguing over swine breeding. De Raaf shook his head. He s always been a bit unreasonable about farrowing pens.Runs in the family. Do you think we should help him? Pye asked. No. De Raaf looked around for the boy, an evil gleam in his eye. Arlington could benefitfrom a beating.Might knock some sense into him. Doubt it. Simon raised his mug again, but then lowered it as he saw a slight, scruffycharacter hesitating in the doorway.The man scanned the room and spotted him.He started toward them. Dammit! de Raaf exclaimed beside him. They re ignoring me on purpose. Do you want me to get you a coffee? Pye asked. No.I m going to do it myself or die trying. The man stopped before Simon. Took me most of the day, Guv, but I ve found him. Heproffered a dirty scrap of paper. Thanks. Simon gave the man a gold coin. Ta. The little man tugged a forelock and disappeared.Simon opened the paper and read:The Devil s Playground after eleven.He crumpled the noteand stuffed it in a pocket.And only then realized the other two men were watching him.Heraised his brows. What s that? De Raaf rumbled. Found another one to duel? Simon blinked, taken aback.He thought he had kept his dueling secret from de Raaf andPye.He d not wanted their interference or their moralizing. Surprised we know? De Raaf leaned back, endangering the wooden chair he sat in. Itwasn t that hard to ferret out how you ve been spending the last couple of months,especially after that sword fight with Hartwell. What was the big man s point? Not your business. It is when you re risking your life with each duel, Pye answered for them both.Simon stared hard.Neither man blinked.Damn them.He looked away. They killed Ethan. John Peller killed your brother. De Raaf tapped a big finger on the table in emphasis. And he s already dead.You ran him through more than two years ago.Why start againnow? Peller was part of a conspiracy. Simon looked away. A bloody conspiracy from hell.I onlyfound out several months ago, whilst going through some of Ethan s papers. De Raaf sat back and folded his arms. I discovered that fact right before I challenged Hartwell. Simon fingered his indexfinger. There were four of them in the conspiracy.Two are left now, and they re allculpable.What would you do if it were your brother? Probably the same as you re doing. There you are. De Raaf grimaced. The chances you ll be killed increase with every duel you fight. I ve won both duels so far. Simon looked away. What makes you think I can t win thenext? Even the best swordsman can slip or be distracted for a moment. De Raaf lookedirritable. One moment, that s all it takes.Those are your words. Simon shrugged.Pye leaned forward, his voice lowering. At least let us go with you, be your seconds. No.I already have someone else in mind. That lad you ve been partnering with at Angelo s? de Raaf cut in.Simon nodded. Christian Fletcher. Pye s gaze sharpened. How well do you know him? Can you trust him? Christian? Simon laughed. Young, I concede, but quite good with a blade.Almost as goodas I, in fact.He s beaten me in practice once or twice. But would he guard your back in a crisis? De Raaf shook his head. Would he even know tolook for tricks? It won t come to that. Dammit Besides Simon looked from one to the other the both of you are in a state of connubialbliss.Think you that I would want to present either of your wives with a dead husbandbefore your first anniversary? Simon de Raaf began. No.Leave it at that. Goddamnyou [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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. How many times have I told you to call me Edward orde Raaf? Pye half smiled in acknowledgment at the familiar words, but it was to Simon he spoke. Iam glad to see you well, my lord.We had news of your near murder. Simon shrugged easily. A trifle, I assure you. De Raaf frowned. That s not what I heard. The boy slammed a full mug of coffee down beside Pye.De Raaf s jaw dropped. How did you do that? What? Pye s gaze lowered to the empty space on the table before the earl. Aren t youhaving a cup today? I He s decided to give up coffee, Simon cut in smoothly. Heard it s not good for the libido.Huntington wrote a treatise on it recently, didn t you hear? It especially affects thosenearing their middle years. Really. Pye blinked.De Raaf s pale, pockmarked face crimsoned. What a lot of rot Can t say I ve noticed it affecting me. Simon smiled blandly and sipped his coffee. Butthen again, de Raaf is considerably older than I. You lying And he s recently married.Bound to have a slowing-down consequence, that. Now see here Pye s lips twitched.If Simon hadn t been watching closely, he d have missed it. But I mnewly married as well, Pye interrupted softly. And I can t say I ve noticed any, ah, problem.Must be the age. Simon felt a strange pang as he realized he was the odd man out.They turned in unison tothe earl.Who sputtered, Despicable, lying, caddish The boy whirled by again.De Raaf frantically waved his arm. Ahhh,damn! The lad disappeared into the kitchen without ever turning his head. Good thing you ve given up the sacred brew. Simon smirked.A crash came from the brawl in the corner.Heads swiveled.The country squire had thedandy, sans wig, on his back against a table.Two chairs lay broken nearby.Pye frowned. Isn t that Arlington? Yes, Simon replied. Hard to recognize him without that atrocious wig, isn t it? Can t thinkwhy he chose pink.No doubt that s the reason the rural chap is pummeling him.Probablyovercome with loathing for the wig. They were arguing over swine breeding. De Raaf shook his head. He s always been a bit unreasonable about farrowing pens.Runs in the family. Do you think we should help him? Pye asked. No. De Raaf looked around for the boy, an evil gleam in his eye. Arlington could benefitfrom a beating.Might knock some sense into him. Doubt it. Simon raised his mug again, but then lowered it as he saw a slight, scruffycharacter hesitating in the doorway.The man scanned the room and spotted him.He started toward them. Dammit! de Raaf exclaimed beside him. They re ignoring me on purpose. Do you want me to get you a coffee? Pye asked. No.I m going to do it myself or die trying. The man stopped before Simon. Took me most of the day, Guv, but I ve found him. Heproffered a dirty scrap of paper. Thanks. Simon gave the man a gold coin. Ta. The little man tugged a forelock and disappeared.Simon opened the paper and read:The Devil s Playground after eleven.He crumpled the noteand stuffed it in a pocket.And only then realized the other two men were watching him.Heraised his brows. What s that? De Raaf rumbled. Found another one to duel? Simon blinked, taken aback.He thought he had kept his dueling secret from de Raaf andPye.He d not wanted their interference or their moralizing. Surprised we know? De Raaf leaned back, endangering the wooden chair he sat in. Itwasn t that hard to ferret out how you ve been spending the last couple of months,especially after that sword fight with Hartwell. What was the big man s point? Not your business. It is when you re risking your life with each duel, Pye answered for them both.Simon stared hard.Neither man blinked.Damn them.He looked away. They killed Ethan. John Peller killed your brother. De Raaf tapped a big finger on the table in emphasis. And he s already dead.You ran him through more than two years ago.Why start againnow? Peller was part of a conspiracy. Simon looked away. A bloody conspiracy from hell.I onlyfound out several months ago, whilst going through some of Ethan s papers. De Raaf sat back and folded his arms. I discovered that fact right before I challenged Hartwell. Simon fingered his indexfinger. There were four of them in the conspiracy.Two are left now, and they re allculpable.What would you do if it were your brother? Probably the same as you re doing. There you are. De Raaf grimaced. The chances you ll be killed increase with every duel you fight. I ve won both duels so far. Simon looked away. What makes you think I can t win thenext? Even the best swordsman can slip or be distracted for a moment. De Raaf lookedirritable. One moment, that s all it takes.Those are your words. Simon shrugged.Pye leaned forward, his voice lowering. At least let us go with you, be your seconds. No.I already have someone else in mind. That lad you ve been partnering with at Angelo s? de Raaf cut in.Simon nodded. Christian Fletcher. Pye s gaze sharpened. How well do you know him? Can you trust him? Christian? Simon laughed. Young, I concede, but quite good with a blade.Almost as goodas I, in fact.He s beaten me in practice once or twice. But would he guard your back in a crisis? De Raaf shook his head. Would he even know tolook for tricks? It won t come to that. Dammit Besides Simon looked from one to the other the both of you are in a state of connubialbliss.Think you that I would want to present either of your wives with a dead husbandbefore your first anniversary? Simon de Raaf began. No.Leave it at that. Goddamnyou [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]