“Don’t mind Peter, he’s extra surly whenever he’s at Glass Hall,” William smirked.
“Sod off.”
“See what I mean?”
Luke laughed at William’s ribbing of their friend. “To what do we attribute his surliness?”
Peter glared at William. After clamping his mouth shut, William opened it again to say, “It must be the hair?”
“Hair?” Luke echoed with a cocked eyebrow.
“Hair? Why would I say hair? I said air. It must be the Glass Hallair.” William emphasized the word in dispute while Peter continued to burn holes into whatever caught his gaze.
But Luke was mostly too distracted in his thoughts to notice the orbital warfare. Instead, he lifted his glass, all thoughts of women pushed aside, and said, “To being free men!”
William raised his glass and Peter chuckled again saying, “To freedom.” They tossed back their drinks. Then Peter added, “For now.”
“Do you have some news to share?”
“Me? Hell, no. But I’m sure you do.”
Luke’s chin lifted at the comment. “What makes you say that?”
“You’re hosting a masquerade aren’t you? And it’s tonight no less. I’ll be expecting some news soon. It’s no secret about your grandmother and your mother, the dowager duchess. I figured you were aiming for a similar fate?”
The two men knew each other well. Were in fact doing business together and investing in steam locomotives. Railway transport held great promise for England’s future, and Luke couldn’t pass on the chance, especially with the knowledge Peter had of it all. If anyone, Peter could be trusted.
“I might be,” Luke finally answered Peter’s question. “I’m open to the search.”
“Just make sure you have a good costume and a hooded domino. That blazing blonde hair of yours is a dead giveaway.” Peter waved a loose arm in his direction. “Can’t do anything about your eyes though.”
“When last were you gazing deeply into my eyes, Peter?”
William chuckled as Peter choked on his new drink. “Ha. Ha. I can’t help hearing the ladies gossip aboutStonecastle’s ocean eyes.’ Makes me want to gag. I shall never understand such sentiments. But there you have it.”
The grin on Luke’s face, he was sure, only served to annoy Peter all the more. “What else do they say?”
It seemed William couldn’t help himself, as he chimed in with, “Yes, Peter, what else do they say?”
“Ask them. I’m done with this conversation. Tell me when we’re expecting Egan and George.”
“Sadly they’re not coming this year.”
“Why the hell not?”
“He just hasn’t been the same since the accident. Not sure he wants to celebrate.”
“Tell him to get over it.”
“You tell him,” Luke scoffed. “It’s not like he carries a dirk everywhere he goes,” was mumbled under his breath.
“I’ve never seen him use it. Anyway, he’ll soften up. He just needs a good woman.”
“Is that all it takes?”
“Usually.”
“So you’re saying if I find you a good woman, you’ll turn into Christmas pudding?”
