Mark nodded and sat down opposite him. “I am surprised to see you here, Seton,” he said, pouring himself a glass of ruby-red wine from the decanter on the table. "I thought you would have been dining at Haddington Hall.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Don’t you start.”
“What do you mean?” Mark asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Trouble already?”
Luke took a gulp of wine. “Let’s just say that I do not entirely enjoy the company of my fiancée’s family.”
“Surely, they must be delighted, though? It is not as if they would have expected Miss Hervey to make such a fine match.” Mark paused. “Although the circumstances are… unconventional, shall we say?”
Luke nodded. “There is no point in denying that. Not to you, at least, my old friend.”
“Well, you were the talk of the ton already, Seton, and now…” Mark waved a hand around the room, gesturing towards the groups of gentlemen who were all surreptitiously looking at them.
“It will blow over soon,” Luke said dismissively. He was not entirely convinced by his own argument, but perhaps if he kept on repeating it, it might come true.
“And you have secured a license for the marriage?” Mark asked, narrowing his eyes a little. “The speed at which things are moving is the reason for the gossip, you know…”
Luke leaned across the table to ensure that Mark could hear him when he dropped his voice to a low tone. “I know what people are saying, Miller, but please, do not give it any more credence. There was… a moment at the Smetherington’s ball… which means that we need to proceed rather quickly, but it is not a great scandal. It is not even particularly interesting. It is entirely beyond my comprehension why the people of this wretched ton care so much about other people’s affairs.”
Mark leaned back in his chair and laughed. “My friend, it is just how society works! These people live to talk about other people and make a sport out of gossip. That is just the way it is.” He paused. “Perhaps you are right, and it will blow over, but even without the hint of scandal, you must confess that it is an extraordinary match.”
Luke was about to respond when a servant appeared with their supper. He bit his lip and allowed the man to serve them. It was just as well, he thought, to have a moment to think before he responded. Once the servant had gone, he felt ready to reply.
“Mark, you are better than this. I know you are,” he said firmly. “You see the value of Miss Hervey for herself, do you not? The people of this infernal town talk nothing but nonsense, it seems to me.”
Mark nodded. “Forgive me,” he said. “You are quite right. She is a fine young lady, despite what people say. And her sister too.”
“I wanted to speak to you of her sister, actually…” Luke began, but before he could continue, they were interrupted by a booming voice from across the room.
“Seton!”
Luke looked up and let out a groan. What on earth was Lord Harry doing here?
“This isn’t his club,” he muttered to Mark.
Mark shrugged. “He must be visiting someone.”
“I cannot stand the man,” Luke said under his breath. “Oh, God save us. He’s coming over.”
Luke watched in dismay as Lord Harry bounded across the room towards them, looking rather like an overgrown Labrador puppy. Although Luke supposed that Labrador puppies generally were not red-faced from drinking too much champagne and brandy.
Lord Harry was perfectly oblivious to the look on Luke’s face. “Seton, I did not know this was your club!” he brayed. Perhaps he had forgotten the terms on which they had parted at their last meeting, or maybe he thought that the whole matter had been swept under the carpet.
Luke nodded. “Well, now you do know.” He wondered if he tried to answer the man as curtly and briefly as possible, he would get the message. But it looked as if Lord Harry was far too drunk to take the hint.
“And what’s this I hear about you and Miss Hervey?” he slurred. “I thought you were rather a little too interested in her when we last spoke!”
“Miss Hervey and I are engaged to be married,” Luke said simply. He was not going to deny it – why should he? But he had no desire to discuss the details of his relationship with this man. In fact, he had no desire to discuss them with anyone, but Lord Harry was definitely at the bottom of his list.
“All a little hasty, though, isn’t it?” Lord Harry plowed on, remaining oblivious to the look of glowering fury on Luke’s face. “You weren’t – you know – you weren’t a naughty boy, were you?” He guffawed. "I suspect Miss Hervey is sufficiently desperate for a husband to allow anything! Missed a trick there, didn’t I?”
Luke stood up and stepped towards Lord Harry. “You will not speak of her that way,” he growled. “Do you understand? You forget yourself, Lord Harry. And you forget that my position in society is such that I could make life very difficult for you, should I choose to. In fact, you are lucky that I have not done so already, considering the things I know about you.”
Lord Harry reached forward to lean on the table, seeming a little unsteady on his feet. The temptation Luke felt to punch him, then and there, was strong, but he forced himself to resist. Of course, it would only add to the scandal, and he and Charlotte had more than enough to worry about.
“Man, you are drunk, and you are embarrassing yourself,” he hissed to Lord Harry. “You had better get yourself home before something bad happens to you.”
“Are you threatening me, Seton?” Lord Harry said, then hiccupped and staggered backward, knocking into a nearby table.
