Amusing, that, since he worked so hard to appear laughable most days.
He’d tried not to during the interviews. He’d worn his best black silk waistcoat and plain linen cravat. He’d refrained from introducing the first man who’d been ushered into his study to Sebastian the Bear.
And the man had been impressive. He’d be able to accomplish all the things Tobias needed accomplished to set the wheels of his silk empire in motion. But he’d also never smiled. And then he’d asked, “Wouldn’t it be more prudent, more efficient, to use cotton? You can produce it at a quicker pace.”
And Tobias had stopped trying to impress him. He’d interviewed only two other men that morning before finding himself bored and disappointed. He’d left instructions with the butler to send the rest of the applicants away.
Maggie would not be pleased. The Quinns, if they knew, would not be pleased. He was not half pleased himself.
“Yo-ho, Tobias, what’s the frown for?” Grayson stepped down the street, hands in pockets, hat tilted back on his head, a broken whistle on his lips.
“I knew you were soon to arrive, and it spoiled my mood.”
Grayson leaned against the wall on the other side of the townhouse’s front door. “Henrietta said Maggie was attending today.”
Tobias nodded. “What are they up to in there?”
Grayson scratched his ear. “Hen won’t talk about it much. But she enjoys it, so I approve.” He looked up and down the street. “Wonder where Bax is.”
“Bax?”
“Lord Cordell. Husband to one of the ladies inside.”
“Do we all gather here, then, while the ladies meet indoors? Do we have our own club? If we do not, we certainly should. I’ll organize it. And name it. No one else will have the imagination to do it properly. How about the Seriously Worried London Gents. No. No ring to it. Hm. The Harried Husbands League. Ah, now that,that, has promise.” He shook his head and lifted a grim gaze to Grayson. “But we cannot meet every week on a stoop. The earl will have to join our ranks and let us inside. Much better to be harried in comfort.”
“I’m not harried, Tobias. Speak for yourself.” Grayson looked up at the blue, cloudless sky. “When it’s nice, I enjoy walking Henrietta home. She’s so full of energy after the meetings. I like to see her bounce and smile. What are you doing here?”
“I got bored. I like to see Maggie bounce and smile, too, but I’d prefer to get her home and ensconced in the bedroom before that happens.”
“I’m ignoring you.”
“That seems to be a trend of late.”
His voice must have held a note of true gloom because Grayson narrowed his gaze on Tobias. “Do you need to”—he looked up to the heavens—“talk? Is something amiss? With Maggie or …?”
A flippant response rose ready onto Tobias’s tongue, but he hesitated to let it fly.
Grayson shrugged. “You helped me and Henrietta out of a troubling situation.”
“After I helped get you into it.” The rift between Henrietta and Grayson that had caused them to spend a year apart had indeed been Tobias’s fault, and all because he’d kept his thoughts to himself instead of sharing them with other, asking questions, seeking answers. No, he’d kept his secrets and that had helped no one. Perhaps he should speak with his friend. “All right, Gray. You asked for it. What do I have to lose? I’m naked already. And everyone will know soon enough.”
“Naked? You look fully clothed to me.”
Tobias sighed. “It’s a metaphorical nakedness, my friend, and you’re a literal man. You would not understand.”
“I understand you look like you were just denied a duel to defend someone’s honor.” His face paled. “Has someone offended Maggie?”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” Tobias would run the man stupid enough to do so through with a blunt and dirty rapier, just to make sure it hurt as much as possible. And got infected.
“Then … what will everyone know about soon enough?”
The words did not want to slide between his teeth and out into the world. They caught in his throat, but he pushed them up and out. “I’m starting a business. Silk.”
Grayson’s eyes brightened. “Ah. I wondered what you’d been up to. You’ve seemed to be idle since Paris.”
“What do you know about Paris?”
“You worked with that Frenchman and designed a thing and made lots of money.”
