“Have you seduced your lovely wife yet?”
Will shot his friend a hot look. “I’m not answering that.”
“No need, I can guess the answer. Perhaps it’s time to show her what she might be missing, heh?”
“Wipe that smile from your face.”
Calstone laughed. “It wouldn’t hurt, would it? Courtship is a seduction of sorts, too, you know.”
“I shall take your advice into consideration.”
“Please do.” Calstone suddenly cursed. “Don’t look now, but a rat is on his way.
Will spotted Cromby and clenched his jaw.
“Leeds, old fellow! There you are!” Cromby exclaimed as he neared them. “I heard you married one of the heiresses! Good for you, good for you! Too bad you never set a wager in the book or else your coffers would be overflowing now.”
“What an arse,” Calstone muttered beneath his breath.
Will scowled, deeply, sharing his friend’s sentiments. The only thing he could see when he looked at Cromby’s face was a man who had once taken advantage of his wife and had tried to lay his filthy hands on her.
Will gripped his glass tightly before he tossed back the remaining liquor and rose to his feet. “Don’t speak of my wife.”
Cromby started, then gave an awkward laugh. “Can I not congratulate a friend?”
“We are not friends.”
Cromby frowned. “What do you mean? We’ve always been friends, old fellow.”
“We have never been friends.”
Calstone leaped to his feet as well. “Leeds here is having an off day. Let’s give the man some space.”
Will sent a glare his friend’s way, which Calstone returned with a warning look of his own, motioning to people flicking glances their way.
“Of course,” Cromby said. “We all have such days.”
Will reigned in his temper. Calstone was right—it did no good to cause a scene in White’s. He needed to be smart about the entire affair.
“I suppose even a mouse can give a man trouble. Of course, with her dowry—”
“Cromby,” Will bit out. “I told you not to speak of my wife.”
The man gave another awkward laugh. “I didn’t mean anything by it. No need to get into a tiff because of a woman, is there?”
Will saw red.
He lifted his fist to remove the man’s jaw, but was promptly stopped by Calstone, who kept a pleasant smile plastered on his face while he quickly moved to stand in what would have been the arc of Will’s punch.
“Now is not the time,” Calstone said in a lowered voice over his shoulder. “We’ll handle this another way. A more permanent way.”
Will clenched his jaw tighter but allowed the tension to roll off his shoulders. Damn it. Calstone was right. Again. No need to sully his fists on dirt when there were other ways to sweep it out the door. Cromby was a notable ass, but he had a large following of reprobates. Better to deal with him with a bit of caution. The last thing Will wanted was for any repercussion or reprisal to reach Harriet.
“Let’s go,” Will growled and strode away. There were better things do anyway. Like uncovering more ways to make his wife flush bright pink.
Chapter Twelve
Harriet had asecret.
