point behind Sebastian's left shoulder. "Your cousin just walked into the room. Odd. He rarely visits this particular club."
"Only because he knows I can frequently be found here."
"Precisely. So what, one might ask, is Fleetwood doing here tonight?"
"That's easy enough to guess." Sebastian set down his glass. "He has no doubt come to wish me luck on the field of honor."
"Not bloody likely." Garrick frowned. "The opposite, no doubt. Fleetwood would not weep any tears if someone were to put a bullet in you, Angelstone, and everyone knows it. As far as he's concerned, you usurped the title, and he's never forgiven you. He and his overbearing mama both assumed for years that he was next in line."
Sebastian shrugged. "As did everyone else in the family."
Garrick fell silent as Jeremy Fleetwood came up behind Sebastian.
"Angelstone." Jeremy's voice held the raw, brittle tone of a young man who knows he is facing an older, more powerful male. It was a tone balanced between fear and bravado.
Sebastian ignored the interested hush that fell over the crowd at the nearest gaming tables. He knew everyone in the room was straining to hear the confrontation without appearing to do so. The entire
ton
was aware of the icy feud between Sebastian and his relatives.
It was highly unusual for either side to even speak to the other. The fact that young Fleetwood was here in Sebastian's favorite club and had actually addressed his cousin by name would no doubt fascinate the gossips every bit as much as the rumor of a duel.
"Was there something you wanted, Fleetwood?" Sebastian turned slowly to face Jeremy. "Aside from my title, that is? Or have you come to wish me good fortune on the morrow?"
Jeremy's handsome face flushed. His eyes were a much darker shade than Sebastian's, brown rather than gold. His hair was lighter in color, a deep mahogany rather than midnight black. Nevertheless, Sebastian knew the family resemblance between himself and his cousin was unmistakable. He also knew that obvious fact irritated the rest of the Fleetwoods. They would have preferred him to have resembled his fair-haired mother.
"You bastard." Jeremy doubled a hand into a fist. "One of these days someone is going to put a bullet through your cold heart and it will serve you right."
"Thank you." Sebastian inclined his head politely. "Always nice to know one's family is behind one in a time of crisis."
"It's true, then?" Jeremy demanded, appalled. "You're going to subject the family reputation to another round of scandal by engaging in a duel with some country yokel?"
"You'll be happy to learn that the rumors of a duel are false."
"I don't believe it."
"It's the truth, cousin." Sebastian smiled. "Tell your doting mama to cancel her order for mourning clothes. I imagine she has already selected something appropriate in black on the off chance that her fondest wish might come true on the morrow. Unfortunately for her, I intend to live yet another day."
Jeremy scowled. "I heard that the brother of the Merryweather chit challenged you."
"Did you? Amazing how gossip flows through the
ton,
isn't it? A pity that so much of it is false."
"Damn it, man, what are you up to this time?"
"Nothing that need concern you, Fleetwood."
"You're an arrogant bastard, cousin."
"Arrogant I may be, but I am most definitely not a bastard." Sebastian smiled again. "And that, dear cousin, makes all the difference, doesn't it?"
Jeremy's mouth worked, but in the end he seemed to be unable to find words. He spun around on one well-shod foot and stalked out of the room.
The buzz of conversation resumed at the card tables. Sebastian turned back to pour himself another glass of port. He stopped when he saw the thoughtful expression in Garrick's eyes.
"Don't worry, my friend," Sebastian said. "Fieetwood and I have an understanding. Long ago we both made a pact to detest each other."
Garrick's gaze remained on the door. "I believe he truly hates you."
"Not entirely
"Only because he knows I can frequently be found here."
"Precisely. So what, one might ask, is Fleetwood doing here tonight?"
"That's easy enough to guess." Sebastian set down his glass. "He has no doubt come to wish me luck on the field of honor."
"Not bloody likely." Garrick frowned. "The opposite, no doubt. Fleetwood would not weep any tears if someone were to put a bullet in you, Angelstone, and everyone knows it. As far as he's concerned, you usurped the title, and he's never forgiven you. He and his overbearing mama both assumed for years that he was next in line."
Sebastian shrugged. "As did everyone else in the family."
Garrick fell silent as Jeremy Fleetwood came up behind Sebastian.
"Angelstone." Jeremy's voice held the raw, brittle tone of a young man who knows he is facing an older, more powerful male. It was a tone balanced between fear and bravado.
Sebastian ignored the interested hush that fell over the crowd at the nearest gaming tables. He knew everyone in the room was straining to hear the confrontation without appearing to do so. The entire
ton
was aware of the icy feud between Sebastian and his relatives.
It was highly unusual for either side to even speak to the other. The fact that young Fleetwood was here in Sebastian's favorite club and had actually addressed his cousin by name would no doubt fascinate the gossips every bit as much as the rumor of a duel.
"Was there something you wanted, Fleetwood?" Sebastian turned slowly to face Jeremy. "Aside from my title, that is? Or have you come to wish me good fortune on the morrow?"
Jeremy's handsome face flushed. His eyes were a much darker shade than Sebastian's, brown rather than gold. His hair was lighter in color, a deep mahogany rather than midnight black. Nevertheless, Sebastian knew the family resemblance between himself and his cousin was unmistakable. He also knew that obvious fact irritated the rest of the Fleetwoods. They would have preferred him to have resembled his fair-haired mother.
"You bastard." Jeremy doubled a hand into a fist. "One of these days someone is going to put a bullet through your cold heart and it will serve you right."
"Thank you." Sebastian inclined his head politely. "Always nice to know one's family is behind one in a time of crisis."
"It's true, then?" Jeremy demanded, appalled. "You're going to subject the family reputation to another round of scandal by engaging in a duel with some country yokel?"
"You'll be happy to learn that the rumors of a duel are false."
"I don't believe it."
"It's the truth, cousin." Sebastian smiled. "Tell your doting mama to cancel her order for mourning clothes. I imagine she has already selected something appropriate in black on the off chance that her fondest wish might come true on the morrow. Unfortunately for her, I intend to live yet another day."
Jeremy scowled. "I heard that the brother of the Merryweather chit challenged you."
"Did you? Amazing how gossip flows through the
ton,
isn't it? A pity that so much of it is false."
"Damn it, man, what are you up to this time?"
"Nothing that need concern you, Fleetwood."
"You're an arrogant bastard, cousin."
"Arrogant I may be, but I am most definitely not a bastard." Sebastian smiled again. "And that, dear cousin, makes all the difference, doesn't it?"
Jeremy's mouth worked, but in the end he seemed to be unable to find words. He spun around on one well-shod foot and stalked out of the room.
The buzz of conversation resumed at the card tables. Sebastian turned back to pour himself another glass of port. He stopped when he saw the thoughtful expression in Garrick's eyes.
"Don't worry, my friend," Sebastian said. "Fieetwood and I have an understanding. Long ago we both made a pact to detest each other."
Garrick's gaze remained on the door. "I believe he truly hates you."
"Not entirely
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