snowy cravat hanging loose around his neck. Tossing his towel at the hamper next to the bathing room door, he picked up one end of his cravat and let it fall. “Can you tie this bloody thing or loan me your valet?”
Simon grabbed his own towel and began drying off. “Tell Dunston to send Adams up. I thought you were wearing your dress blues.”
“I was, but your footman got even for the stocking mishap and brought back evening wear when he went to retrieve them from my apartment.” Roc scoffed. “Who is Adams?”
Chuckling, Simon wrapped his towel around his hips. Henderson was a worthy opponent. Maybe he’d stick around longer than the others had. “Adams is my new valet.”
Roc’s mouth dropped open. “You’re jesting. What happened to Patterson?”
“Wycliffe clocked him with a water balloon and a bag of flour.” Simon retrieved his comb, nudging Roc out from in front of the mirror. “The two of you are going to have to stop assaulting my staff.”
“Don’t go blaming Wycliffe and me. As I remember it, you’re the one who made Tinkerton quit.” Roc turned and leaned against the bathroom vanity, watching Simon comb his hair.
26
www.samhainpublishing.com
The Englor Affair
Simon groaned at the reminder. He hadn’t meant to dunk the under butler in the fishpond in back of the townhouse. It wasn’t like Simon knew that Cook had dropped her handkerchief in there on her morning walk. And really, Simon couldn’t be held accountable for the man looking like Wycliffe from behind.
A loud clap of thunder rattled the windows and immediately after rain pelted the townhouse. Roc winced. “Dust, can’t remember the last time we had one like this. Sure hope the leak in my roof was fixed. Damned military housing.”
“Why do you think I bought myself a townhouse? Marine housing implodes planets and no way in hell was I staying in the IN barracks.” Simon tossed his comb onto the counter and went to his dressing room. Uniform or evening dress?
“You really should talk to your father about more funding for military living quarters.” Roc picked up Simon’s discarded comb and followed him into the dressing room.
“Talked to my uncle about it when I moved out of my apartment on base. He was going to draft a bill to present it to parliament.” Simon opened the closet and took out his IN dress blues. “The problem is, since we share the base with the IN, parliament wants the IN to help with the costs.” Turning toward Roc, he took his jacket and shirt off the hanger.
Roc dropped the comb on the chaise in front of the closet.
“That doesn’t belong there.” Simon laid his jacket and pants on the back of the chaise and put his shirt on. Once again he contemplated the Benson problem. Where was the man and why hadn’t he checked in?
Groaning, Roc snagged the comb off the chaise. He took it back to the washroom, then leaned against the doorframe. “Are you going to Gentleman Jackson’s tonight?”
“I hadn’t planned on it.” Simon began buttoning his shirt as he crossed to the dresser to retrieve underclothes. “Was going to go workout tomorrow evening after work. Why?”
He tossed his towel aside and pulled on his short drawers. “Don’t tell me you’re ready to step back into the boxing ring.”
www.samhainpublishing.com 27
J.L. Langley
Roc snorted, rolled his right shoulder and clutched it with his left hand. “I should say not. My arm still hurts from pummeling Wycliffe.”
Last time they’d gone to Gentleman Jackson’s, Roc had challenged Wycliffe to a match and neither had fared well. Or perhaps both had? At any rate neither was fit for public viewing for several days, and they’d both cried off working out with Simon.
Simon retrieved his trousers from the chaise. “If I remember correctly, Wycliffe nailed you in that shoulder.”
“Colonel, there is a lieutenant here to see you. He says he has an urgent message for you,” Dunston said. “Shall I have him seen to
Simon grabbed his own towel and began drying off. “Tell Dunston to send Adams up. I thought you were wearing your dress blues.”
“I was, but your footman got even for the stocking mishap and brought back evening wear when he went to retrieve them from my apartment.” Roc scoffed. “Who is Adams?”
Chuckling, Simon wrapped his towel around his hips. Henderson was a worthy opponent. Maybe he’d stick around longer than the others had. “Adams is my new valet.”
Roc’s mouth dropped open. “You’re jesting. What happened to Patterson?”
“Wycliffe clocked him with a water balloon and a bag of flour.” Simon retrieved his comb, nudging Roc out from in front of the mirror. “The two of you are going to have to stop assaulting my staff.”
“Don’t go blaming Wycliffe and me. As I remember it, you’re the one who made Tinkerton quit.” Roc turned and leaned against the bathroom vanity, watching Simon comb his hair.
26
www.samhainpublishing.com
The Englor Affair
Simon groaned at the reminder. He hadn’t meant to dunk the under butler in the fishpond in back of the townhouse. It wasn’t like Simon knew that Cook had dropped her handkerchief in there on her morning walk. And really, Simon couldn’t be held accountable for the man looking like Wycliffe from behind.
A loud clap of thunder rattled the windows and immediately after rain pelted the townhouse. Roc winced. “Dust, can’t remember the last time we had one like this. Sure hope the leak in my roof was fixed. Damned military housing.”
“Why do you think I bought myself a townhouse? Marine housing implodes planets and no way in hell was I staying in the IN barracks.” Simon tossed his comb onto the counter and went to his dressing room. Uniform or evening dress?
“You really should talk to your father about more funding for military living quarters.” Roc picked up Simon’s discarded comb and followed him into the dressing room.
“Talked to my uncle about it when I moved out of my apartment on base. He was going to draft a bill to present it to parliament.” Simon opened the closet and took out his IN dress blues. “The problem is, since we share the base with the IN, parliament wants the IN to help with the costs.” Turning toward Roc, he took his jacket and shirt off the hanger.
Roc dropped the comb on the chaise in front of the closet.
“That doesn’t belong there.” Simon laid his jacket and pants on the back of the chaise and put his shirt on. Once again he contemplated the Benson problem. Where was the man and why hadn’t he checked in?
Groaning, Roc snagged the comb off the chaise. He took it back to the washroom, then leaned against the doorframe. “Are you going to Gentleman Jackson’s tonight?”
“I hadn’t planned on it.” Simon began buttoning his shirt as he crossed to the dresser to retrieve underclothes. “Was going to go workout tomorrow evening after work. Why?”
He tossed his towel aside and pulled on his short drawers. “Don’t tell me you’re ready to step back into the boxing ring.”
www.samhainpublishing.com 27
J.L. Langley
Roc snorted, rolled his right shoulder and clutched it with his left hand. “I should say not. My arm still hurts from pummeling Wycliffe.”
Last time they’d gone to Gentleman Jackson’s, Roc had challenged Wycliffe to a match and neither had fared well. Or perhaps both had? At any rate neither was fit for public viewing for several days, and they’d both cried off working out with Simon.
Simon retrieved his trousers from the chaise. “If I remember correctly, Wycliffe nailed you in that shoulder.”
“Colonel, there is a lieutenant here to see you. He says he has an urgent message for you,” Dunston said. “Shall I have him seen to
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