Secrets of a Scandalous Marriage

entered. The tall men strolled leisurely through the gin-drinking set until they happened upon James at the back of the room.

Ah, right on time. His companions had made it. Who better to drink with?

Jordan Holloway whistled. “Now this I truly had to see to believe. Tying one on, Medford? What has the world come to?”

“Shut up and have a drink,” James replied, scraping the bottle across the wooden table toward his friends.

“And in a seedy tavern of all places.” Colton glanced around the public house. “Why aren’t you at the club drinking properly?” He gestured toward James. “Instead of sitting here, at a dirty table, with your cravat half untied, your hair a complete mess, a smudge of dirt on your shirt, and … is that a blackened eye? What the hell happened to you?”

James growled. “I don’t want the patrons of Brooks’s to see me like this. Bloody snobs, the lot of them. And as for the eye, some bloke said something I didn’t particularly agree with earlier.”

“Fighting in a public tavern, Medford? Really?” Ashbourne shook his head while obviously trying to hold back his laughter.

James narrowed his eyes on the earl. “Don’t give me another reason for a fight.”

Ashbourne held up both hands in a conciliatory manner. “Don’t think I—” He looked twice. “Holy God, man. Are you drinking gin?”

“Yes,” James replied, slurring the word a bit. “And I intend to drink more gin and more after that. Now sit down. I summoned you to drink with me, not to judge me.”

Colton and Ashbourne exchanged knowing looks, pulled out two dirty stools, and took their seats.

Ashbourne’s grin spread across his entire face. “You’ve summoned the right chaps. Far be it from me to argue with you when you’re in one of your moods, Medford. Tell us, did you find the duchess?”

“Don’t call her that,” James snapped, frowning at them.

Ashbourne shook his head. “Oh no, Medford, please don’t tell me you’re an angry drunk. And here all this time I’d pegged you for a jolly one. It’s ever so much more endearing to be jolly … like me.”

James grunted. “Yes, I saw her.”

“And?” Colton arched a brow.

“And she refused me.” James tossed back another shot of gin.

Another whistle from Ashbourne. “Did she now?”

“Do you think I would make that up?” James spat.

“Look on the bright side, man,” Ashbourne replied. “You won’t have to be leg-shackled. Besides, not quite the best form to ask a new widow to marry you. If you two weren’t already courting scandal, God knows you’d be run out of town after a fast marriage. She’s supposed to still be in mourning.”

James lunged out of his seat at Ashbourne. Colton stood up quickly and held him back. “Now, now, now. No need to take a swing at the bloke,” Colton said, ensuring that James grudgingly sat back down.

Ashbourne snorted. “Right. You don’t want your other eye blackened.”

James merely growled at him.

“You can hardly be angry, Medford,” Colton continued. “It’s not even as if she’s the first lady you asked to marry you.”

James propped his elbow on the table, letting his fingers weave through his hair. “This is completely different.”

Ashbourne and Colton exchanged glances again.

“Hand me the bottle.” James reached across the table for the gin.

“Hold on,” Ashbourne said. James watched while he and Colton both received their own dirty glasses from one of the barmaids and tipped the bottle into their own cups.

Ashbourne raised his glass. “If you’re going to do this, you might as well do it properly,” he said, tipping back his drink. “Let’s go.”

* * *

Hours later, with James passed out on the table, Colton and Ashbourne stood up, tossed an indecent number of coins on the table, and each took one of Medford’s arms. They pulled their friend’s limp body and hefted him up to rest on their shoulders.

Ashbourne shook his head. “And to think of all the years we’ve tried to get the good viscount to relax and have a good time.”

Colton nodded over Medford’s head. “Seems he learned a bit too well.”

Ashbourne flashed a grin. “He always was a perfect student.”

“Too good,” Colton agreed, also grinning. “But of course, tonight he learned from the very best tutors.” He hefted Medford up again. “Let’s get him home.”

Sticking his hat on his head and wrapping his cloak loosely around his shoulders, they pulled him out into the street where they maneuvered him into Colton’s waiting coach. “I’ll take him to my house. Keep an eye on him. God knows the man’s probably never suffered the aftereffects of a night of drinking. Things may not be good in the morning.”

“You know what we must do, don’t you?” Ashbourne said, climbing into the coach with his friend.

“What’s that?” Colton replied.

They propped Medford in the corner where his chin rested on his chest. Ashbourne leaned against the opposite seat. “This bloke here has done us both a good turn when we were in similar pitiful circumstances.”

Colton arched a brow. “You mean being in love?”

“Quite right,” Ashbourne replied, leaning back against the seat, stretching out his legs and crossing them at the ankles.

Colton shrugged. “So?”

“So, it’s our turn, Colton. We owe him one. It’s our duty to assist the poor sop.”

CHAPTER 40

When James awoke the next morning, the bed was turning in sickening circles. He cracked open one eye and surveyed his surroundings. His stomach lurched. He swallowed. Correction. It wasn’t the bed. The room was turning in sickening circles. He glanced around. A room he didn’t recognize. He struggled to sit up and groaned, pushing a hand to his pounding forehead. He pulled himself upright against the pillows and grasped his pulsing head in his hands.

Where the hell was he? What had he done last night? His mind traced back. Bloody hell. That’s right. Blue ruin. The tavern. Colton and Ashbourne. He must have passed out. He couldn’t remember anything after perhaps the fifth—the sixth, was it?—glass of the stuff. He groaned. Colton or Ashbourne must have taken him home and tossed him into a spare room. Wonderful.

A knock sounded at the door and James winced. “Come in,” he croaked.

The door cracked open and Lily stepped into the room, a bright smile on her face.

Hmm. Apparently, he was at Colton’s house. James glanced down to ensure he was decent. Oh bloody hell. He was still wearing his clothing from last night. Even better.

“Good morning, Medford,” Lily said. “I’ve been waiting to hear you stir.” She held a glass in her hand filled with a yellowish-green substance.

James leaned back against the pillows and pushed a palm to his forehead. “Please lower your voice. What are you doing here?”

Lily laughed and then stopped short to whisper. “What are you doing here is the better question. You’re in our house. Devon tells me he and Jordan had to carry you up here last night.” She clucked her tongue and shook her head at James. “What happened to your eye?”

“Long story.”

Lily shook her head again. “I must say I’m a bit shocked actually, Medford. I’ve never seen you so…” She eyed him up and down and gestured to him with her free hand. “Disheveled.”