“Well, what happened?” Justin demanded again once Wes was inside and the door was safely closed. “Shall I apologize to the duke? Lady Bridget told me he’s not but ten miles away. I could manage it, with a sturdy horse.”
“Calm yourself.” Wes waved one hand at the chair, but Justin stayed stubbornly on his feet, his hands in fists. Wes shrugged and dropped into the seat himself. “Lady Alexandra has spoken to her mother, who agrees it would be idiocy to make a scandal out of this. I believe Wessex is very protective of his sisters, but with the dowager duchess’s support, I don’t think you need to fear being called out or marched to the altar.”
Justin’s face broke with relief. “Thank you, Uncle.”
Wes gave him a hard look. “Don’t for one moment believe you won’t suffer any consequences. Even if Wessex doesn’t care a fig for what you did, I care, and so will your mother.”
“Mother!” the boy exclaimed. “Why would you tell her?”
“Because this is twice now you’ve been kissing females without honorable intent.” Justin’s mouth fell open, and Wes nodded. “I didn’t say you had wicked intent, but you know perfectly well that if you go around kissing young ladies, you’ll find yourself married to one of them before long. Is that what you want?”
“Well—no, not precisely . . .”
Wes rubbed his hands over his face at Justin’s cagey tone. “If you think the solution is to kiss maids and tavern wenches, be assured I shall punish you for that. A gentleman doesn’t trifle with women, be they noble or ordinary.”
His nephew scoffed. “Some women—”
“Those are whores,” he said bluntly. “Whores are willing because you pay them, not because of your charm and grace, but at least a whore expects nothing but payment from you. Seducing a girl like Lady Alexandra . . .” Wes shook his head. “I couldn’t save you from Wessex’s wrath in that case—in fact, I’d step up to whip you after he did. You’d do the honorable thing by her, and then spend the rest of your life being a decent husband to her.”
Now Justin was offended. “Of course I would! That is, I didn’t seduce her—it was only a little kiss—but I am a gentleman and I know my duty—”
Wes rose. “And your desire is to be married before you’re twenty-two, before you’ve had a chance to go to London and meet dozens of pretty girls? Before you’ve got a chance to travel and see something of the world? Marriage is for the rest of your life, and you’ve been telling me for days and days that you were so bored in Hampshire you might run mad from it. Now you’re ready to become head of the family, bring home a bride, and settle down?”
Justin had flushed progressively redder as Wes spoke. Now he squirmed. “No—not yet, not all that.”
“Then mind your behavior. And if you can’t, I’ll thrash you until you can. Gentlemen have far more freedom than ladies, and therefore greater responsibility to exercise it wisely. Being young and stupid does not excuse you from the consequences of your actions.”
Justin scowled, but wiped it away as Wes raised one brow in warning. “Yes, Uncle.”
Wes put one hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “We’ve all been young and stupid, every man one of us,” he said in a kinder tone. “It’s one thing if you fancy the girl and can see yourself married to her. If you can’t . . . you shouldn’t be kissing her. Even if you don’t get caught by her outraged papa, you give her cruel and misleading ideas about your intentions. You’re a cheat and a rogue if you let a girl fall in love with you just so you can steal a few kisses and embraces.”
Now thoroughly sobered, Justin nodded. “I understand. I never thought of it that way, but . . . yes, I see.”
“Good man.” Wes clapped his shoulder. “I don’t think you’d like a lady to lead you on, only to refuse you once you were wild for her.”
“Not at all.” Justin appeared appalled by the thought.
“Then don’t do it yourself.” Wes let himself out and returned to his own room. Thank God Kingstag was large enough that he and Justin didn’t need to share rooms. He needed some peace to think.
The first realization he came to was that he would need to take his own advice, regarding Viola. He did not want her to draw any wrong conclusions from his actions. The second realization, following close on the first, was that he did fancy her, more than usual. He liked talking to her. She was sensible and clever and beautiful, and she made him laugh. Wes had no time for idiots or people who were frivolous, and he couldn’t recall the last woman he’d looked forward to seeing the way he did Viola.
So what were his intentions?
He pondered the matter as he prepared for bed, and hadn’t reached any definite answer by the time he fell asleep. The only thing he knew for certain was that his interest in her was neither shallow nor fleeting. And he yearned to kiss her again.
Chapter 9
The next day Viola decided to carry on as if nothing had happened and hope for the best. She’d lain awake until late at night, wondering if she would be called into the dowager’s rooms to explain herself, but a summons never came.
Alexandra seemed to have decided the same thing. Every time Viola caught sight of her, she was behaving as she should—well away from Lord Newton. The young viscount, for his part, seemed cowed and quiet as well, and spent most of his time with the other gentlemen.
“Good morning, ma’am.” Lord Winterton appeared before her. “May I join you?”
“Good morning, sir. Of course.” She had covered a table with evergreen branches and was plaiting them into garlands, an activity that would allow her to monitor the play rehearsal and everyone in it.
Lord Winterton pulled up a chair opposite her. It gave her a splendid view of
