Malcolm wasted no time in going to his sister’s townhouse after he left the ball. In any other situation, he would have waited until the next day, but considering his lie, he didn’t have time to waste. He knocked on the door and shifted anxiously from one foot to another as he waited for the footman to answer, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that blonde-haired lady from the ball hadn’t followed him.
Never in his life had he imagined a lady would come right up to him, take his hand, and insist he dance with her. Just what had she been thinking? Her action could have very well trapped them both into a marriage neither asked for.
He shook his head. It was a sign. His father’s prayers were working, and it was only a matter of time before Malcolm ended up with a wife. Well, if he was going to get married, he wasn’t going to be thrown into it by someone else. He was going to do it himself.
The footman opened the door and led him into the drawing room where Melissa was singing to her one-month-old son. His heart softened at the sight of his nephew. Even if Logan was Mathias’ father, he was one of the best babies in all of London. Plus, with Malcolm for an uncle, there was a lot of hope for the baby.
A smile lit up Malcolm’s face as he strode over to his sister. “May I hold my dear nephew?”
Melissa returned his smile and motioned for him to sit on the settee next to her. “Sure you may.”
Once she settled his nephew in his arms, Malcolm stared down at the boy, who stared at him with wide blue eyes. “Good evening there, Mathias. You remember me, don’t you? I’m your good looking and intelligent Uncle Malcolm.”
Melissa chuckled. “I’m sure he remembers you.”
“I want to make sure he remembers I’m good looking and intelligent. I can only guess what that husband of yours says when he has this impressionable young lad all to himself.”
“Logan doesn’t talk about you to Mathias.”
“Not when you’re around to see it.”
“Not at all.”
He shook his head and lifted his gaze heavenward. “You are so naïve, but if it makes you feel better to believe it, then do so.” Turning his attention to his nephew, he added, “We must allow your mother some fantasies. How else will she cope with the fact that she’s married to your father?”
“You’re a bit of a cad yourself, Malcolm.”
He gasped and covered Mathias’ ears. “Don’t you dare say that in front of my nephew. He’s been untainted from the world, and I’d like to keep it that way.” Uncovering the boy’s ears, he continued, “You’re wondering what your mother and I are saying? Oh, we’re just agreeing that you should do everything you can to turn out like me.”
Mathias’ eyes grew wider, and he cooed in a way that suggested he was asking a question.
“Don’t worry,” Malcolm assured him. “We have plenty of time to help you do that. I know it’ll be difficult to attain to the level of respectability I’ve managed, especially given the way things are in London, but I promise you, it’s possible. There are still decent people in the world.”
His sister shot him an amused smirk as she rose from the settee. “I take it you didn’t have a good evening at Lord Roderick’s ball?”
“Considering you got scandalized at one of his balls, I can’t be surprised.”
She picked up a decanter and poured him some brandy. “There was a scandal this evening?”
“No, thankfully, there wasn’t.” Though there might have been had fortune not prevailed. “I don’t understand the appeal of going to the balls. I went with you as a chaperone. There was a purpose. But it seems meaningless to spend the evening reveling in gossip and other idle chatter between dances when I could be doing something productive with my time.”
“Like holding a baby?”
“Exactly. This is much better.” Mathias let out a contented sigh, and Malcolm nodded. “See? Even he agrees. He’s taking after me already.”
Shooting him an amused smile, she set the glass beside him and took her baby. “Have a drink, Malcolm. It seems like you need it.”
She was probably right. After his harrowing experience with the blonde lady who dragged him to the dance floor against his will, he could use some brandy. He took a swallow of it, forgoing the process of savoring its taste.
“You must be agitated,” she commented.
“My hand has been forced. I must seek a wife, and I must do so at once. You said Helena can help me with this matter?”
“I thought you told Father you had no desire to marry.”
“Yes, well, that was then. This is now.”
“It was only yesterday when you talked to him.”
“A lot can happen in a day.” When she didn’t look convinced, he groaned. “I know it’s sudden, but this evening I’ve come to terms with the truth. If I don’t get a bride in a respectable fashion, one is going to be thrust upon me through a scandal.”
To his surprise, his sister burst out laughing. She, of all people, should understand how quickly scandals could happen!
“I doubt a lady is going to enact some scandal so you have to marry her.”
“Oh? And why is that so funny?”
“Malcolm, please stop.” She continued laughing to the point where tears fell from her eyes. “I might drop Mathias if I’m not careful.”
With a huff, he quickly set his glass down and took the poor baby back in his arms. “There. Now my nephew is safe.” He patiently waited for her to calm down before asking, “Why is it so hard to believe a lady might take it upon herself to scandalize me?”
Instead of answering him, she laughed again. “Scandalize you? Why, Malcolm, you do say the silliest things. Only you would talk that way.”
Logan came into the room, which only served to prove this evening definitely wasn’t going Malcolm’s way. Logan smirked at Malcolm and approached the decanter. “I see you’ve been telling my lovely wife about your great prowess with the ladies at tonight’s ball.”
“This has nothing to do with that,” Malcolm said.
“I know. I was merely being polite. I already know you don’t want to get married. And who can blame you? No lady will have you.”
Malcolm’s jaw dropped, and he turned to Melissa. “You told him Father wants me to get married?”
She finally managed to catch a breath as she fanned her face with her hand. “You can’t be surprised he knows. He’s my husband.”
“To be fair to Melissa, your father came over to ask if Helena had any ideas on which lady might be a suitable match for you,” Logan told him. “She didn’t tell me about your plight.”
“My father was over here to see if Helena could pair me up with a lady?” Malcolm asked his sister.
Clearing her throat after a couple more chuckles, Melissa said, “I told Father it wasn’t right for him to try to pair you up with a lady without your permission. Whether or not to marry is your decision.”
Well, that made him feel a little better.
“But you do want to marry,” she continued.
“You do?” Logan asked in interest as he poured brandy into his glass.
Ignoring Logan, Malcolm told her, “I know you are helping Helena arrange marriages. You know me better than anyone. Will you make sure she chooses the right lady for me?”
“I’ll be happy to do it.”
“And make it quick. Go over to her first thing tomorrow.”
“When you get in a hurry, you don’t waste time,” Logan murmured as he plopped down in the chair across from. He crossed his legs and took a sip of his drink.
“I see no point in wasting my time now that my decision has been made,” Malcolm told him. “Unlike you, I’m not going to pick the first lady I can kiss. I’m going to use my sister’s wise judgment.”
“So, in other words,” Logan began, swirling the drink in his hand, “you can’t find a wife on your own, so you’re enlisting her help.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“It was implied.”
“You two need to stop,” Melissa intervened. “There’s no sense in this discussion.” She turned to Malcolm. “I’ll be happy to help you, and I’ll go to Helena’s tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
At least his sister wasn’t so devoted to Logan she couldn’t see the wisdom in helping her own brother out. But if he thought that was enough to deter Logan from making a nuisance of himself, he was sorely mistaken.
“Hmm…” Logan leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs, and stared at Malcolm. “For someone who only seems to care about acquiring money, you’ve taken a sudden interest in getting a bride.” After a moment of Malcolm glaring at him, he snapped his fingers. “I know! You came across a lady tonight who scared you into this.”
“Nothing of the sort happened,” he argued.
“Of course, it did. You’re in too much of a hurry for it to be any other reason. What did she do? Threaten to kiss you? Threaten to take you off to another room and—”
“Logan!” Melissa interrupted. “Please stop upsetting my brother.”
“I’m sorry, my delicate flower,” Logan replied. “It’s safe to assume Malcolm has no idea how to kiss a lady anyway. She’d have to pretty much teach him. Maybe that’s what scared him. Maybe this one was willing to help him along in the ways of romance.” Logan smirked at Malcolm. “You should try a kiss sometime. It’s quite enjoyable.”
“Logan,” she shot him a pointed look, “I’m sure my brother has kissed a lady before. He’s twenty-five.”
Logan, eyebrows raised, turned his amused gaze at Malcolm in a silent challenge to prove he had kissed a lady. Malcolm, however, wasn’t in the mood to play any of Logan’s games. Actually, he was never in the mood for it, but that was especially true this evening.
Malcolm stood up and faced Melissa. “Father made a good point when he said I have no one to leave my money to when I die.”
“You could leave it to us,” Logan said.
Ignoring him, Malcolm continued, “Besides, I like my nephew. It stands to reason I’ll enjoy having children.”
“Especially making them,” Logan quipped with a chuckle.
Melissa shook her head at Logan, and thankfully, this succeeded in getting him to stop chuckling. “I’ll visit Helena tomorrow, and I’ll let you know when we find you a wife.”
“Thank you,” he told her. He turned to leave but caught a muffled chuckle from Logan who was doing his best not to laugh. He almost didn’t justify his brother-in-law’s subtle insult but then decided he might as well. It wasn’t like the evening could get any worse. He directed his gaze to Logan. “Did you receive Lord Steinbeck’s invitation to a dinner party?”
“I didn’t know Lord Steinbeck was having a dinner party.”
Malcolm feigned surprise. “But I thought everyone at White’s got the invitation.”
Noting the frown on Logan’s face, Malcolm let out an innocent shrug then left the townhouse.
***
“Malcolm, you are a genius,” Lord Steinbeck said the next day at White’s. He gave Malcolm a solid pat on the back then handed him a bottle of brandy. “It’s the best brand in London. You deserve the best, my friend.”
Malcolm accepted the bottle and thanked him. “I take it Mr. Carlos’ ship proved a good investment.”
“It did. More so than I’d hoped. You were right about him. He’s the best in the business.”
Malcolm smiled, glad his advice had paid off so well. “Now you can get that new carriage you’ve been wanting.”
“That I can, all thanks to you. Did you get my invitation?” Steinbeck asked, sitting next to him.
“I did. I was going to write you when I got back to my townhouse that I’m coming.”
“Good. I want you to meet a good friend of mine, the Marquess of Dodsworth. You’ll like him. He’s as respectable as they come.”
“That’s a relief. I had another unfortunate encounter with my brother-in-law last night, and you know those things never go well.”
Steinbeck grimaced. “I don’t know how you do it. There can’t be a fate worse than being forced to have Lord Toplyn in one’s family.”
“Sadly, that’s true, and he’s worse at his townhouse than he is here.” Malcolm shivered. “If it wasn’t for my sister, I’d have nothing to do with him.”
Even now Malcolm’s wrist ached from where Logan had shot him during the duel. It was a cruel reminder of how he’d failed to free poor Melissa from marriage to the cad.
“Try not to let people like Lord Toplyn trouble you,” Steinbeck said. “They aren’t worth giving any thought to. You have better things to focus on.”
“You’re right. I do.” Malcolm picked up the paper he’d been reading before Steinbeck came up to him. “I’ve been studying this particular investment for quite some time, and I think it’s worth taking a closer look at. Tell me, what do you think?” He held it out to Steinbeck.
Grinning, he took the paper. “You’re the expert. If you say it’s a sure thing, I’ll believe it.”
Malcolm couldn’t help but be pleased with Steinbeck’s high estimation of him. It was nice to be appreciated. God knew his father was busy talking about all the things Logan liked, and his mother only wanted to talk about Mathias. He couldn’t blame his mother, though, for wanting to dote on her grandson. Mathias was the one redeeming quality Logan had. But even Melissa, the sister he’d dutifully looked after since the day she was born, refused to utter a bad word about Logan. It was enough to make anyone ill, and Malcolm had a healthy constitution.
“Are you going to put some money in that investment?” Steinbeck asked, bringing Malcolm’s attention back to the paper.
“I think I’ll go with five pounds.”
“That much?”
“Well, it’s not really a lot. I want to put in a little bit and see how it does. I never put more in than I’m willing to lose.”
Steinbeck chuckled and shook his head. “I wish I could afford to lose that much. Unfortunately, I’m not as well off as you are. I think I’ll put in a pound. I don’t want to miss this opportunity.”
“I don’t think you’ll be sorry.”
“Judging by your keen eye for this sort of thing, I’ll gladly take my chances.” Lords Roderick and Clement left their chessboard, so Steinbeck gestured to it. “Want to play a game?”
“I love the game, so the answer is a hearty yes.” Malcolm followed him to the board, looking forward to playing with someone of Steinbeck’s prowess at the game. It’d be nice to be challenged for a change.