a Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior (2010) by Enoch Suzanne

Author:Enoch, Suzanne [Suzanne, Enoch,]
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-01-14T19:17:37.515000+00:00

Bartholomew glanced toward his valet as someone knocked at the bedchamber door, but Lackaby continued muttering to himself while he pulled out the left leg seam of the black trousers he held.

Well, Lackaby hadn’t precisely been hired for his grasp of etiquette. “Come in,” he called. Going back to the simple knot he was tying into his cravat, Bartholomew leaned forward in his wheeled chair. Whether it was the twice-daily dashes of whiskey over his knee or the fact that he hadn’t put any weight on his leg in nearly a week now, he felt…better. Sounder, inside and out. More alive.

Of course the main ingredient to his recovery was one witty, lovely female with hair the color of sunshine and eyes the changeable color of the sea. Because of Theresa Weller, his heart persisted in its return to life, despite the fact that his mind knew he didn’t deserve the opportunity.

“Good morning,” his brother said, stepping into the room.

“Stephen.”

“I’m going to White’s for luncheon with Masey and a few others, if you’d care to join me.”

Hmm. His disposition had improved, if Stephen was now inviting him places. “I’ve a previous engagement with Tess and your wife, but thank you.”

His brother closed the door behind him. “Yes. About that.”

The muscles across Bartholomew’s shoulders tightened, but he finished the cravat. He very much doubted that Stephen could say anything about his pursuit of Theresa that he hadn’t already considered, himself. Even so, he had no intention of encouraging criticism.

Stephen cleared his throat. “Lackaby, give us a moment.”

The valet stood.

“Stay,” Bartholomew countered, moving from the cravat to buttoning the last few fastenings of his waistcoat.

The valet sat again.

“Very well.” The viscount walked across the room to look out the window. Either something extraordinary was taking place in the garden, or his brother was working very hard to choose how he wanted to say something unpleasant. “Tess Weller is a delightful young lady,” he finally said.

That wasn’t so bad. “Yes, she is.”

“You’re not the…sort of fellow I generally see about her.”

“So she told me.”

Stephen faced him. “She said that to you?”

“Several times. She thinks I’m sullen.”

“I—Do you like her?”

Bartholomew shoved backward from the dressing table, muscling the chair around to face his brother. “I just told you that she said I was sullen.”

“Then you don’t like her.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Yes, I can see that.” Stephen frowned. “Tolly, you’ve just returned from a nightmare. It makes sense that you would be attracted to someone with such a sunny disposition, but I want to make certain you know that she has other suitors. Men who’ve been in pursuit for far longer than you have. And—”

“I might be crippled, but I’m not blind.”

“You are not crippled,” his brother retorted. “You’re injured. But your wound does make competing with Tess’s beaux even more problematic. I don’t want to see you hurt again. That’s—”

“I appreciate your concern,” Bartholomew cut in again, “but I haven’t required your advice or your opinion since I turned seventeen.” He held his brother’s gaze, touched by the compassion and worry he saw there.

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