Out of Time Series Box Set by Monique Martin

Author:Monique Martin [Martin, Monique]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Monique Martin

Oliver Wentforth droned on interminably. Normally, listening to a Civil War veteran would have fascinated Simon, but the man made even the Battle of Antietam boring.

Simon had been in the Haven for barely an hour and already he was reassessing his strategy, but he knew he was in the right place. As much as men denied it, they gossiped like old ladies in clubs like this. The main topic of conversation was, not surprisingly, women. If a beautiful woman had just arrived in town, he’d be sure to hear about it in a place like this.

Long ago, he’d forsaken this very sort of life for the very sort of reasons he wanted to stuff Wentforth’s Meerschaum pipe down his throat. Pompous and wildly embellished, his retellings of the historic battle made Simon want to cringe, but he dutifully played his part and nodded, adding the occasional requisite grunt of agreement.

Several puffs on Wentforth’s pipe gave Simon the opening he was looking for. “Fascinating,” he said as he shifted his seat and hopefully the conversation. “Tell me, Gardiner. Did you serve in the army too?”

Reginald Gardiner sniggered and Simon took that as a no. He’d doubted Gardiner was the military sort, but any change in conversation would be a welcome one. And, Gardiner seemed much more the sort of man Simon wanted to be acquainted with. From his fastidiously trimmed mustache and the overwhelming smell of brilliantine, he was obviously someone who thought himself a ladies’ man, wedding ring not withstanding. Foppish and lascivious was usually a combination Simon wouldn’t tolerate, but in this case, it was exactly what he needed.

Gardiner played with the ends of his mustache as his laughter died down. “Good gracious, no. I’ll leave that sort of thing to men like Wentforth. I prefer a more personal battle, if you get my meaning.”

Wentforth scowled and puffed out his pipe smoke with distaste. “Reg, really.”

Gardiner shrugged and gave Simon a surreptitious wink. “All men have vices. For some it’s drink. Others laudanum,” he added, causing Wentforth to puff erratically. “Man is a flawed creature. Woe to woman for she is stuck with the likes of us.”

If this was the sort of man Elizabeth was forced to consort with, he couldn’t find her soon enough. “Ah, but what a wonderful thing to be stuck to, no?”

“Oh, or stuck in,” Gardiner said with a wink.

It was all Simon could do not to throttle the man. Somehow, he managed a weak smile.

“A kindred spirit. I think that calls for a drink,” Gardiner said with a haphazard wave to a waiter. “Cross?”

“A bit early for me, but—”

“Oh, come now. It’s never too early. I’ll order you some eggs to go with it, if it pleases you.”

Simon forced out a short laugh. “No, thank you. But I might take you up on that drink later tonight.”

Gardiner pouted like a small boy. “Oh, if only I could. Caroline is having another of her famous dinner parties. God help me. And you think he’s boring,” he added with a nod toward Wentforth.

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