Lydia Dare - Wolf Next Door

"I can't help that all the men in Hampshire are exceedingly dull." Except for Will, though he spent very little time outside of London anymore. He rarely entered Hampshire.

"Benjamin said ye refused more offers than he could count."

Prisca fell back against her seat, bubbling over with laughter. "Ben does himself an injustice with such words. I have it from the highest authority, meaning my brother Pierce, that he is quite proficient with his numbers." She shook her head. "Besides, this is all utter nonsense. The secret to my allure, Lady Elspeth, is I have a rather large dowry."

"And Aphrodite's face doesn't hurt either," Lily added.

"Heavens, Lily, I thought you'd finished with

The Iliad

months ago. Adonis and now Aphrodite. What shall you say next?" It was always embarrassing whenever anyone discussed her appearance. There was so much more to someone than outward beauty, but men always seemed to focus on that aspect of her. Rather shallow of them, really.

"Is there no one," Lady Elspeth began, breaking her reverie, "who ye would consider in marriage?"

Prisca shook her head. "Much to my father's and brothers' dismay. I'm afraid I'm a bit difficult and haven't met a man who can handle me yet."

"I'm sure that's not true," Lily insisted.

But it might as well be true. Prisca tilted her head to one side. "I'm not complaining. Men are difficult creatures. How do you put up with Blackmoor? Some days I swear I can hear his bellowing all the way from Westfield Hall."

"He's quite sweet in his own way," Lily defended. Then she exchanged a look with her sister-in-law. "I think the Westfield men have the most redeeming qualities. And they are far from dull."

Lady Elspeth blushed at this pronouncement, and Prisca was certain she was missing some secret only married ladies knew.

***

When Will rejoined the Hawthorne brothers in the yellow parlor, he realized immediately that blasted earl wasn't among their numbers. Blaine and Darius were still playing chess. Garrick sat in a high-backed chair, flipping through a periodical of some sort. Emory and Pierce sat with their heads together whispering, which was maddening. Will could pick up a word here or there, but the hissing sound in between wreaked havoc on his ears.

But where was that skirt-chaser Brimsworth? He most definitely required watching.

Before Will could escape back into the corridor and search for the lost Lycan, Emory spotted him and rose from his seat. "Ah, there you are. Just the man I was hoping to talk to." He crossed the room and clapped Will on the back. "Mind if I run something by you?"

"By all means."

Emory gestured to the empty card table across the room and then proceeded to makes his way toward it. "I'm thinking about a mining investment in County Durham. Pierce thinks it's sound."

"Well, if you've got Pierce's opinion, why do you need mine?"

Emory chuckled as he slid into a seat. "It's true… No one knows business better than my brother, but he only sees the numbers on a page, the sort of return one can hope for."

Will frowned. "That's what one usually wants in investments." He took the spot across from his friend.

"Human costs don't generally enter Pierce's mind," Emory confessed. "And I'm concerned about the safety of the miners. It's one thing to read about unfortunate accidents in

The Times

and quite another to be funding the venture. I was hoping you could get me in touch with your friend in Lord Sidmouth's office."

"Albie Granger?"

"The fellow you introduced me to at Madam Millish's."

Will winced. He'd just made that bargain with Prissy, and even though he hadn't been to Madam Millish's in ages, he'd rather not have the place mentioned. He quickly glanced around the room. Thank God, there was no sign of her.

"What is wrong?"

Will shook his head. "You don't have to go around bandying Madam Millish's name about."

Emory broke into laughter. "Who do you think is going to hear it, Will?" He gestured around the room to his brothers. "Each of us has been there or someplace similar with you at one time or another—well, except for Garrick. I don't think you'll be upsetting anyone's sensibilities."

"Lily or Elspeth could have overheard you," he complained. Or Prisca. He didn't need anyone planting such images in her mind right now.

"I don't think they'd be surprised to hear it either." Emory smiled. "But I'll refrain from mentioning all the places where you indulge in debauchery if it'll make you more comfortable."

Will squirmed in his seat. "Wonderful. Can you stop mentioning them now, then?"

Emory laughed again. "Are you feeling all right? You don't seem like yourself at all."

"I'm fine," he ground out. "Just didn't get a lot of sleep last night. My brothers' faults, I assure you."

His friend leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet out in front of him. "Brothers are easy, Will. It's sisters who are the chore. I thank God I only have one of those. But I do have a plan for that one, and it should make my life easier in the coming months."

Meaning what exactly? "A plan for Prisca?" He tried to sound nonchalant.

Emory's eyes twinkled, and a roguish grin played about his mouth. "It's well past time she got married and became someone else's problem."

"Well past?" Will scoffed. "She's barely out of the schoolroom."

"She's nineteen, Will. She'll be twenty this spring. She's refused every offer that's come her way, but not any longer." He leaned in conspiratorially. "And I've got just the man in mind for the position."

Will gulped. He wasn't sure if he was more afraid to hear his own name or someone else's. "Who?" he squeaked out.

"Brimsworth, of course." Emory shrugged. "He does seem quite enchanted by her, doesn't he?"

"He can un-enchant himself," Will grumbled beneath his breath.

"Beg your pardon?" Emory eyed him suspiciously.

"I said, how much do you know about him?" Are you aware he sprouts fangs and a tail under a full moon? That he has an uncaged beast residing right beneath his surface?

"Just what Blaine says. The man seems like an allright sort."

"I'd think you'd want to know a hell of a lot more than what Blaine says," Will barked. "Have you looked into his past? His finances? What are his parents like? Does he have a history of beating small animals? Or—"

"Beating small animals?" Emory chuckled. "Heavens, you must have formed a very different opinion of the man than I have."

What an understatement. "I just don't think you can be too careful. She

is

your only sister. You don't want her shackled for life to some man you know nothing about." Will scrubbed a hand across his face. How had things gotten to this state? How could his friend force Prisca into the arms of some stranger? A dangerous one at that.

"True," Emory agreed. "But she doesn't have an interest in any of the men locally. She's too outspoken for the men in London. You should have seen the scene she caused at Lady Parkridge's soiree last season. On second thought, I'm glad you didn't see it. Bloody nightmare."

No, but he'd heard about it. Some foxed lordling had tried to coax her out onto the balcony, and she'd crashed her fist into his jaw, dropping him like a wet rug. Will actually loved that about her. The man had had it coming, in his opinion. Still, he didn't think she could hold her own against Brimsworth. There was something wild about the earl, and he couldn't see her saddled with him. Honestly, he didn't want to see her saddled with anyone. Not when he…

Will shook the thought from his mind. She'd let him kiss her and hold her, but she'd never settle for him.

At that moment, Darius approached their table. "Bloody nightmare?" he echoed. "Are you complaining about tomorrow evening again?"