Page 64 of Saved By the Rakish Duke

“Absolutely not,” Duncan managed to hiss out, despite the whiskey’s sting.

“Butwhynot?” whined Fairhaven, downing the last of his own glass. “You never indulge me!”

Duncan barely managed to push himself upright in his seat as he reached for the bottle and poured his friend another glass. “On the contrary, I believe it is precisely because Harlington and I have indulged you far too much for far too long that you think you can continue to take advantage of us.”

Fairhaven scoffed, but nonetheless tipped his glass towards him in thanks for refilling it. “Then you shouldn’t have a problem indulging me in this as well!”

Duncan let out yet another exasperated sigh. He usually had quite a lot of patience for the nonsense that Fairhaven spouted, but he found himself more short-tempered these days.

The drunken haze hovering just above his eyebrows was a familiar sensation.

What is Lady Penelope doing right now while we’re busy making complete fools of ourselves?he silently asked the glass in his hand. When no answer came, he brought the glass to his lips with one hand while the other reached for a refill.

“I shall do it if you give me something in return,” Duncan offered, feeling a little bit more generous after his most recent swig. He reached a hand out to shake Harlington’s shoulders. “Are you still with us, Harls?”

“Just about,” groaned his dark-haired friend as he lifted his head from the table. “But I’m afraid that my ears stopped working on their own accord about two glasses ago. What are you two arguing about again?”

Duncan gently massaged his eyes. “Fairhaven has made a promise he can’t keep to Lord Thornlowe, and he’s desperately trying to save face.”

“It’s not about saving face!” the other duke protested. “It’s about love! My very future with Lady Beatrice hangs in the balance and you’re refusing to lift so much as a finger to help!”

“I changed my mind slightly, didn’t I?” Duncan grinned. “I said I’d help if you’d do something for me in return.”

Fairhaven scoffed yet again. “In that case, why’d I even bother coming toyou? I could have just asked any other nobleman and received the same apathetic offer.”

“So, you admit, then, that the main reason you came to me for this matter is because you didn't want to repay the favor?” Duncan raised an eyebrow in an attempt to appear stern, but the chuckle that escaped his throat betrayed him shortly thereafter.

“How heavy of a favor is it?” Fairhaven worriedly asked.

“That's what is making this so irritating!” Fairhaven’s drink sloshed in his glass as he frantically waved it around. “Blackmoore simply has to put me in touch with the tradesmen and sailors his family uses down at the Port of Kenstone, andIshall worry about procuring the materials Lord Thornlowe asked for.”

“And in return for this simple request, what wouldyoulike, Blackmoore?” prompted Fairhaven.

Duncan opened his mouth but closed it again sheepishly.

“You don’t even know what you want to ask of me yet?” Fairhaven thundered, his hands shooting across the table to grab at Duncan’s collar. “Scoundrel!” he slurred.

“I’m more concerned with the principle of the matter. We've always managed to get away with various carryings-on over the years, but perhaps it’s time to rein it in, so to speak,” he justified in return. “Maybe it’s about time that you—er, all of us—stopped being so thoughtlessly juvenile.”

“Good heavens!” shuddered Harlington. “I never thought I’d live to see you turn into your father, Blackmoore.”

All Duncan could muster was a shrug. “And I never thought I’d live to see Fairhaven concern himself with a lady for longer than two weeks, yet here we are.”

“I told you I loved her, didn’t I?” the red-haired duke piped up angrily.

“Yes, but in my defense, you have also said the very same thing about Lady Augusta, Lady Diana, Lady Sophi-”

“Point taken,” Fairhaven mumbled, taking another swig out of his glass before swishing what little content remained, “but it’s different this time because, well... I have been thinking about having children,” he confessed.

Duncan and Harlington’s jaws practically fell onto the floor at this confession.

“Children?” Harlington exclaimed in disbelief. “When you yourself still act like a child?”

“I only behave that way when I’m around you imbeciles,” their friend defensively huffed. “Otherwise, I am—and have been for some time—quite ready to settle down and start a family.”

Harlington pressed his glass to his lips. “First Blackmoore was acting bizarrely and now this? What’s next? Will I suddenly have the urge to stop drinking?”

The rest of the night passed by in a hazy blur as the three friends jumped back and forth between such sobering subjects and giving into intoxication.

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