Page 108 of His Duchess' Mischief

Isaac was the first to see him, frowning as he looked up, and Lucas twisted in his chair to see what had caught Isaac’s attention.

“Radcliffe!” Lucas greeted happily, giving him his usual warm smile. “This is becoming a habit, my friend. I have seen more of you in the last three weeks than in the last three years!”

Isaac signaled to a servant on the edge of the room, and a chair was brought over for Seth.

He was glad of it, his skin too hot, his breathing ragged as he tried to tamp down the desperation to tell them of his suspicions immediately.

Patience, Radcliffe. Patience. This must be handled in the right way or not at all.

“Should you not be with your lady wife?” Isaac asked, leaning back in his chair, a frown still on his face. “You look as if you have news to share. I hope all is well.”

Three glasses of brandy were brought to them, the servant placing one before each.

I did not even see Isaac order them.

As the servant retreated, Seth picked up his glass and knocked back three-quarters of it. He felt the familiar burn down his throat.

Isaac and Lucas stared at him in amazement as he placed the glass back on the tray before him.

“Good God,” Lucas muttered, putting his own glass beside Seth’s and peering at him curiously. “Are you ill?”

Seth patted his chest with his fist, feeling the brandy moving through his system. It warmed his blood and allowed him the clarity of thought he needed to speak to his friends.

“Come for supper tomorrow,” he said abruptly.

Isaac and Lucas exchanged a long glance.

Lucas gave his standard sardonic smile and chuckled, looking at Isaac knowingly. “The Duchess has discovered that he is unbearable already, and he is forced to spend the first few weeks of his marriage with his friends, instead of his wife. How tragic.”

There was a comic tone to his voice, but Seth did not appreciate the sentiment behind it. Hehadbeen unbearable to Alicia in many ways, and he was lucky she had put up with his unpredictable moods all this time.

“It has nothing to do with Alicia, Oakley. I require your presence.”

“What for?” Isaac asked. “I have a prior engagement.”

“Sitting in that chair and drinking whiskey until dawn is not an engagement, Stone. It is a habit,” Seth growled.

Isaac glowered at him but did not contradict him.

Lucas snorted. “Well, you know I would do anything to spend time with my friends, so I would happily accept. But what is this in aid of? I hope your Duchess will attend also; I do enjoy her company.”

Seth knew Lucas was baiting him, and he was irritated to find that it worked just as well as it had on their wedding day.

Lucas smirked, finally taking a sip of his drink, and Seth steeled himself for what was to come.

I am dragging them back into the past with me, when they have told me repeatedly that they want to forget.

But he had to know the truth, and he knew that his friends would stand by him in that. They had to.

“I believe I know what happened to Fernside.”

Lucas and Isaac went still, their glasses held to their lips, and their gazes met. Isaac’s was familiar, his green eyes bright with interest. But Lucas looked nothing like himself at that moment. Hiseyes were more serious than Seth had ever seen them, the blue in them like storm clouds as he lowered his glass to his knee.

Seth stayed silent as both men observed him.

“You will drive yourself mad with this,” Isaac said patiently.

“I have. For years,” Seth conceded. “And I am the only one who has pursued the matter, wanting to know what happened after all this time.”

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