Page 58 of From Duke Till Dawn
“My father is a hale and healthy man,” Langdon answered. “May all the gods of debauchery protect him for many more years.”
“Not me,” Ellingsworth said cheerfully. “I’m a third son. No one gives a rat’s arse what I do with myself.”
Alex shook his head.
“You can’t go quiet on us,” Ellingsworth insisted. “Not now, when it’s patently obvious that this Cheltenham chit has got you in a spin.”
Langdon seemed to remember that they were in the middle of a game. He lined up another shot and called it, but came up scratch. “Damn.” He straightened.
Alex sighed. They were determined to rile him. He grabbed one of the billiard balls and rapped it like a gavel on the side of the table. “This inquest is closed. We will now move on to other topics.”
“You ruined our game.” Ellingsworth pouted. “That’s fifty pounds to both of us.”
“Bring it up with my man of business.” Alex straightened. “I’m here because I need your help—despite the fact that you’re London’s most irresponsible bachelors.”
“Don’t flatter us,” Ellingsworth said.
Alex produced the coin and set it on the side of the billiards table.
Both Ellingsworth and Langdon came forward and studied it. After a moment, smiles wreathed their faces.
“Never knew you had it in you,” Langdon said, his eyes bright.
“Bloody sly dog, that’s what you are.” Ellingsworth grinned. “Keeping more secrets from us. You had us fooled, I admit it. Years, we’ve known you. And all this time...” He wagged a finger at Alex.
“I’ve no idea what either of you are blathering about,” Alex growled.
Langdon took the coin and held it up between two fingers. “It’s a token given to people who visit the Orchid Club more than three times.”
“Never heard of this Orchid Club.”
Ellingsworth raised his brow. “Never? You’re the sodding Duke of Greyland, and you don’t know about this?”
“Clearly, I don’t,” Alex ground out, “or else I wouldn’t be here with you two hyenas.”
“The Orchid Club,” Langdon said, stepping closer and lowering his voice, “happens every few weeks. It’s a place where people of all walks go to fulfill their erotic desires.”
Alex blinked. This was not what he was expecting.
“Everyone wears masks.” Ellingsworth continued the thread, his voice also lowered. “No one is allowed to reveal their identity.”
“And,” Langdon added with a widening smile, “within the confines of the club’s walls, you can indulge your every sexual fantasy.”
“A club for masked, anonymous sex,” Alex concluded.
“I cannot believe you’ve never heard of it.” Langdon sounded appalled.
“It’s a secret club, isn’t it?” Alex snapped. “And I’ve been too busy running the country to spend time wearing masks and having sex with random strangers.”
Ellingsworth smirked. “That’s precisely why you need to go.”
“Haveyougone?” Alex demanded.
Both of his friends smiled, but neither answered.
“I will tell you this,” Ellingsworth said after a long pause. “Young buck Langdon here goes to see a particular woman. He’s holding atendrefor the club’s manager, Amina.”
A wistful look came over Langdon’s face. “I’ll allow that I wouldn’t return to the club as often as I do, if it wasn’t for Amina.” Even the way he spoke the woman’s name sounded reverential. The fact that Langdon could prefer one lady over another stunned Alex. His friend was hardly ever without female company, always a new woman. But clearly, Alex didn’t know everything about Langdon.
