Page 36 of Tutoring a Lady into Sin
Percy scoffed. “Looks can be deceiving.”
“So, you are only pretending to have a good time?” Phineas questioned, this time with a little less hostility.
“I am enjoying my wedding celebration just fine…or at least Iwasuntil I received this bit of news.” He pulled a thick envelope from his pocket and flapped it very near to Uncle Felton’s face. “What do you think of this?” he demanded.
“I have no idea what is written in that letter,” Felton said as he looked from the dangling envelope to Phineas.
“Oh, it is but a trifling thing and yet…I am made to suffer for it,” Percy said as he held out the letter to Phineas. “Go on, then and read it. See what you can make of it all.”
Phineas opened the letter and held it so he and Felton could read it silently together. His eyes skimmed quickly over the words, and without meaning to let it happen, a grunt of disgust burst out of him. “Really, Percy? This is what had you so riled this morning?”
“It is awful…ungentlemanly behaviour, is it not?” Percy asked as he snatched back the letter, then proceeded to tear it into tiny pieces.
“You should have known better,” Uncle Felton said with just the faintest hint of a rebuke colouring his tone.
“Me?” Percy cried. “I thought you would read that thing and see how I had been wronged.”
“How can you think you were in the right, Percy?” Uncle Felton countered.
Percy lifted both hands and ran them through his hair. “I do not know what to do now. How was I to know that Mrs Windler was married to my business associate, Mr Windler?”
“Uhhh…” Phineas said slowly, “because of her name. If you already had contracts and proceedings in place with a man named Mr Windler, why would you have ever dared to have a dalliance with a lady who possessed the same surname?”
“But I did not know her name,” Percy said helplessly. “I knew she worked at the haberdashery occasionally and that she lived in the village, but I knew no more than that.”
“You did not know her name, and yet you took her to bed?” Phineas questioned as her stomach churned with distaste.
Percy rolled his eyes. “Do not be such a simpleton, Phineas. She told me her name was Charlotte. I did not know her last name, and if I had ever dreamed she was connected to the businessman who—”
“Iam the simpleton?” Phineas interrupted. “How dare you? If you were able to temper your desires, you would not have these sorts of problems.”
Percy sneered. “Temper my desires? Have you never been so overcome…so persuaded…so attracted to a woman that you just had to have her?”
Phineas considered answering the question in the affirmative, but he did not. He could not let his brother know about his unquenchable thirst for Lady Christianna’s love because it was unrequited. Christianna did not want him, so there was no need to prolong this row now by sharing his true feelings. “I suppose I have not,” he returned coldly.
“But you wouldn’t,” Percy replied, really grinding forward his point. “You are infallible, Phineas…always so reasonable and reliable. Taking your time and calculating every single situation before acting.”
“It is better than behaving like a silly schoolboy, recklessly playing with your own reputation and risking the ruination of others,” Phineas snarled.
“Boys!” Uncle Felton barked as he stepped between them. “This quarrelling will not help anyone.” He gestured to Percy. “We are family and must decide what to do about this unfortunate…setback.”
Percy groaned. “There is nothing to be done, at least as far as Mr Windler is concerned. You read the letter. You know he aims to take his business elsewhere.”
“Fine,” Uncle Felton grunted. “But what of his wife? Are you still…in contact with her?”
“Of course not,” Percy answered in a way that implied he was scandalised by Uncle Felton making such a suggestion. “I cut ties with Charlotte months ago.”
“Then why have you been spending so much time at the haberdashery lately?” Phineas prompted. “I know you have been there at least twice in the last fortnight—”
“I have been trying to persuade Charlotte not to tell her husband about our affair. Now that I am to be married, I am thinking about the ramifications my actions could potentially have on others.” He paused before adding haughtily, “Even though you do not think me capable of considering the feelings of others, I am not entirely heartless, Brother.”
“No, you are only abhorrently selfish,” Phineas muttered under his breath.
“Say that again,” Percy demanded. “Whatever you are mumbling and grumbling, do the gentlemanly thing and make your charges so I may hear them.”
“Enough!” Uncle Felton commanded. His face contorted, and he doubled over as he coughed violently. Phineas let go of all his anger for his brother at once as he reached over to lay a hand on Felton’s back.
“Felton?” he asked cautiously. “Are you all right?”
