Page 24 of The Beastly Duke's Christmas Bride
“I couldn’t find you,” Sebastian reminded him.
The man scoffed before shaking his head. “Fine. What’re you doing with ‘er, then?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what’re your plans for the wife?”
Sebastian still didn’t understand, though he answered in the only way he thought best to answer. “Nothing.”
Chortling, Marcus smirked at him. “She must be hideous.”
“No.” Sebastian corrected him immediately. “She is beautiful.”
“Did you bring her ‘ere?”
He slowed down for a heartbeat. “No,” he admitted. “She’s in Eastwynd.”
“Eastwynd? What’d you do that for? It’s a miserable sort of palace.”
“It’s a fortress, not a palace,” Sebastian grumbled. Except Marcus was otherwise correct. The country seat was stone, gray and cold, with little life to it. He had never liked it there. But it had made sense bringing her there, keeping themselves out of the public eye.
Except I came here, dragged myself out, and left her there. Surely that was for the better. She has brought a warmth to Eastwynd that I’ve never known before…
“It’s the holiday season. Michaelmas is almost here,” Marcus said.
Sebastian jerked his head up just to be caught up in a head lock. Huffing, he began trying to elbow his way out of it. The two of them grunted and hit each other while he worked through his thoughts.
“Holidays are meant to be special,” Marcus was proclaiming overhead. “That’s what the church says. Everybody should be kinder to each other. And what’re you doing about it, dukey boy?”
“I’m bringing you down,” Sebastian huffed in irritation.
He managed to twist free just in time. Kicking at his friend’s legs, it only took a second for the unsuspecting man to topple. He didn’t waste a second to kneel down on him. Then he piled on a little more of his weight to end the fight.
A few beats. Heavy breaths. A groan that told him he had won. Sebastian smirked as Marcus said through gritted teeth, “Fine, you win.”
“Thank you.” Sebastian finally released him from his hold, the two of them pulling each other to their feet before shaking hands. “What would I do without you?”
Marcus had a few crude responses to that, which he laughed. The two of them enjoyed another bout while Sebastian’s mind wandered a little more.
The two of them had enjoyed many a Michaelmas together, along with the other winter holidays. They’d scampered through markets and rubbed a penny or two together where they could. While Sebastian had been prepared to give up the holiday cheer, Marcus had a knack of searching out smiles and excitement whenever possible. He was thrilled over every holiday.
I never paid it much mind. But what if he’s not the only one? I give time off to my London household. Let the Eastwynd staff do as they like. Isabel is new. Does she wish for something more? I thought strangers were preferred, but…
He was beginning to find that he didn’t know what he was supposed to do at the end of the day. There was no one hereto tell him one way or another. It was difficult enough being himself. Every day, he was grasping at straw of who and what to be.
When he thought about it, Sebastian considered he had more years with his friends than any family. Was this the way it was supposed to be? He understood most ton marriages left the couple as strangers… but he’d seen the impact in Tristan and Julian when they chose another course.
“Bring the wife around next time!” Marcus hollered when Sebastian took his leave.
He crossed two streets to his club after he had washed up at the gym, prepared to check on a bet for his friend. The gambling book was set up in front of the library.
It took him two minutes to find Marcus’s name. Again and again and again. Letting out a low whistle, he counted twelve people already betting on that evening’s match. Most of them expected him to do well. He would like that. Sebastian shook his head at the three who thought he would fall.
“They’ll all be disappointed,” Sebastian muttered with a grin.
He turned to find a familiar face with crossed arms. “Speaking of disappointments…” Ronan Ward, one of his good friends, stood in his path. The young man was tall and wiry with pale green eyes. His wispy, sand-colored hair and tilted grin gave him the look of a swashbuckling pirate. Or so he overheard on occasion. “I have a list for you. Shall we have a drink?”
“Not if it’s together,” Sebastian mocked while hiding a smile. It was hard not to feel a warm pang over missing his friends. He hadn’t seen most of them for a few months now that he thought of it.
