Page 28 of The Pearl (The Godwicks 3)

“Thrashes me at Sotheby’s every time we turn up for the same sale. I keep trying to get him in the Hunt Club, but he’s certain I’ll set the dogs on him and call it an accident.”

“You wouldn’t be the first to plot his murder,” Arthur said gamely. “That would be my mother.”

The big man laughed a big laugh. “Good lad. Still at Sandhurst, are you?”

“Not anymore. I begin my training as a medical support officer in January.”

“This one’s quite a switch from old Jack,” Lord Nigel said to Regan. “Was this one even born when you married Jack?”

“Yes,” Regan said. “Arthur’s older than ten.”

“Ah, well, pendulums always swing the other direction eventually, they say.”

Did they say that?Arthur wanted to ask.

“Jack wouldn’t want me to be lonely,” Regan said. She was doing a good job of keeping a straight face.

“Suppose not. Suppose not,” the man said. “This one’s an earl sooner or later. You’re reaching even higher this time around, aren’t you, girl?”

“You assume I have nothing going for me but my rank?” Arthur asked.

Lord Nigel turned to him. “No offense, lad, but you’re just a boy. What else would she want you for?”

Regan spoke up for him. “He’s not a cruel, possessive controlling old fart, for starters.”

“And I do have a fresh young cock,” Arthur added, as Lord Nigel’s eyes went wide.

“It’s true, Nige,” Regan said, straight-faced. “It’s really quite massive.”

Arthur held out his hand to her. “Shall we dance, my lady?”

“You won’t trip over your cock, will you?”

“I make no promises, so watch your step.”

They set their drinks down as the music swelled. They returned to the dance floor, leaving Lord Nigel Somers sputtering like a car that had just run out of petrol.

Once they were in step, Regan started to laugh. “Did we really say all that out loud to the husband of the biggest gossip in London?”

“We did. Wonder how long before I’ll be hearing from my family about that.”

“The speed of posh gossip is faster than the speed of light.”

She appeared to be right. Arthur saw, as they spun around the floor, that more eyes were on them than even before, that what they’d said to Nigel had been overheard and was now being passed around.

“Why didn’t I keep my mouth shut?” Regan said. “Standing up to these people is more trouble than it’s worth.”

“I like your mouth open,” Arthur said, dropping a kiss onto her lips.

She looked up at him, startled, then laughed.

“What are you laughing at?” he asked.

“At you, at me, at the mad, mad world. That’s all. Can you believe that the waltz used to be considered the height of scandalous dancing? The couple held each other in their arms like lovers. The man’s foot could disappear under his partner’s gown. His knee sometimes slipped between her thighs… Claudel’s sculpture was the last time the waltz caused a scandal. Until tonight.”

“We’re only dancing. Not very scandalous.”

“I can make it scandalous,” she said. “Do you want to hear about when and how I lost my virginity?”

---