The Suffragette Scandal (Brothers Sinister #4)(96)

The front doors remained obstinately shut. James came up short, inches from the wood panels, and frowned at the doors in confusion. Slowly, he retreated a few steps. Then he walked to the doors more tentatively. They still didn’t open.

There were no servants to open them after all. James no doubt had no experience with the concept of no servants.

His brother reached out and, with a quizzical expression on his face, touched the door handle.

“Do you think he’ll be able to figure it out?” Free said beside Edward.

Edward wasn’t sure. Some evil part of him wanted to pull out his pocket watch and see how many seconds would elapse before his brother decided to take on the arduous task of exerting pressure on the handle himself. Instead, he sighed. “It’s your home, Free, whether you accept me or not. With all that my brother has done to you, can we even let him in?”

Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. “With all that he has done to you, can you let him in?”

For a moment, they exchanged glances. She sighed and looked away first; he blew out his breath.

“I suppose we’ll have to have this out with him sooner or later,” Edward said.

Her hands went to her hips. “Sooner,” she said with a growl. “Let’s finish this sooner.”

“Then I’ll show him how hinges operate.”

He left her behind. The front door opened easily, letting afternoon sun spill into the darkened entry.

James was standing there, the strangest expression on his face. When he saw that Edward had opened the door himself, his face turned pale. He put one hand in his pocket.

“Edward,” he said. “Where the devil are all the servants?”

“On a seaside vacation,” Edward replied. “They’ll be back in a few days.”

“All of them?”

He hadn’t come here to talk about the servants. Edward stood to one side and gestured his brother into the house. Not so long ago, James had thought this house his. It must burn him up to have to demand entrance. But if it bothered James, he made no sign of it. He simply followed Edward into the blue parlor.

He didn’t notice Free sitting on a chair on the opposite side of the room. James turned to look at Edward as soon as he came through the door.

“We must talk of the future,” James was saying. “I don’t like what you’ve done. You lied to me and have set the most intense scandal brewing. Everyone in London is talking about your claims at the hearing. There are the most unbelievable rumors about what happened after.”

“Is that so?” Edward asked, not quite politely.

“But it’s not too late.” James gave Edward a decisive nod. “If we are to make it through this affair with some semblance of dignity, you and I must be seen to be on friendly terms.”

“Must we? I should think that would be impossible.”

“Yes.” James sighed, completely misunderstanding. “It will be difficult for me to pretend after what you’ve done to me, but I can do it for the sake of the family name. I’ll start by offering a little advice. You must stop doing ridiculous things like sending all the servants to the seaside. You’ll get a reputation as an eccentric if you keep that up, and you’re laboring under enough of a burden as it is.”

“I don’t mind having a reputation as an eccentric.”

James waved this off. “You say that now, but give yourself a few months and you’ll come around.” He crossed the room to find a decanter and poured himself a glass. This he raised. “You’ve a name and title to live up to, Edward. The burden changes you. We can waste time snapping at one another, or we can handle this as gentlemen and brothers.”

“Ah. How do gentlemen and brothers handle things, then?” Edward asked.

His brother still hadn’t seen Free. She sat frozen in place, watching the two of them.

James went back to Edward, glass in hand, and punched his shoulder in what Edward guessed was meant to be a gentlemanly, brotherly fashion. “You look positively middle class in that garb, and we can’t have that. So I’ll drag you back to town and introduce you to my tailor. After that, I must show you around to all the right people. You’ll have to marry—the right wife will open doors, no matter what your past. In fact, I know just the woman, if you’ll trust me.”

Ha.

“You’ll make me an allowance that befits my station. We’ll smile at one another in public. That will tell everyone that no matter how unusual your past might have been, you’ve agreed to play by the proper rules.”

“I see,” Edward said gravely. The allowance, he suspected, was his brother’s primary object—and the only reason he’d not yet turned ugly. “There are numerous flaws with that plan, but one problem seems insurmountable.”

James raised an eyebrow.

“I’m already married.”

His brother’s chin jerked up. “That was one of the rumors from yesterday that I had hoped was not true. Surely, what I heard must have been garbled in some fashion. Even you would not stoop so low as to marry—”

“Oh, I didn’t stoop to marry,” Edward said. “Rest assured on that count.”

“Ah.” James looked visibly pleased.

“In fact, you can meet her yourself. Turn around.”