Truce (Neighbor from Hell #4)(8)

Sadly for James, he’d married a woman he hadn't loved. Actually, Robert was pretty sure that he hadn't even liked the girl. He couldn’t blame James if he hadn't.  Miranda had been a vicious bitch. She’d prided herself on having the best of everything and shamelessly flaunted it in everyone’s face. She did her best to go through her dowry as well as James’ holdings before she died three years ago.

It had been an unfortunate accident. Well, Robert liked to think that fate had stepped in, dispensing a little poetic justice. The incident had been entirely preventable on her part. She saw a woman that she felt was inferior to her through the glass of a shop, speaking with a clerk while gesturing to a beautiful set of pearls. According to Miranda’s footman, she muttered something about the woman not having a better set than her and stormed across the street, completely oblivious of the mail coach rushing down on her.

Since then, James had enjoyed a short reprieve from their mother, but now she was in full force. James needed to get married, again. He was after all next in line for the title. It was his duty to marry and produce an heir. Robert cringed inwardly. If James didn’t marry and produce an heir soon, their mother would start ranting about him being their last hope, again. That wouldn’t do. Even if he had to knock James out and drag his body to the altar, James was getting married again. End of story.

“Did you hear what your mother said, Robert?” his father asked.

“Huh?” Robert looked up to see twin looks of exasperation on his parents’ faces. “Er, sorry no, woolgathering,” he said, gesturing lazily to his head.

“I said that this whole nonsense you have about avoiding the Stantons needs to end. For heaven’s sake you’re no longer a child, Robert. I don’t even remember what the poor girl said or did that upset you so.”

Oh, so they were talking about the Stantons again. That could only mean that they expected the Stantons to attend the ball tonight. That was fine. He rather liked Lord Norwood and his wife…sort of, and he liked Mary, and he sort of liked Heather although she reminded him of her mother. They acted like twins. They made the same comments, dressed in the same style, basically they walked, talked, and acted alike. He would probably avoid those two as much as possible. Then there was Elizabeth.

Oh, he would definitely avoid her. He’d been doing it successfully for over a decade, so one more night shouldn't be at all difficult.

“Robert Lemonade,” James happily supplied.

“Thanks so much,” he said dryly, hoping that his mother simply let it be.

James grinned hugely. “Think nothing of it.”

“That’s why you’ve avoided them like the plague? Over a name? Of all the ridiculous things. Son, you’re twenty-nine years old. It’s about time you acted like a man and got over this nonsense,” his father grumbled, sounding irritated as he usually did when he gave Robert this little talk.

“Well,” James drawled, “in Robert’s defense the two of them cannot be in the same room without causing a scene.” He held up his hand to stop his mother from speaking when it became obvious that she was dying to say something. “I realize that they haven’t been in the same room in over fourteen years, but you must understand that no one, and I mean no one, has forgotten his nickname or the circumstances around the name. It follows him everywhere.”

Catching Robert’s murderous glare, James shot him a wink and continued.

“But, I do agree with you. He needs to get over this, especially if he wants to escape that dreadful nickname. He doesn’t go out into polite society. He keeps to himself and his books and, when he’s not doing that, he’s out on his manor working. He’s far too serious.”

“You’re just jealous, because I’ve made my own way in the world,” Robert added, trying to irritate his brother enough to drop the conversation.

“I hardly think you making a fortune off your inheritance counts as making your own way in the world.”

“It does if it was my birthday sum when I turned eighteen. Unlike you, I didn’t spend it on cards and whor-“ his father pointedly cleared his throat to remind him that their mother was in the carriage, “er, entertainment. I took my money and invested it and reinvested it. Now I have my own fortune and land. I don’t need to marry for money or to wait for a title.” He shot a sheepish grin at his father when he realized how that sounded. “Sorry, father.”

His father waved it off. “I know that no one is wishing me ill to get their hands on my title. We are all very proud of your accomplishments, Robert.”

“Thank you, sir,” Robert muttered, embarrassed by the turn of conversation. He hated talking about his small fortune, especially with his family. It was bad enough that the mothers of the ton were starting to eye him greedily, eagerly ignoring his reputation as a rake and a bastard in general in the hopes of having their daughters well settled. Little did they know that it would never happen.

His mother huffed.

“What is it, Danielle?” his father asked.

She gestured to Robert. “He’s done it again, Harold. He distracted us from this conversation, don’t you see?” She turned her attention back on Robert with a look of determination that actually sent chills down his spine.

“You will stay the entire four weeks that you promised me. I will not accept any sudden emergencies that come up over your estate or any notes from your solicitor. You will be on your best behavior and you will not make a scene. You will do your best to get along with Lady Elizabeth.” Her eyes narrowed on him. “ And you will promise not to fight at the ball.”