Lord March’s reaction to Mr Beaumont’s injured state, upon being ushered into the breakfast room of Stokeford House the next day, was one flabbergasted, jaw-dropped silence. Since he was the first occupant whom he’d immediately clapped eyes on, the greetings which were already at the tip of the Viscount’s tongue remained unspoken, and his progress in the room was momentarily put off. Laurie, who'd passed an unrestful night in his cousin's abode, looked pale, his eyes leaden (besides being sore), but having seen the newcomer’s thunderstruck expression, they gleamed with amusement. He said cheerfully: “Good morning, Robert! Glad you can join us!”

The Earl looked up from The Times and received his friend with a perfunctory greeting.“Coffee, March?” he offered, and turned to the butler. “Philips, lay another cup for the Viscount.”

“And will you pour me another? Thank you! I say, Stefan, if breakfast is always this good, then I believe I am quite tempted to come here every morning! You won’t mind that, will you?”

“Not at all. I’ll very much appreciate the company.”

“Upon my word!” Lord March finally broke in after the shock had abated. “Don’t you just sit there the pair of you, and drink your cups as though nothing in the world is amiss, because I see that there is, and what’s more, it damned well beats me! What the devil had you got yourself into, Laurie? Spending the night in a prizefight, I gather?”

Laurie began to chuckle, but was shortly stifled by a wince of pain from swollen cheeks. “Egad, no! Although I’d say that would be terribly exciting. I’d done an emprise last night, Robert, and a thrilling one, too. A thousand pity you weren’t there!” he shook his head, in an affectation of regret.

“A thousand pity it is, for I’d lay a monkey just to see you beaten to a pulp, you young jackanapes! Well?”

“I’d saved a damsel in distress,” said Laurie before gobbling up a roll.

The Viscount looked incredulous. “Damsel in distress—!” came his faint response as he sat across them on the table. Mr Philips poured him coffee. “Thanks, old chap,” he said to the butler, a little abstracted. “I’ve a need of another cup after all, because either my head is still on my pillow, or that my senses do not correspond accordingly this morning. Either way, I am dashed if I could swallow anything right now other than this coffee!”

“It’s neither,” declared Lord Stokeford flatly. “Laurie’s not gammoning you. It’s true, there had been an unfortunate incident last night. Would you care to join me to the library afterwards?”

“Of course. Well, my young buck? Where do we start in this extraordinary feat of yours? Come now, I’m all attention!”

“Oh, I’m tired of telling my tales all over again!” exclaimed Laurie, a little vexed. “Lord, I’ve had enough of Sir Wallace’s last night, and what's more he'd plagued me with questions until I was sure my head would split into half! Stefan, I’ll be much obliged to you if you’d spare me this morning! Will you tell the rest to Robert? I’m sure he’ll be satisfied with only you!” Lord Stokeford had certainly obliged, and steered the Viscount to the library posthaste after he’d finished his coffee, leaving his cousin the gratification of finishing his own meal undisturbed.

“What I am agog to discover,” Lord March began at once when the door was barely shut, “is just who was this damsel that was worth putting up a fight? Not that I ever doubted young Laurie could play the gallant, and a shocking flirt moreover; but to see him so appallingly knocked about because of a female — Lord, it blows my mind like nothing else did before!”

“You’d proved that prodigiously well in the breakfast room. The damsel, my dear Robert, was none other than Miss Davis, attacked by two drunken men in the Downs of Vauxhall last night,” disclosed the Earl, a little grimly.

“Miss Davis—!” he exclaimed in utter astonishment. “Good God! I hope she wasn’t hurt?”

“No, she’d been none the worse for the incident. From what I’d gathered, they were rambling on the spot, and temporarily stopped in front of the Milton Statue. Laurie fetched some refreshments, leaving Miss Davis momentarily to her own, and on his absence there came two men, extremely drunk, and started to misconduct themselves. Fortunately, my cousin had returned just in time to see them, er, manhandling her; he’d knocked the one down and exchanged blows with the other while Miss Davis fled, and eventually chanced upon us along the way. When she’d brought us to the Downs, it was all over, and there was Laurie looking prettily battered. I must say, though, that he’d put up a good fight.”

The Viscount listened to all this with rapt attention and creasing brows. By the end of it, however, he wasn’t inclined to put forth further queries, and only remarked, with wonted placidity, “I see. Well, it’s extremely relieving to hear that Miss Davis was fine, but poor Laurie! I’ve always believed him to be laid-back, you know, but he certainly has the pluck!” he gave a deep chuckle. “However, I’m sure you’d do the same for Miss Davis, wouldn’t you?”

“I would, of course. Though it puzzles me why you even asked.”

“Oh, just a passing thought!” replied his friend with a suspicious gleam in his gray eyes. “Myself, I’d prefer a method that requires a certain, ah, finesse. Much as I enjoy Gentleman Jackson’s lessons, I wouldn’t for the world enter myself into a real bout of fisticuffs. Always thought it a damned sight too bloody.”

“I do not have a doubt you wouldn’t. It is always my belief, Robert, that your tongue is mightier than any man’s fist,” came Lord Stokeford’s dry rejoinder, to which the Viscount chuckled and bowed his head. “Merci du compliment! You must admit, though, it is more orderly that way, without being obliged to sacrifice a few bones.”

“Touché,” replied the Earl. He fell silent for a moment while making a turn around the library, his expression a little distant. Lord March perceived this as a sign of deep perturbation, but decided to keep his peace and wait for his friend to open up eventually. He didn’t wait long, and he certainly didn’t expect what was coming.

“You might think me the best judge of my cousin’s character, Robert, but when it comes to other things—” he waved a hand “—I own to some ignorance, and I see the necessity to solicit your opinion in the matter—”

“What the devil are you talking about, Stefan? Let’s get to the gist of it now, before I expire from waiting!”

“Has it—,” began Lord Stokeford hesitantly, frowning at him, “— has it occurred to you that my cousin might be trifling with Miss Davis?”

Dark brows momentarily rose, Lord March crossed one long, fine leg on top of another, before regarding his friend with a shrewd eye. So we’ve come to that now, eh? “No, I wouldn’t say trifling,” he declared with an air of certainty. “I’ve seen Laurie flirting about with other women— and makes a devilish fine job of it, what’s more— but not with Miss Davis. Depend on it, Stefan, your cousin’s smitten with the chit. It’s plain as day to me, and I’ve more reason to believe so after what he’d done for her last night.”

Lord Stokeford brooded over this, but only replied, deadpan: “A remarkable insight, as always.” There was a hint of dubiousness in the utterance that did not escape the Viscount.

“What, you’re having doubts?” countered Lord March bluntly.

The Earl’s blue eyes beheld his coolly. “No, I don’t, so long as my cousin is not involve in any untoward dalliances,” he elucidated, “Because I will not tolerate it if he were to play the gallant suitor to Miss Davis during the day and keep himself amused with someone — someone less genteel by night. I’m sure you very well know what I mean.”

The sharpness with which these utterances were delivered made the Viscount shift uncomfortably on the sofa. He had withheld from Stefan the knowledge of Laurie’s association with Mrs Trisham lest it would arouse his displeasure. He'd thought it prudent to refrain from any allusion to the matter as much as possible. But now that it was Stefan himself who’d broached that very subject, Lord March saw that his fears were realized: he’d only to look at his friend’s face to know that such tidings would be unwelcome. In truth, he didn’t want Laurie to fall from his cousin’s graces by laying bare his dalliance with a widow, but he also acknowledged the right of Stefan to know every bit of his cousin’s follies; moreover, he would have known it sooner or later. It would be wiser, decided the Viscount, that the matter should be nipped in the bud before it could stir further trouble.

Yes, and there will be the devil to pay later, he thought ominously. In measured tones, he said: “You might want to talk about that with young Laurie himself.”

Lord Stokeford cast him a hard gaze.“Indeed?”

“Truth is, Stefan, I’d gotten wind of something about Laurie. You see, I’d been told that your cousin has been, er… keeping company with a certain widow by the name of Trisham. Never really know her myself, but rumors certainly establish her character to be a disreputable one.”

“Trisham,” he murmured with a black look on his face.

“Yes. They’d been seen in Vauxhall together a fortnight ago. I’d meant to tell you this, you know—,”

“Then why didn’t you?” broke in the Earl impetuously.

“Well, a mighty thing it would be, when you’d just foisted a quarrel on your mother that day, and looked quite bedeviled afterwards!” returned the Viscount reasonably. “I didn’t want it to add to your trouble, Stefan. Besides, I’d thought at first that it was just one of Laurie’s flirtations, you know, and perhaps there was no harm on it after all. But then when Lord Giles had told me — as cool as he pleased, damn the man!— at White’s several days ago that didn’t I know that young Beaumont’s keeping a light o’ love? Well, I daresay it’s plainly true about him and that Mrs Trisham.”

Without vouchsafing any reply, Lord Stokeford reached for the bell, but was put off by an intervening hand on his arm. “Don’t bother,” said Lord March, his grey eyes full of understanding. “I’ll bring him to you myself, but for God’s sake, Stefan, go easy on him, will you?” He rose to his feet and strode out of the library.

It was only a couple of minutes later when Laurie’s head peeped from the doorway. Having no idea what awaited him in this audience with his cousin, he sauntered into the room with only a bemused expression. “Robert said you wish to speak to me?” he asked.

Lord Stokeford gave him a nod, and indicated towards the sofa. “Sit down, Laurie.” He obeyed, but with a wary glance at him. Stefan’s countenance was inscrutable at the moment but his eyes, which held his unwaveringly, were cold, making him ill at ease all of a sudden. Whatever his cousin had in mind, he was sure that it was anything but pleasant.

“I do not want roundabouts, Laurie, so I’ll tell you straightaway,” began Stefan in a hushed voice. “Is it true that you are having an affair with a widow called Mrs Trisham?”

Laurie’s eyes widened; it was like a blow he’d never prepared to deal with. “Who — who told you that?” he demanded, his face was scarlet all over.

“Never mind that! Well? Is it true, then?”

After a momentary reluctance came a huffing admission: “Yes.”

“And may I ask how did you come to be associating with that kind of woman? As I recollect, there was another one during your sojourn in France, yes? I wonder if I am referring to that same woman?”

“Oh, Lord, did my Aunt Heloise tell you something about that?” Laurie returned, his ungracious thoughts directed at an absent old aunt.

“She did.”

“Then you should know better than to believe her, Stefan! It had been a mere trifling, and nothing more! I didn’t have a mistress in France!” exclaimed the irked youth. “As for Mrs Trisham, I’d met her in Lord Giles’ card parties; we became acquainted. There was one night when I’d been playing deep; the stakes were high, and I’d eventually lost a rather large sum. But— but she’d been kind to lend me some to cover it,” he said, a great deal abashed. “The next night though, my luck was still against me. She was there as well, and approached me once more, you know, but I— I’d tried to refuse her generosity. She’d have none of it, so I had been indebted to her again. Well, I’d returned the whole sum already, so you need not to fuss about it. We’ve been meeting almost frequently since then, and become— well, friendly with each other, I suppose,” he finished a little lamely.

“My God, Lord Giles’ card parties! If you were keeping attendance in those, my dear foolish cousin, then ten to one you would end up with your pockets to let!” Stefan declared scathingly. “How much did you lost in all those nights?”

“About five-thousand pounds,” Laurie blurted out, without a little guilt.

The Earl briefly closed his eyes. Even he couldn’t incur such a staggering sum for a gambling debt. “I take it your most generous Mrs Trisham would lend you even so large a sum, in return for the pleasure of your company? ”

The blue-grey eyes flared at once. “It is not like that!” Laurie retorted heatedly. “Damn it, Stefan, I am not in such a terrible bind as you believe I am, so there’s no reason to kick up a dust! What’s more, it is not your affair, and I’ll thank you not to pry on it!”

“On the contrary, my buck, it had been made plain to me by your father years ago that you are my concern, and therefore this affair will have to be mine as well. As much as I wanted to wash my hands of it, I just could not. Do you know why?” His smouldering blue eyes met Laurie’s defiant ones. “Because you bear the same name as I do, and by God, I’d see my self damned first before it would be completely dragged into dust! I’ve a mother who’s having no qualms in doing so already, and I will not have my only cousin to add to the trouble by ruining himself as well!”

“So that’s it, isn’t it?” Laurie spat out bitterly. “It’s all about our name, and there goes your pride!”

“Yes, it is about my damned pride!” the Earl’s voice resonated through the room. “For I’ve been endeavouring these past years to keep it intact despite all the disgraces that fall on this family! And here you are, seemingly inclined to add another by following the very path your father had trodden which had led him near to ruin!” There was a slight pause; Stefan ran a hand through his hair and paced back and forth for a while, trying to keep his raging emotions under rein. At last, in a more placid tone he asked: “Why didn’t you come to me for the money, Laurie? Do not think for a moment that I believe you to be entirely absolved of your gaming debts, for I know you just cannot manage that!”

“Because I am tired of hanging on your sleeve, that’s why!” Laurie unexpectedly bursted out, to his cousin’s astonishment. “You need not make me understand that you are the head of this family, and thus, my purse strings is solely under your hold! Of course I know that! Just as you say, cousin, I cannot manage with myself alone: I wouldn’t have a penny to my name if it weren’t for of you!” he poured out, unheedful to his words, “Why, I should be grateful, but it rather fills me with self-pity! I do not want to be dependent on you, Stefan: not anymore!”

At these pronouncements, Lord Stokeford stiffened under his forbidding front. He’d never heard his cousin spoken like this before. It was like unlatching one’s chest just to let a torrent of hidden bitterness flow. “And pray, how would you do that?” he asked in a cold, hushed voice.

Suddenly realizing his blatant outburst, Laurie’s bruised face turned pallid in mortification. “I— I beg your pardon, Cousin. I’ve spoken out of turn,” he replied, a little rigid.

The interval of the exchange brought silence to the room. The two cousins made a deliberate effort to avert their gazes from each other. It was Stefan who finally broke the uncomfortable stillness by steering the topic into a different course. “Tell me another thing, Laurie. Do you mean to pay your addresses to Miss Davis in due course?” he abruptly enquired.

Laurie’s gaze travelled back to his cousin with a surprise. There were faint blushes on his cheeks all of a sudden. Sure, he wasn’t prepared to answer that, for although he had a particular regard for Miss Davis, it would be premature to contemplate any idea of marriage. “I—I… Well, that is—”

“If you do,” interrupted his cousin, “then cut off your association with Mrs Trisham at once. Miss Davis does not deserved it. Make yourself worthy of her; else, forget any thought of marriage.”

“I assure you cousin, I have nothing but the most honorable intentions for Miss Davis,” he declared, but with only a little warmth on it. He was too much hurt to ponder on anything else. “I will, of course, do as you bid me. May I be excused now?” With Stefan’s nod, he advanced towards the door, but came to a halt when he heard his cousin exclaimed: “One more thing!”

He turned, and waited for another unfavourable verdict to fall on him, but his cousin’s next words were certainly nothing of that nature: “Please remember that I care for you, Laurie,” said Stefan with unwonted tenderness that took him off his guard, “as I would have cared for my own brother if I had one.”

These utterances were powerful enough to thaw the ice he’d erected against his cousin, but Laurie didn’t betray any of his emotions; he nodded stiffly without returning any answer, and strode out of the library looking considerably dour. Lord March, appearing instantly in the hall, came upon him with solicitous words: “Laurie, dear chap,” and put a hand on his shoulder, only to be rudely shoved. Laurie walked out without casting any glance at him.

The Viscount then hastened towards the library, and found his friend leaning on the mantelpiece. “So how did it go?” he asked quietly, and was met with a shaking head. “That bad, eh?”

“No,” Lord Stokeford’s lips twisted into a mirthless smile. “It was worse.”

: Hi all! Well, I'm not sure if you'd enjoyed this chapter. I wrote it halfheartedly, so never fear that I do not share your sentiments! Anyway, thank you so much for all the votes! You, my dear readers, truly make me happy! x