Don't Look Back

Chapter 19

Mr. Crowe eyed his friend across the table and laid a card out.

"Mrs. Burrell saw you walking with the little minx Miss Heywood today. Got her hooks in you again I see." His friend said low and under his breath.

Sidney seethed at the mention or mere thought that anything he did with Charlotte would be worth gossip.

"Just a conversation Crowe, long overdue," he said noticing Sir Radmore glancing at him.

Mr. Crowe looked hesitant as if not all subjects between the two men were easy.

"It feels strange to be the one to say this to you, but she is unmarried and unattached." His friend continued. "Courting scandal upon her is not exactly your way you know..." his friend said, "You have more honor than that." Wastrel that he was, he knew Sidney wasn't a reputation ruiner.

Sidney chewed on the end of his smoke. "Ch- Miss Heywood and I are attempting to be friends."

Crowe scoffed. "You, friends with a woman?" he laughed louder now and gathered the attention of patrons. "You must be joking."

Sidney grimaced and looked around seething within his controlled anger.

"No. I am entirely serious," he said under his hooded expression.

Shaking his head his friend laid out a card. "Come now Sidney, you dislike the company of women, by and large, the sudden interest in friendship with one strikes me as not the Sidney I know," he said simply. "Sidney Parker does not bark after women."

Slamming his cards down Sidney closed his eyes trying to tether his irritation and rage. Just one conversation with her and now his largely corrupted friend was lecturing him on decent conduct with women.

"I am not barking after Charlotte," he whispered his teeth bared. His voice was louder than intended.

Mr. Crowe not backing down eyed him curiously. "Then what are you doing?" he pressed.

Sidney sighed and looked around uncomfortable. "I am trying to- to keep up with this insane charade that my life has become."

Crowe was confused. "Charade? You mean your marriage?" he asked.

Sidney nodded in thought.

"Why do you stay with her?" Crowe asked. "As your close friend you know I can keep a secret but others cannot. Many already suspect her affairs though you never mention it, and a gentleman does not gossip...but the fairer sex do."

Sidney's eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "Is there talk?" he asked worriedly. Protecting Flora was his main concern, however, being made a fool of publicly was distasteful in and of itself.

Crowe raised his brows. "I do not fraternize much with the fair sex of our class as you know." he started uncomfortably. "I do not know how widely it is talked of, but Yes...Even with my limited conversation with women, this last year there has been talk. Does not help that this one is a Marquess."

Sidney cursed and took a swig from the bottle beside him not bothering to pour a glass.

Seeing his friends distress Crowe kept talking. "You know the Beau Monde enjoy a good scandal. Nobility and intrigue go together like a fine wine with a lady of the night."

Sidney grimaced. "You would know."

Crowe nodded. "You would know better if you joined me more." he looked at his cards. "Once a year after the summer season is not enough to take the edge off it would seem." Crowe referenced the single year allowance he gave himself to go and pick a woman to lie with.

Sidney's gaze narrowed. "I know enough, and not even a doctor's prescription of that could take the edge off."

Crowe frowned. "So tell me, what happened?" he asked. "Why if you did not love her did you chose Eliza?"

Sidney dropped his cards folding. "Because I was a fool, and I struck a bargain. I gambled and I lost." he sighed.

Crowe dropped his cards. "Spare me the cryptic rhetoric, tell me once and for all what happened."

Sidney shook his head. "I can't speak of it." he blinked. "It is more complicated than you could ever know."

Crowe shrugged not entirely surprised at his friend's evasion of the subject. Sidney never talked of his wife or their arrangement. It was an unspoken understanding among them that there was no love lost between the couple.

"You two seem a dreary lot!" Sir Radmore came to their table. "Mind if I join?"

Sidney shrugged and cleared his throat and gestured silently that the chair was available.

"I heard the name Miss Heywood." he shrugged. "What is the story with her?" he asked. "The architect is sniffing round her skirts, and I think I noted Lord Sellac's eye settle on her as well."

Crowe raised his brows. "Why the interest Radmore?" he asked letting Sidney remain silent but glanced at his friend who seemed to be teetering on his edge.

The man shrugged. "She is a handsome woman with some superior connections. She is mysterious, therefore I am interested." Sir Radmore chuckled. "Also, Miss Lambe told me she would geld me so naturally, I like to live dangerously." he flashed a playful grin.

Sidney shook his head. "Your business agreement with Miss Lambe should be your focus. Not games, and intrigues." He lectured and pushed his losings to Crowe. "Here, you won that last hand. I am going to call it a night. Good night Gentlemen."

Crowe and Sir Radmore watched him leave.

"Which was it, Miss Heywood, or Miss Lambe that caused him to retreat?" Radmore asked frowning.

Crowe looked at the man he liked but would not go as far as calling him a friend. "I imagine it was some measure of both," he said shuffling his winnings. He did not often win so this was a delightful twist.