“Good heavens, you have the most catholic literary tastes. What was the line in question?”
“Those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.”
Julius’s brows shot up. “Written in a contrarian spirit, you understand,” Dominic hastened to add. “The man is insane, of course, but the work is fascinating.”
“I can see why it speaks to you then,” Julius observed. “So you said that to Richard—”
“And he reacted as though I had struck him.”
“I…see. Are you aware that he’s in love?”
“What? Richard? With whom?”
“I have no idea,” Julius said with enraging disinterest. “I know only that he has given his heart impossibly—I have this from him, you understand, so I cannot comment on what constitutes an impossibility. Under the circumstances, the restraint of desire may be a sensitive subject.” He gave Dominic a paternal smile. “It isn’t you. I asked.”
“You are ever helpful,” Dominic said. “Who the devil— He didn’t tell me this. He might have spoken to me.”
“I suppose he might,” Julius agreed. “Then again, my dear fellow, you might consider whether Lord Richard Vane has taken kindly to being replaced in your affections by a radical gutter-blood.” Dominic stared at him. Julius returned a sardonic look. “Is that village-idiot expression because you thought Richard approved of your liaison?”
“Richard and I have not been lovers for a long time—” Dominic began.
“But you’ve been the loves of one another’s lives forever,” Julius put in, interrupting him. “Oh, really, Dominic. The pair of you have been mourning that affair for a decade; nobody else has ever taken your respective places. When I went to bed with Richard, you might as well have been in the room. I felt positively crowded.”
“But—” Dominic groped for words. “It’s been years. You just said he was in love elsewhere.”
“So he tells me, dear fellow, but you know, I think Richard is very well used to having your heart, if not the rest of you. You, or at least his youthful idea of you, have long been the ideal against which the rest of us are found wanting. And now his lost love is hopelessly smitten not just with any other man but with a bravo from the slums of Ludgate. One can see why he finds that trying.”
“I am not smitten,” Dominic choked out.
“Well, you’re giving a damned good impression of it,” Julius said. “I assume it’s not just the fucking? Richard seems to believe you’re lost to carnal delights, but then, I don’t think he is considering matters very clearly.”
“My affairs are none of Richard’s business. Or yours.”
“Of course they’re not. So is it just the fucking?” He held up a hand to stave off Dominic’s response. “I don’t ask from idle curiosity. Harry cares very much for your Silas. He’s worried.”
“So he should be. Silas is determined to run his head into a noose. These damned bills of Sidmouth’s—”
“I have heard all about that, believe me. It’s why we’re back, in fact. Half the guests down at Arrandene were high Tory, puffing and blowing approval. I had to get Harry out before he made a display of radical sentiment at the dining table.”
Dominic pointed a warning finger. “I tell you, Julius, if Harry mixes himself up in politics in any way whatsoever—”
“He won’t.”
“I mean it. He could destroy Silas just by association at this stage. The entire narrative of Sidmouth’s policy is that reform leads to murder and treason, and that cursed story of the fire—”
Julius’s fine features sharpened. “I beg your pardon? I was under the impression that had been scotched.”
Dominic hadn’t been involved in that. While Harry had lain ill in bed, the Ricardians had mustered a wide range of society ladies to express outrage at a gross calumny against an unfortunate and handsome young man. Even Lord Maltravers’s fiancée, who was remarkable for her beauty, her youth, and her very large dowry, had been persuaded to add her voice. Since there was no evidence to back up the implications, and thus no choice, Maltravers had been magnanimous, and Skelton had been called off.
“As far as possible,” Dominic said. “But Maltravers didn’t tell Skelton to leave Harry alone; he told him not to proceed without evidence. If Skelton turns up anything that he can use, Maltravers will support him, fiancée or no. He doesn’t like our set, he loathes radicals like poison, and the Vanes are not in a strong position thanks to the scandals of the past month. Good heavens, Richard must rue the day that Harry was discovered.”