Grayson studied James, whose expression had hardened. Discussing his late wife was never easy. She’d cuckolded him, made a mockery of their marriage, yet had been a loving mother to Michael who would have suffered the consequence of a separation, never mind an ugly divorce. Grayson knew James would rather sacrifice himself a thousand times over than see his son hurt. But eventually, fate had taken Clara from them both. She’d died, quite suddenly, a few years ago.
And now there was Mrs. Hewitt to ruffle James’s feathers instead. When James had introduced her to Grayson and Colin during the Pennington Ball, there had been no doubt regarding his interest in her. Of course, Grayson knew his friend would never pursue a married woman, but learning she shared his late wife’s loose morals had clearly come as a blow. Not that Grayson understood him. In all of his four and forty years, he’d not once encountered a woman who called to his soul the way Clara and Mrs. Hewitt had called to James’s.
* * *
“Divorce is a nasty business,” James murmured. “No one who values their privacy or their reputation would ever embark on such a thing. Unless the person they wished to be rid of was utterly abhorrent.”
“The papers did outline all of the lady’s affairs,” Grayson told him, hoping the reminder would help James put the woman behind him. “I suppose Mr. Hewitt felt his wife made a laughingstock of him and decided to seek revenge.”
James winced and took a deep swallow from his glass. “The world could benefit greatly from men like Mr. Hewitt who are brave enough to face the repercussions in order to teach their wife a lesson.”
“It would certainly make a woman think twice about straying if the road to divorce were an easier one,” Colin said. He shared a quick look with Grayson before adding, “After all, they stand to lose a great deal more than we men.”
There was no arguing that. A husband could easily rob a woman of her children while the funds previously at her disposal were reduced to a paltry sum just large enough for her to scrape by on. Not to mention the fact she’d be shunned while the man could eventually win back his place in Society.
“Let’s speak of something else,” James suggested. “How is your ward, Juliana, faring, Grayson?”
Discomfited by the question, Grayson instinctively dropped his gaze and proceeded to study the contents of his glass. “The last report I received informed me that her French is improving.”
“And?” Colin pressed when Grayson said nothing more.
Grayson frowned, took a deep breath, and slowly raised his gaze. He supposed he might as swell confess his predicament. “She sacked her governess.”
Shocked laughter exploded from James and Colin simultaneously, forcing them both to choke on their drinks. Coughing fits followed while Grayson glared at each in turn. When James eventually managed to catch his breath, he said, “Please don’t tell me you gave her permission to do so?”
“Of course not,” Grayson said, annoyed with the suggestion and with Juliana for being so cunning. “There’s a good chance she did it to get my attention and force me back to Sutton Hall. I’ll have to give her a lecture and hire another governess. Damned nuisance.”
A moment of silence followed before James asked, “When did you see her last?”
Grayson knit his brow and tried to think. “It was before Christmas, so…four months ago, perhaps a bit more.”
Colin gave a low whistle, to which Grayson responded with a glower.
“Forgive me if I’m overstepping,” James said, “but that does seem unusually negligent of you.”
Grayson sighed. He wasn’t wrong and yet, remaining at Sutton Hall had become difficult. “Juliana is meant to have her coming out next year. Her governess had a plan which involved an endless amount of lessons in etiquette, conversational skills, dancing, and so on. I believed I’d get in the way, so I chose to stay in Town a bit longer than usual.”
More to the point, he’d loathed the idea of his parlor being transformed into a fitting room filled with silks and lace or, God forbid, having Juliana ask for his opinion with regard to her efforts. Better the whole debacle be taken care of in his absence, without his input. Especially since he was known for bluntly speaking the truth and would hate to upset the girl in some way with an ill-timed comment.
“You are all she has left, Grayson,” James said, reminding him he could be equally frank. “And she is a child, stuck in a great big manor with only servants for company. I believe she’ll be happy to see you.”
“I’ve no idea what to say to a sixteen-year-old girl,” Grayson grumbled, voicing another concern. “It was easier when she was younger and I could bring her a doll or buy her a pony. Now she’s at that awkward stage between child and woman. It’s perplexing.”
“I’m sure her interests aren’t much different from those held by women.” Colin saluted Grayson with his glass. “The latest fashion and London gossip ought to make excellent topics.”
“As you are the only one among us who has zero experience with children, I’m not sure you should be the first to offer advice,” James said. He shifted his gaze back to Grayson. “Do not share any gossip with her. Most of it will be unsuitable for her young ears, and the rest will just make her stupid. Instead, I would suggest you try and get to know the young woman she’s growing into. Find out what her new interests are and cater to those.”
“I’ll think on it,” Grayson muttered. One thing was certain. He had to solve the problem regarding her lack of governess.
“You’re not entirely correct,” Colin said.
“About what?” James asked.
Colin raised an arrogant brow. “I do have some experience with children. Isabella Bankroft has two.”
James groaned while Grayson rolled his eyes. Isabella Bankroft was Colin’s latest mistress.
“I’m not sure that signifies,” James remarked, “unless you’ve actually met them.”
“I can’t say I have, but she speaks of them a great deal.”
“That doesn’t count,” Grayson and James told him at the same time. Both men chuckled while Colin merely shrugged.
“Will you break things off with her when you return to Woodstone Park?” Grayson asked. Colin, being the enterprising landowner he was, had promised his steward he would be back next week to help oversee the planting of this year’s crops.
“Why?” Colin asked with a sly smirk. “You interested?”
“God no,” Grayson said. It was bad enough feeling as though he might have failed Juliana without throwing a potential paramour into the mix. “I’ve enough to worry about right now.”
“Have you heard the latest news?” someone across the room asked in a loud voice. It only took Grayson a second to recognize the speaker as the Earl of Everton. “She’s free, my dear fellows. The divorce is final.”
Other men jumped in to voice their opinions and since there could be no doubt they referred to Mrs. Hewitt, Grayson shot James a look. Hopefully this gossip wouldn’t affect his friend. A tense moment followed a particularly demeaning remark before James, thankfully, blew out a breath and downed the rest of his drink. He stood. “Forgive me, but I must be off. Perhaps we can meet for dinner before you leave Town?”