"And how closely
related to you is Cousin Beatrice?"
Reynaud gave him a look. "Not that close."
"Glad to hear it." Vale dropped into a cushioned chair. "I hope she recovers fully so that you can then propose to her. Because I tell you now, matrimony truly is a blessed state, enjoyed by all men of good sense and halfway adequate bedroom skills."
"Thank you for that edifying thought," Reynaud growled.
Vale waved his glass. "Think nothing of it. I say, you haven't forgotten how to treat a lady in the bedroom, have you?"
"Oh, for God's sake!"
"You've been out of refined society for years and years now. I could give you some pointers, should you need them. I've never been particularly fond of the artifice of flirtation
"Now, now," said Vale in a sickeningly sweet voice reminiscent of a nursery nanny. "I already gave him a drubbing for courting Emmie."
Reynaud raised his eyebrows. "You did?"
"He did not," Hartley said even as Vale nodded happily. "I threw him down the stairs."
Vale pursed his lips and looked skyward. "Not my recollection, but I can see how your memory of the event may've become hazy."
"Have you asked the question yet? I'm rather good at it, if I do say to myself. I got three different ladies to agree to marry me while you were gone. Did you know? Some didn't actually make it to the alter, but that's another problem altogether. Perhaps you'd like some pointers on-"
Reynaud gave him a look. "Not that close."
"Glad to hear it." Vale dropped into a cushioned chair. "I hope she recovers fully so that you can then propose to her. Because I tell you now, matrimony truly is a blessed state, enjoyed by all men of good sense and halfway adequate bedroom skills."
"Thank you for that edifying thought," Reynaud growled.
Vale waved his glass. "Think nothing of it. I say, you haven't forgotten how to treat a lady in the bedroom, have you?"
"Oh, for God's sake!"
"You've been out of refined society for years and years now. I could give you some pointers, should you need them. I've never been particularly fond of the artifice of flirtation
"Now, now," said Vale in a sickeningly sweet voice reminiscent of a nursery nanny. "I already gave him a drubbing for courting Emmie."
Reynaud raised his eyebrows. "You did?"
"He did not," Hartley said even as Vale nodded happily. "I threw him down the stairs."
Vale pursed his lips and looked skyward. "Not my recollection, but I can see how your memory of the event may've become hazy."
"Have you asked the question yet? I'm rather good at it, if I do say to myself. I got three different ladies to agree to marry me while you were gone. Did you know? Some didn't actually make it to the alter, but that's another problem altogether. Perhaps you'd like some pointers on-"
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