Chapter 2

Brotherly Blows

“ I am not sure what I expected from sparring with Blake the Rake, but honestly it was not this. I’ve met children who punch harder.” Richard Glassbury, Marquess of Glastonbury grinned.

“Do you often get punched by children? Rather a strange pastime, do you not think?” Ambrose Blake Rochester, Duke of Caden, laughed. “Perhaps I am simply trying not to damage your pretty face.”

The Duke of Caden was an unusual man in many respects. He knew that the ton loved nothing more than to gossip. Naturally, they thought him charming and unmanageable in equal measure. Especially after rejecting every match his father recommended. And of course, after his decision to use his middle name and distance himself from his father’s legacy only fuelled their suspicion and curiosity.

Blake has always suited me better, and it was the last thing my mother ever gave me. Blake held his arms in front of his face, casually wiping a bead of sweat from his brow as he did so. He was easily a head and shoulders taller than his friend.

His usually wavy brown hair was slick with sweat – he and Richard had been sparring for hours. The muscles of his shoulders and arms ached, and even through the lightweight muslin of his shirt., the heat of the sun was hard to bear.

“If you were capable of punching my face perhaps, I would be worried.” Richard laughed, and avoided Blake’s punch. “But that would of course require you to actually hit me.”

“Well, you know that I aim to please.” Blake closed the distance between himself and Richard, and aimed a blow at his head that the man blocked.

“So I am told. Or at least so your reputation would have me believe.” Richard shook his head, circling around Blake, clearly looking for an opening.

“Oh, I assure you, everything you have heard is true. I can produce several witnesses to confirm this should you desire.” Blake shifted his weight from foot to foot, keeping his eyes on his friend. Just a little closer.

“I have no desire to hear from one of your witnessess. Thank you.” Richard wrinkled his nose. “Besides, how would I know if she was not simply telling me what you had told her to.”

“I am wounded that you think so little of my skill.” Blake lashed out with a right hook, followed by a cross. “I assure you I have a collection of testimonies to the contrary.”

Richard rolled his eyes as he blocked one of Blake’s punches. “Are you this arrogant with the fairer sex?”

“Arrogant? No. Charming? Yes.” Blake ducked and felt the wind from Richard’s blow graze his face.

“Honestly, it is hard to see what they see in you.” Richard was panting.

“Aside from my dashing good looks and rakish charm?” Blake quipped, jabbing at Richard quickly before ducking out of reach.

“And of course your modesty.” Richard swung at Blake as he rolled his eyes.

Blake blocked the blow and pushed his friend away, panting as he wiped the sweat off his face. “Modesty has never done anything for anyone.”

“Has it not? I find that rather hard to believe. After all, isn’t it most prized in a woman?” Richard danced out of Blake’s reach.

“Perhaps, though I confess I have never understood the appeal.” Blake grinned and dropped his guard a moment, giving Richard a clean shot.

Richard took it, just as he had planned. At the last possible moment, Blake side stepped and slammed his fist into Richard’s side. He punched him hard, but not so hard that it would do any permanent damage.

“Was that hard enough for you?” Blake grinned as he stepped away.

Richard’s clutched his side and shook himself. Blake watched him warily. He does love to strike when my guard is down. Sure enough, his friend launched into a flurry of fierce blows that Blake countered with his own.

The thud of skin on skin echoed in the yard as each man punched at the other, ducking and darting away, sacrificing safety to get in a particularly good jab or hook. They were both panting, the few clothes they were wearing clinging to their body.

“Have you had enough, Glassbury?” Blake asked as he circled Richard again.

“Never, Rochester. You know I won’t stop until I best you.” Richard held his fists up.

“Then it appears we will never stop.” Blake jabbed towards him.

Richard blocked the blows. “Are you really so sure of that?”

“Of course, in all these years of friendship, you have never bested me yet.”

“Perhaps I have an ace up my sleeve.”

“You aren’t wearing sleeves.” Blake pointed out, aiming a punch at Richard’s ribs.

“Have you always been so pedantic?” Richard panted.

“Yes.”

“Well, the fact remains, as much as I love this sparring, I came here to tell you something.” Richard weaved to the left and then the right, his fist lashing out towards Blake’s stomach.

He dodged, landing his own blow as he did so. “Did you indeed? I thought you came here to lose at boxing.”

“Very funny.”

“Well go on then, why don’t you spit it out?” Blake goaded as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.

Richard took a deep breath and said, “I am getting married.”

“What?!” Blake exclaimed, so shocked that he forgot to keep moving and dropped his guard.

Richard let out a triumphant yell and punched Blake three times in quick succession, his final blow making Blake’s head whip back. For a moment, everything went out of focus, and Blake struggled to remain up right.

Come on, focus. You cannot let him beat you – you’ll never hear the end of it. Shaking his head in the hopes that it would stop the ringing, he lunged at Richard, his fists moving as fast and as hard as he could drive. them. He backed his friend into a corner.

“You’re getting married?” Blake panted, still not letting up his attack. “And you chose to tell me at this moment to get in a cheap shot?”

“It was three solid punches.” Richard panted back, shoving Blake away and swinging at his head. “And I was getting tired of your smugness.”

“So you resorted to cheating?” Blake raised an eyebrow.

“I prefer to think of it as a sportsmanlike distraction.” Richard shook his head, sweat flying as he did so.

“I think you mean decidedly unsportsmanlike.” He darted out of the way of Richard’s fist.

“No, I said exactly what I meant.” Richard grinned as he punched Blake in the torso.

In answer, he punched Richard twice, once in the stomach and then another in the chest. Richard groaned and swung out, but Blake avoided the blow easily, landing another punch and then a jab that sent Richard sprawling. He grinned as he strode towards him. The other man held up his hands in surrender.

“I yield.” Richard glowered at Blake.

“Good.” He held out a hand to him, and helped Richard to his feet. “I would offer you my congratulations on your nuptials had you not used them as a means of distracting me from our match.”

“A man does what he must to win.” Richard massaged his neck and shrugged.

“But you didn’t win.” Blake couldn’t help but point out.

“No, not this time.” Richard hesitated a moment before saying, “Besides, I want rather more than your congratulations. I was hoping you would agree to be my best man.”

“You want me? Why?” he gaped at his friend. Surely Glassbury is joking?

“Because you are my oldest and dearest friend. I was hoping you could put aside your personal feelings on the matter of marriage and be there at my side.” Richard gave him a pointed look.

Blake frowned as he asked, “What do you mean my personal feelings? I have no qualms with other people getting married.”

“Was it not you who once said, ‘marriage is an institution designed to trap two people in perpetual misery and suffering, a house built on nothing but lies and hypocrisy’?” The Marquess said in a reasonable imitation of Blake’s deep baritone.

“I might have said that at some point.” And it is true for most people. He shrugged and began to towel himself off with the cloth an attendant handed him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Richard’s face and realised with a jolt that he looked genuinely worried. Something in Blake’s heart tugged.

“My feelings about marriage are my own, Glassbury. To my mind, marriage seems pointless. Most men forsake their vows almost as soon as they take them.” A memory tugged at the corner’s of Blake’s mind and he pushed it violently away, the imagined scent of stale rum and cheap perfume lingering. “But you are not most men. You mean what you say.”

“I do. And I will do all in my power to be the best husband I may to my wife.”

“I know you will. And while Ithink it is utter folly to be married, if it is something you want to do, then I will stand behind you.” Blake squeezed Richard’s shoulder affectionately. “Thank you, Rochester. I will be glad to have you at my side.” Richard clapped him on the back.

“I take it you will be marrying Miss Cressida Minton? You have been courting long enough.” Blake asked as he pulled on a fresh shirt.

His friend’s face lit up as he said the name. The sight of the unbridled joy on his friend’s face, made his own heart twist. If anyone can make a proper go of marriage, let it be him. He will make the woman a most devoted and loyal husband. “Of course! Cressida is the love of my life. I had not thought such happiness was possible, not until I met her. She is my soul, Rochester. And I would spend the rest of my life with her.” Marquess Glastonbury smiled happily, his cheeks rosy.

“Then I wish you every happiness.” To Blake’s surprise he found that he meant it. “May you both forever be loyal and deserving of one another.”

Blake hoped that his friend would hear only sincerity in his voice.

“Already practicing your speech?” Richard raised an eyebrow at him. “I hope you do not intend to harp on about loyalty, as though we might be disloyal to one another.”

Blake laughed, “fret not Glassbury, my speech will be far better than that. It will be from the heart.”

“You have a heart?” Richard teased.

“When it comes to you? Of course, I do.” Blake inclined his head.

Richard smiled at him. “You are getting sentimental.”

“I am not the one getting married. Throwing away a life of freedom to the shackles of holy matrimony.” Blake shook his head in mock disgust. “Ahh, the naivety of youth.”

“Rochester, you are only a few months older than me.” The Marquess laughed.

“You were the one who called me an old man.” Blake retorted.

“That is true.” Richard nodded, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Perhaps it is because you look so much older than your years.”

“That is not what the ladies seem to think.” Blake shrugged.

“On that note, do try not to seduce the entire bridal party.” Richard gave Blake a frank look.

“Of course not, I was thinking light flirting at most, and limiting it to one or two delicious women.” Blake affected the most innocent expression he could manage.

“Must you be ‘Blake the rake’ at every opportunity?” Richard said, a mixture of exasperation and amusement in his voice.

“No. But it is more fun than Duke Caden.” Blake shrugged, feeling a pinprick of discomfort as he said his title and hoping it did not show on his face. “Besides, I like keeping things interesting.”

“It is my view that Rochester is a far more interesting and unexpected person to be around. The rake is entirely too predictable.” Richard gave Blake a sidelong look.

“Well, I would hate to be predictable. Almost as much as I hate being manipulated.” Blake frowned at his friend, clamping down on the stirrings of irritation within him.

Now it was Richard’s turn to affect innocence. “I am doing no such thing. Simply pointing out my own personal preference for one above the other.”

“You would not dream of telling me how to behave.” Blake rolled his eyes, his words light but containing a hint of reproach: they were friends, but Blake would not be controlled. Not by anyone.

“I know it would do no good. Though I will say that Cressida has a rather strong sense of propriety and puts great value on proper etiquette.” Richard flushed a little as he said it, and looked away from Blake.

What do they say? A happy wife makes for a happy life? Blake canted his head towards his friend. “And I take it that you are worried my behaviour might cause some strife between you and your betrothed.”

“Not worried, per se… Just…” Richard gestured vaguely around them, running a hand through his hair.

“Do not worry, Rochester. I assure you I will be on my best form.” Blake couldn’t help but wink as he said this.

“That is what worries me. I would like minimal scandal at my wedding.” Richard grimaced.

“Of course, though I cannot help if the ladies insist. After all, you know what unmarried women are like at such occasions.” Blake grinned impishly at his friend. “Did you and Miss Minton not meet at a wedding?”

“And it was an entirely proper meeting and courtship. As you well know.” Richard inflated himself slightly, though Blake saw the spots of colour on his cheek deepen.

“Yes, I had to practically push the two of you together.” Blake sighed.

“You did literally push the two of us together.” Richard laughed. “You bumped into me so hard that I bumped into Cressida and had no choice but to apologise for spilling her drink.”

“And so our love match was born.” Blake joined Richard’s laughter as he remembered how he had orchestrated their meeting.

“Honestly, for a man who cares not for marriage, you were rather invested in our match.” Richard pointed out.

“You are quite mistaken, I simply grew tired of your pining.” Blake said nonchalantly.

“I did not pine for her.”

“You did. ‘I do not think I have ever seen such a creature. Oh! How could such perfection exist? Should I talk to her? No, I could not. I should. No. Yes. Maybe?’” Blake imitated his friend’s voice, dancing out of the way as Richard tried to hit him. “That is why I took matters into my own hands.”

“It is a wonder you had time to play matchmaker with so many unmarried women at the occasion” Richard answered, rolling his eyes at his friend.

“I always make time for my friends. Besides, you know my reputation is rather over inflated in that regard.” Blake said.

Richard snorted. “In what regard?”

“I am not some wanton layabout. A little flirting here and there, some charm and charisma go a long way towards earning even the lightest of affection. But that is all it is.” Blake shrugged. “I do have some morals you know.”

It is one thing to not plan on marrying anyone, and quite another to cause harm through carelessness. Blake was many things, but he was not careless. He simply valued his freedom and autonomy above all else. I am, and always will be, my own man.

“And I trust they will be in full force tomorrow night.” Richard clapped a hand on Blake’s back.

“Tomorrow night?” Blake asked, confused.

“My engagement ball. Which you will be attending as my best man.” Richard said. “What, did I not mention that earlier?”

“No, you failed to mention that little fact.” Blake sighed theatrically. “I suppose I shall have to prove just how restrained I can be. Even if it breaks the hearts of the ladies of the ton to do so.”

“It will be good for you.” Richard grinned. “I have heard a little self-restraint does wonders for the soul. Who knows, perhaps you will meet your future wife!”

“Just because you want to shackle yourself forever to another, does not mean we all have to.” Blake shuddered. “I am quite happy without a wife.”

“That is simply because you have not met the right woman.” Richard teased..

“That is because she does not exist. I am content to remain a bachelor to the end of my days.” Blake gestured vaguely around them as they began to walk out of the building.

“But what of succession?” Richard’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.

Blake shrugged. “What of it? I have cousins.”

There was a pause as Richard surveyed him, and Blake forced himself to remain nonchalant. He knew it was odd, most of the nobility were obsessed with continuing their line. He could almost see the unasked question in his friend’s eyes: really?

He could feel Richard’s gaze searching for a sign of joke or earnestness. And wondered if he would ask why. Blake remained silent.

“You are a rather odd creature, Rochester.” Richard smiled and shrugged.

I am glad he did not ask. Blake stretched languidly and gave his friend a cheeky grin. “Perhaps. Though what does that say of you that you want me to be your best man?”

“That I too am an odd creature.” Richard laughed and nodded towards Blake as they each clambered into their own carriages.

.As Blake took a seat and tapped on the walls, signalling that the driver should move off, he breathed a sigh of relief. His secret was still safe.

He shook his head, pondering just how many more people would marry. Richard was the third of his friends to get married. Everyone seemed to be tying themselves down.

Not me. That will never be me. He clenched his fist, fighting back a memory of a man who looked like him. I will never be him. Blake had seen nothing to convince him of the benefits of marriage. Countless women married to miserable men. He shuddered.

“I may be many things, but I am not dishonest. I am who I am, and no one need expect anything else.” Blake clenched his fist. “I am my own man.”

He stretched out on the seat, knuckling his forehead in frustration.

Maybe you’ll meet your future wife. Blake laughed mirthlessly; that would be a most unfortunate turn of events. Albeit, an impossible one.

“After all, I did make a promise.” Blake’s mouth twisted into a scowl. “And I am nothing if not a man of my word.”.

In his mind, the image of a man towering over him, holding a belt in his hand swam forward. “Do your duty.” The voice was cold. Blake shook his head, clenching his jaw.

“I am not a child.” Blake glanced out of the window. “I will do what I want.”

He glared into the distance. He liked nothing less, than doing what was expected. It is time to be the gentleman.