The Tainted Snuff Box Read Online Free

husband, father, or brother challenges him to a duel.”
    “Oh, Anthony, Victor means no harm in his attentions to the ladies,” Lady Perry protested.  “He merely enjoys flirting, and the objects of his attention seem to like it just as much as he does.”
    “Victor has been my friend since childhood, but that does not prevent my speaking the truth.  The man is a debaucher of women,” Perry said, gazing with disapproval at his cousin’s conduct.  “No female is safe in his presence.” 
    I raised an eyebrow.  “Strong words.”
    Lady Perry waved her fan to cool her cheeks.  “Mr. Brummell, have you ever noticed that a reformed ladies’ man is the first to accuse and condemn others of his very own past behaviour?”
    Smiling, I looked to see Perry’s reaction to his wife’s words, but he had been distracted by the musicians.  “Er, excuse us, will you, Brummell?” Perry said, taking his wife’s hand.  “I want to speak to that cellist before they begin the next set.  His talent is quite remarkable.”  The two walked away in the direction of the musicians. Lady Perry glanced back at me over her shoulder with an amused expression at her husband’s fervour for music.
    I stood alone.  I turned my attention from Signor Tallarico and scanned the crowd looking for one particularly dear face.  Alas, the Duchess of York was not amongst the company.  I had hoped Freddie would decide to leave the comfort of her country estate, Oatlands, for a lungful of sea air.  I supposed she had found she could not leave her loyal companions:  upwards of one hundred dogs.  I seized a crystal glass full of wine from a footman to drown my disappointment.  My motto is “When your spirits are low, get another bottle.”
    There was one more familiar face missing from the company.  Maria Fitzherbert, Prinny’s “wife,” was ill and had taken to her bed.  The Prince, longing for feminine companionship, had encountered Lady Bessborough at the Castle Inn earlier and brought her along to the Johnstones’.
    I did my best to circulate among the guests, greeting Lady Bessborough, exchanging a social word or two with the Creeveys, talking about the theater with Sheridan, and speaking to a number of other guests known to me.  All the while, I consumed a healthy quantity of Mr. Johnstone’s undoubtedly smuggled French wine, and managed to determine which gentleman was Arthur Ainsley, the one to whom Prinny may or may not have promised a Parliament seat.
    Mr. Ainsley, an intense-looking man with the blackest hair and palest complexion I had ever seen, unconsciously thwarted my attempts to speak to him.  He spent the time before dinner in earnest conversation with a mousy young lady in a severely plain gown.  Overseeing the conversation was a gentleman I thought I recognized as Lord St. Clair.  Charles James Fox had introduced us some time ago, Lord St. Clair being greatly respected in Parliament and a renowned orator.  St. Clair was known to have two daughters, and I thought the young lady Mr. Ainsley was speaking to must be one of them.
    Seeing no way to graciously intrude on them, I had to content myself with studying the man from afar.  I had plenty of time to do so, as dinner had been put back while we awaited the arrival of the Prince’s brother, the Duke of Clarence, who was unpardonably late.
    Prinny, cranky when kept from his food, finally suggested to Mrs. Johnstone that she should serve without the Royal Duke, a recommendation swiftly taken because of the advanced hour.
    The Royal Duke arrived in due course, actually during the second course, and everyone, with the possible exception of Lady Perry, poor thing, enjoyed the delicacies provided.
    However, this did not prevent the two royal brothers from bickering when we gathered in the drawing room again around one in the morning when the meal finally ended.  I was chatting with Lord and Lady Perry when the quarrel began.
     “A delicious repast, everything