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Chapter 1

All in the Family

London, January 1758

The Society for Appreciation of

the English Beefsteak, A Gentlemen’s Club

To the best of Lord John Grey’s knowledge, stepmothers as depicted in fiction tended to be venal, evil, cunning, homicidal, and occasionally cannibalistic Stepfathers, by contrast, seeible, if not completely innocuous

"Squire Allworthy, do you think?" he said to his brother "Or Claudius?"

Hal stood restlessly twirling the club’s terrestrial globe, looking elegant, urbane, and thoroughly indigestible He left off perforave Grey a look of incomprehension

"What?"

"Stepfathers," Grey explained "There seees of novels, by contrast to the maternal variety I ht fall, along the spectrum of character"

Hal’s nostrils flared His own reading tended to be confined to Tacitus and the more detailed Greek and Ro novels he regarded as a forivable, and in fact, quite understandable in their er brother should share in this vice was somewhat less acceptable

However, he merely said, "Claudius? From Ha about Mother that I do not"

Grey was reasonably sure that he knew a nus about their mother that Hal did not, but this was neither the time nor place to mention them

"Can you think of any other examples? Notable stepfathers of history, perhaps?"

Hal pursed his lips, frowning a bit in thought Absently, he touched the watch pocket at his waist

Grey touched his oatch pocket, where the gold and crystal of his chiht

"He’s not late yet"

Hal gave him a sideways look, not a smile--Hal was not in a ed with humor, nonetheless

"He is at least a soldier"

In Grey’s experience, membership in the brotherhood of the blade did not necessarily impute punctuality--their friend Harry Quarry was a colonel and habitually late--but he nodded equably Hal was sufficiently on edge already Grey didn’t want to start a foolish argu with their mother’s intended third husband

"It could be worse, I suppose," Hal said, returning to his lobe "At least he’s not a bloodyat the thought

In fact, General Sir George Stanley was a knight, granted that distinction by reason of service of arh in the reasonably respectable venues of banking and shipping Benedicta Grey, however, was a duchess Or had been

So far reasonably cal nuptials, Grey felt a sudden drop of the stomach, a visceral reaction to the realization that his er be a Grey, but would becon This was, of course, ridiculous At the sareater syan to chime noon Hal’s timepiece sounded no more than half a second later, and the brothers smiled at each other, hands on their pockets, suddenly united

The watches were identical, gifts from their father upon the occasion of each son’s twelfth birthday The duke had died the day after Grey’s twelfth birthday, endowing this snancy Grey drew breath to say so, but the sound of voices came from the corridor

"There he is" Hal lifted his head, evidently undecided whether to go out to e or remain in the library to receive him

"Saint Joseph," Grey said suddenly "There’s another notable stepfather"

"Quite," said his brother, with a sidelong glance "And which of us are you suggesting…?"

A shadow fell across the Turkey carpet, cast by the for servant who stood in the doorway

"Sir George Stanley, e Stanley was a surprise While Grey had consciously expected neither Claudius nor Saint Joseph, the reality was a trifle…rounder than anticipated

His , by report, while her second, his own father, had been possessed of the saht stature, fairness, and tidy muscularity which he had bequeathed to both his sons Sir George rather restored one’s faith in the law of averages, Grey thought, amused

A bit taller than hieneral had a face that was round, cheerful, and rosily guileless beneath a rather shabby wig His features were nondescript in the extreave hih he could think of nothing so delightful as awith the person he addressed

He bowed in greeting, but then shook hands fir Lord John with an impression of warmth and sincerity

"It is kind of you to invitefroreatly I appreciate your welcoy--but I afro that you will in soht perhaps you would pardon hed, a little aardly, and blushed; an odd , Grey thought, s back despite hi to sound cordial

"Most certainly," Grey echoed He was standing closest to Sir George, and now turned to the general’s co, and found hi eneral was saying, a hand on the young ht?"

Hal was a trifle put out; Grey could feel the vibrations of annoyance from his direction--Hal hated surprises, particularly those of a social nature--but he himself had little attention to spare for his brother’s quirks at theMr Wainwright’s hand, with an odd sense of previous