Free My True Love Gave to Me by Ava March

served his purpose. If he left now, he doubted anyone would notice.
    Tempting notion indeed, to silently slip out the door, but if nothing else he couldn’t fool himself into believing they would not notice his empty place at the dining table. At least one person would remark upon it, and then he would have to endure his mother’s ire over the embarrassment.
    He was stuck at this house for the next few hours. Stuck sitting through inane conversations and countless courses when he had absolutely no appetite at all. When all he wanted was to seek out Sasha.
    The light tinkle of a bell cut through the chatter behind him.
    He kept the resigned sigh inside. He knew his duty and was well acquainted with what was expected of him. The ability to bow his head and fall into line was a skill mastered long ago.
    Pasting on a polite smile, he turned and stepped from the window.
    His mother moved about by the open double doors leading to the dining room, organizing her guests into pairs before proceeding into supper. Clad in a deep amber gown, her smile was gracious and accommodating as she led a young lady—he couldn’t recall her name—to his younger brother’s side. The young lady seen to, his mother swept her gaze over her remaining unpaired guests. She caught Thomas’s eye. At the little flick of her perfectly coifed dark brown head, he crossed to her side.
    “Thomas, would you please do Miss Miller the honor of escorting her into the dining room?”
    He tipped his head. “It would be my pleasure to have the company of such a charming young lady.”
    Miss Miller batted her lashes as she placed her hand on his proffered arm. Her little giggle grated across his nerves.
    He kept the smile in place and gestured toward the dining room with his free hand. “Shall we?”
    They followed the other guests and took their places at the long mahogany table, the silly Miss Miller seated at his right. The chit immediately launched into a discussion of the weather. Thomas did his duty, nodding every time she paused to take a breath, and tried not to reach too quickly for his glass once a footman filled it with Bordeaux.
    He had stayed away from Sasha the entire week following their…encounter at the man’s town house. Gave Sasha time to get acquainted with the notion that he had returned for him. Time for the man’s anger to recede. An absolutely wasted effort, given the way Sasha had cut him at every available opportunity since. For the past week, he had tried to get Sasha alone. White’s, various balls, three different gambling hells and several calls to the man’s town house. No doubt about it. Sasha did not want to speak to him.
    How unfortunate for him, because Thomas would not announce defeat. At least not yet. The time lingering along the perimeter was over. He refused to let the Christmas holiday come and go without having an honest-to-God conversation with Sasha. Tomorrow he’d seek out Sasha and force the man to acknowledge him.
     
    The blunted steel tip of a blade briefly touched his chest. Alexander immediately took a step back, dropping his foil to his side.
    Robert Anderson had bested him again. Ah well. At least he had lasted a good ten minutes. Quite an accomplishment, given Anderson’s skill with a foil and the fact the man was almost a half a foot taller than himself.
    With a tip of his head, Alexander saluted his opponent. “Good bout.”
    “Indeed.” Anderson passed a gloved hand across his brow, swiping at a bead of sweat. “Your feints have become mighty good. Almost had me there a time or two.”
    He arched a brow. “Perhaps someday I will have you.”
    A short chuckle rumbled Anderson’s broad chest. A rare smile tipped the edges of his mouth. “I think not.”
    His confidence that Alexander would never have him—in any fashion—came through loud and clear. Anderson might not prefer men, but Alexander knew with certainty that Radcliffe did. Preferences aside, the two rakehells were the best of