He wasn’t particularly displeased with what he observed, however. Darcy was in a black mood when he climbed into the carriage with Nick and headed back to the inn where they had been staying. Contrary to what Nick had said, he had no intention of going near his stuffy older brother, the Marquis, or his sister-in-law, who’d already made it abundantly clear that she was entirely too willing to share her charms, so long as they kept it in the family. Having no desire to offend his brother, whom he held in affection even though he found him utterly boring, or defend his honor from his sister-in-law, he’d decided it would be best to steer well clear of his ancestral home. Besides, his other brothers, if they were in residence, were always in need of money and he had no intention of funding their gambling habits any further. If they were so lacking in skill and/or luck, they needed to find another pastime. “Royally trounced,” Darcy muttered in disgust, “and by a whelp hardly out of leading strings.”
