Chapter Fifteen
Octavius halted when he reached the stairs. Dex halted, too. So did Newingham.
“Close call,” Newingham said.
“Unfortunate,” Dex said.
Octavius just grunted.
Together they descended the stairs. Frustration growled in Octavius’s chest. Damn it, he and Miss Toogood had been so close to a moment alone. Perhaps close to the moment.
“Billiards?” Newingham said. “Or bed?”
“Bed,” Octavius said, directing a meaningful glance at Dex.
“Bed for me, too,” Dex said.
Newingham sighed. “You really are a pair of old fograms.” He shook his head at them, bade them good-night, and headed down the corridor to his bedchamber.
They watched him out of sight, then Dex nudged Octavius none too gently in the ribs. “You owe him more than a team of horses.”
“I know.”
“You owe me, too.”
“I’
