42: How they met

*Ben*

“So how did you meet her?” Nick asks. “She’s not familiar to me.”

He, Tom, and I are sitting in chairs near the fireplace in the library, glasses of scotch in hand. Skye has taken the women to the morning room for a spot of tea. My father had claimed to be in need of a nap, although I suspect he is playing with the children in the nursery. I won’t feel guilty because my father seems to take such delight in the little ones and I have yet to provide him with an heir. “Know every woman in New York, do you?”

“Quite a few, yes.”

As a bachelor, Nick had been the most promiscuous among us, but to be fair, he had never expected to marry. Then he fell in love with his brother’s widow and that was that.

“So she’s from New York?” Tom asks.

“She traveled from New York. Her family lives in Washington.” I give Nick a pointed look. “Sinclair?”

“Not familiar with the name.”

I grimace. “Actually Sinclair is probably her married name. I don’t know her family name.”

“Bit odd that,” Tom mus