" You and I will converse while Hunt has a cigar,” Westcliff informed him. “Come with us.”
The “invitation” didn’t seem to allow the possibility of a refusal, but Matthew tried nonetheless. “Thank you, my lord, but there is a certain matter I wish to discuss with someone, and I—”
“That someone would be Mr. Bowman, I expect.”
Hell, Matthew thought. He knows. Even if it hadn’t been for those words, he could tell by the way Westcliff was looking at him.
Westcliff knew about Bowman’s intention of marrying him off to Daisy…and not surprisingly, Westcliff had an opinion about it.
“You will discuss the matter with me first,” the earl continued.
Matthew glanced warily at Simon Hunt, who gave him a bland look in return. “I’m certain,” Matthew said, “that Mr. Hunt doesn’t want to be bored by a discussion of someone else’s personal affairs—”
“Not at all,” Hunt said cheerfully. “I love hearing about other people’s affairs. Particularly when they’re personal. "

― Lisa Kleypas , Scandal in Spring (Wallflowers, #4)