A Confidential Problem

Society of Gentlemen #2.5

by K.J. Charles

‘A Confidential Problem’ is a 4,000 word scene which takes place between chapters 15 and 16 of A Seditious Affair (after Silas has gone down to Arrandene, but before the finale). It’s not standalone, and won’t make any sense if you haven’t read A Seditious Affair.

Available through submission to the author's page newsletter.

Genres: Historical, Romance, M M Romance, Historical Fiction, Short Stories, Historical Romance, Queer

14 pages, ebook

First published April 1, 2016

About the author

KJ is a writer of romance, mostly m/m, historical or fantasy or both. She blogs about writing and editing at http://kjcharleswriter.com.

She lives in London, UK, with her husband, two kids, and a cat of absolute night.

Bluesky @kj_charleswriter.com
Join the lively Discord group at https://discord.gg/fmPTWSZfT6
Sign up to the (infrequent) newsletter at http://kjcharleswriter.com/newsletter

Please **do not** message me on Goodreads as I no longer check the inbox due to unwanted messages.

Reviews

[Ms. Smartarse · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just a brief little interlude, wherein Silas Mason and David Cyprian are commiserating about their respective failed/inexistent relationships... and discover a mutual love for chess.



I actually enjoyed their banter during the chess match, with their adamant refusal to acknowledge each other's skill (openly, that is). The mope fest on the other hand, was just plain depressing. Most especially on David's part, considering that I have read this after finishing A Gentleman's Position; which only served to exacerbate the valet's lonely suffering.

Score: 2/5 stars

I suppose I should be recommending this story as a character study, especially as it's freely available on the author's website... but I choose to be obnoxious, and refuse to see the beauty in wallowing. I want my extras to be more cheerful in nature, thankyouverymuch.

======================
Review of book 0.5: The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh
Review of book 1: A Fashionable Indulgence
Review of book 2: A Seditious Affair
Review of book 3: A Gentleman's Position
Review of book 3.5: A Private Miscellany

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt a bit depressing. But a great short interlude before Richard and David's book.

[K.J. Charles]

A snippet (4K) in the Society of Gentlemen world, set at the end of A Seditious Affair. Silas is stuck kicking his heels and waiting for answers, until Lord Richard's valet comes to ask advice on a small problem...

This is an interlude rather than a story, illuminating Silas's state of mind towards the end of his book (grumpy, no kidding), and David's situation before the events of A Gentleman's Position kick off. You can get it free here.

[wasteland baby · Rating 5 out of 5]

DECEMBER 2025 REREAD
still slaps!

ORIGINAL DECEMBER 25TH, 2022 REVIEW (very me to be reading this on christmas lol)
this one's short enough (one chapter lol) that I can bring myself to actually single out some notable quotes!!

"...he'd spent too damned much of his life wanting things he'd never get - a vote, a voice, his Tory's first loyalty - and he was coming to feel that a man could die of hope." - SILAAAAAAAS 😭😭😭😭

"'How long are you going to do this?'
'Do what?'
'Dance attendance. Wait on him. Be patient.'
David's eyes met his. They looked at each other in the dim light, a long, silent look, and Silas couldn't tell what the valet was seeing, but at last he said, as though the words could not be kept in, 'I don't know.' He tapped his fingers on the table a couple of times, then picked up his full glass and knocked the gin back in a single, deliberate swallow. 'I...don't know.'" - DAVIIIIIDDD 😭😭😭😭

I love how this entire thing is basically "Silas gets to know David and see how brilliant he is from up close, and then they try and fail to give each other romantic advice". Love these two to death. Silas and David becoming besties is just proof of the gigantic proportions of KJC's brain imo.

[Smutty Sully · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extravagant prick. (Richard, of course.)

Silas was absolutely not going to ask this ginger prick for his opinions on Dominic or anything else. (Cyprian.)

I'm looking forward to these two pricks' book!

[patrícia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve loved David Cyprian since book one — clever, loyal, and just the right amount of ruthless. I’m absolutely dying to get to his book, so this little interlude was a delicious appetizer.

A Confidential Problem might be short, but it’s such a treat. Getting to see Cyprian and Silas interact away from the main drama, in a quieter and more revealing moment, only made me love Cyprian more. It’s sharp, warm, and exactly the kind of bonus that makes you want to dive straight into the next installment.

[Lisazj1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was entertaining to see a bit of the back and forth correspondence *so to speak, LOL* between Silas and David. Loved it! <3

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not, strictly speaking, necessary, but time with Silas and Cyprian is always time well spent. A really good insight into their henchmance (I was going to say bromance, but both S and C are about as far from bros as humanly possible; Ash and Harry, otoh . . . ) and how, despite being polar opposites, they complement and respect each other. Would read a whole series of S and C creating/ solving problems and badassing the gentry.

Also -- apparently SoG 3.5, A private miscellany, is no longer available for review, so:

Epistolary catching-up that lulls us in with its knighthoods and its extorted sex workers and its violet coats and its sneaky fox reference before taking a sharp left turn into Dom being spit-roasted by a werewolf and a Shakespeare, KJC the woman you are!!!!! LAP FOX!!!!!

Both available as free reads on KJC's website!

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice to get a little extra in this series. How I miss Silas!

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short interludes explains how David and Silas become friends.
Both men are from 'common' stock and in love with an aristocrat. Loved how they bond over a bottle of gin! This makes me want to reread book 2, my favourite of the series!
Please remember to read this interesting addition at the right time, it is worth it.

[Claudie ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little prelude to David and Richard’s story. David is a very interesting character, but I don’t really like Richard… Let’s see how their book turns out. I have every confidence that soon enough, KJ Charles will make me love that pair as much as the others!

[Ditte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story set right after Silas gets to Arrandene. Him and Cyprian drink and talk.

[Carol (bookish_notes) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice little story with Silas and David interaction that takes place within the timeline for A Seditious Affair.

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting this small peek on Silas and Cyprian friendship.

[Gabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love how KJC gives us these little bonus chapters, behind the scenes glimpses into other characters that aren't necessary for the main story but add so much colour and depth when read alongside them. This one was a fascinating conversation that formed the perfect bridge between book 2 and book 3 of this series.

[Milyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely the highlight of my day! I was so so happy to finally be able to read a story about Silas and David. I want moooore!!!

[Cadiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

In which we get a snippet of life at Lord Richard's country house where Silas is rusticating having escaped the gallows and a glimpse behind the steely exterior of valet extraordinaire David Cyprian.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely little gobbett from Ms. Charles from the Society of Gentlemen universe. Even in this short conversation between Silas and Cyprian which takes place between chapters 15 and 16 in A Seditious Affair, the words just shine. "Dominic and other mutual acquaintances had described Cyprian on occasion as, variously, a spymaster, an inquisitor, and a sneaking slyboots ginger bastard." And "Arlett had got rascally drunk with Nathan Tulney, a gossipmonger Silas knew reasonably well." Every book I've read by KJC just has me marveling at the turn of phrase and the elegant sentences that just flow on the page. The ingenuity of the plot and conversations just blow my mind. Who would think an author would write a few words on a conversation between two major characters that just adds to the overall excellence of the book and subtly drives the plot? Superb!!

[UltraMeital · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a scene is a free read through KJ's website.

It takes place between Chapter 15 and 16 where David Cyprian has a long conversation with Silas Mason and plants a few seeds about being patient with Dominic.

I LOVE David. Silas can be stubborn but it's difficult to get out of a conversation with a mastermind like David without at least food for thought. As well as a hind to David's own struggle (which we get in detail in the next installment).

More Reviews HERE

[h o l l i s · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely should have remembered I had this before reading book three.

But still a nice little bit of background and an interesting conversation between Silas & David that definitely laid some foundation for one or two moments in A GENTLEMAN'S POSITION. I'm very glad I found it.. even if a little too late.

[Moony Eliver]

I really like this bit of added context to the series!

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has already been plenty of discussion on the advantages the internet has brought to the writer-reader relationship, but I want to repeat just how awesome it is that an author can not only reach so many more readers today, but with websites and blogs an author can offer so many extras to anyone who seeks her out.

K. J. Charles has quite a few extras on her website, include this free story that, I suspect, started out life as a chapter in an earlier draft of A Seditious Affair, but had to be cut for time and narrative flow.

However, instead of leaving it on the cutting room floor, so to speak, she offers it to her readers as a fun little extra about two of her characters, explaining a little bit more about what happened in Book 2 of her Gentlemen’s Society series and giving a little intel about what’s to come in Book 3.

I recommend if you do seek it out, you only read it as I did – after having read Books 1 & 2 with the intention of moving forwards with Book 3 – this is not a stand-alone story at all.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cyprian and Silas together are just wonderful. I love their friendship and this glimpse into the beginning of that friendship.

[Wax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the little insight into Silas' mind and more into Cyprian's as well. It's funny to see them almost bonding...maybe...

[⚣Michaelle⚣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 Stars

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow I missed this when I first read this series.

There is a thing that KJ Charles has with the English language. It smacks of a love affair, deep and everlasting. The way she USES the language, MANIPULATES the language, CARESSES the language is simply astonishing. She is the absolute master of dry sarcasm and scathing wit. When her stories include letters between characters, she seems to take it up yet another notch (because writing can be so much more freeing than speaking) to a level that is almost painfully exquisite.

Caveat for me - Dom and Silas' sexual interactions are unsettling to me. I tend to try to skim past as much as I can, sort of the mental version of plugging my ears and singing "la, la, la, I can't HEAR you..."

Anyway, I loved these "outtakes". I love these characters. I personally won't be happy till I read a full on book about Ash and Francis .... Francis surely has a story to tell, one that is full of sharp edges and hidden depths, and the mix of Francis and Ash is .... *head explodes, but in a good way *

As soon as I was done, I went and reread A Gentleman's Position again. That's a painful read because I just want the barriers to be effing breached already, but overall it still leaves me breathless. David Cyprian is a creation of such beauty, he feels almost preternatural but not in the paranormal way. (Daniel da Silva in Think of England is a similar such creature.) The ending touch of the secret of Richard's portrait? Classic, beautiful, brilliant.

Now, I have not liked everything KJC has written (and that astonishes me), but when I connect with her storyline/characters, it is a reading experience that brings me back to her books again and again.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appreciated this snippet of what the conversation between Silas and David Cyprian would've been like, filling in the gaps mentioned in book 2. Liked that it elaborates on how Silas can continue to fight for progress just in a different way and under a safer umbrella with the patronage of Richard's influence. Also that it highlights how Silas and Foxy David are similar in some ways, that they have a lot of mutual acquaintances and end up forming a friendship and tentative alliance- and given the history and entanglements of their significant other/romantic interest, this is interesting. Plus it sets the stage for the reader to get to know David the valet (lol) and spymaster maneuverer extraordinaire, before jumping into the third book pairing David and Richard together. I also would really want to have a book on Shakespeare and Quex, how they found each other- maybe they're heavily featured in the next book or there's a novella about them at least, if not a full length book.

[Ekollon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wish I had realized that this story was available before I read book 3; I think it would have gone better if I had read it then. But I didn't, and it was still good. I waffled a lot on whether to rate it 3* or 4*, but I decided to be generous for numerous reasons (including the fact that it was free). It wasn't a long story, which makes it kind of hard to talk about without spoiling anything, but it was a nice little read exploring the relationship between Silas and David and their various mindsets. No sexy-times to speak of, but good insight building.

[Amyiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice chapter edition for A Seditious Affair. It is between when Dominic leaves back to the home office and Silas goes to Richard's estates to fix the books. Silas does not know where he stands and we get a little of that but... what it really is, is the formation of the friendship between David Cyprian and Silas. it is fun to see and Cyprian is definitely one of my favorite characters. I kind of wish that I read this right after the book and before A Gentleman's Position.d

This is not at all a stand alone novelette.

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Confidential Problem" is a lovely deleted scene that shows David Cyprian and Silas Mason, two men who are decidedly not gentlemen from the Society of Gentleman series, in a nice light. It delves into their characters and shows that all characters in a book are the heroes of their own stories, living full lives even when off-scene from the main events. 

I think it was a good idea not to include this text within A Seditious Affair because it reveals too much information integral to the slow burn of the romance in A Gentleman's Position.