“Nothing here. While they were threatening me, one of them—not the brightest fellow—nearly said the name of his companion. It began with the lettersL-A.”
“Lang, Landon, Law... we can make a list.”
“Madam Avalon told me that a first-time patron of hers, a tall, thin man with a receding hairline and a habit of sucking his teeth, was asking questions about me after Roman’s death.”
“Then, maybe he’s your man.”
A knock sounded on the door, and when Dane replied, his butler, Mosely, handed him a letter.
“My lord, this note was delivered by a young boy dressed in ragged clothing. The wily thing slipped through my fingers before I could detain him to ascertain the origins of the note.”
“Thank you. You may leave us.” Dane broke the seal. “It’s from the blackmailers.”
“Well?”
“They want me to attend a prizefight tomorrow. They’ll slip me another note telling me who to have all my friends bet their money on.”
“If they’re fixing prizefights, then these are serious criminals.”
“I know. I’ll constantly be looking over my shoulder.”
“We’ll have to go on the offensive. You can’t live your life looking over your shoulder. I know who can help us, my friend Osborne. He’s helped me with certain tasks of a similar nature in the past. Go along with their demands for now, make them think you’re compliant, but we’ll be on the hunt for them, and we will bring them down.”
“Thank you, Warburton.” Dane clasped his friend’s shoulder. “I knew I could count on you.”
There was another knock at the door. “Yes?” Dane called.
“My lord, there’s a representative of the Squalton Historical Preservation and Improvement Society to see you about a petition,” Mosely said.
“A Mrs. McGovern? Tall, wears pearls and white carnations?”
“No, that wasn’t her name.”
“Then, a Miss Hodwell, a short elderly lady who probably offered you a macaroon from her reticule?”
The butler’s eyebrows raised. “Er, no, my lord. It’s a Miss Oliver, a very young lady.”
“Safely back in Squalton, eh?” Warburton chuckled. “Seems she’s braver than you give her credit for.”
“I can’t believe she’d visit me after the way I treated her.”
“Apologies, my lord. Should I send her away?”
“Yes,” Dane said at the same time as Warburton said, “No, no, show her in. I want to see who wins round two.”
Mosely glanced at Dane questioningly.
“You just said that you owe her an apology and an explanation,” said Warburton.
“Damn it,” Dane grumbled. “Show her in, Mosely, but I’m not going to apologize. This time I’ll send her packing in earnest. For her own safety.”
“Of course you will,” Warburton said with mock seriousness.
Miss Oliver entered the study, and Dane steeled himself for the inevitable swell of attraction.
It was as though the seashore had come to him here in this musty old study filled with dry books and ledgers. A breath of fresh sea air, sweeping through the study and rustling his papers. A wave sweeping through him.
Her beauty hit him anew each time he saw her, though she looked different today. She sashayedtoward him, a vision in pale yellow silk, giving him a sidelong glance before turning the full force of that bright smile on Warburton. To her credit, she didn’t flinch away from the sight of his scars.