Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Two days later
“How did you find this?” Tristan asked.
“I do not take kindly to welshers, Lord Darlington,” Christopher replied flatly. “When I come across one, I have no qualms in paying very special investigators to find whatever unsavory information I can. I am not above blackmail when it comes to protecting my business.”
Tristan shifted his eyes from the information in his hands to the owner of the gambling hell; anger seething through him. He had expected Christopher to be able to find some information on one Benedict Perley, but not this.
“He was extorting my father,” Tristan stated.
“It certainly looks that way,” Christopher agreed. “Though I would imagine that the late Lord Darlington was not Perley’s only victim. This is just the start of my investigator’s work and I can already tell we have barely scratched the surface of this particularly vile charlatan.”
Tristan nodded, his mind whirling with the new information.
His father’s death had never settled well with him.
He was a healthy, active man, who up until the day he died, had suffered no ailments.
Now as he looked down at the monetary exchanges between his father and Perley on the dates leading up to his death; he understood why he’d always felt at ill at ease about it.
A poisoning, not a heart attack, seemed far more likely responsible for the great man’s passing.
“You do not look well, Lord Darlington,” Christopher stated. “Perhaps you should take a seat.”
“No,” Tristan answered quickly. He needed a moment. Fresh air. Time to process all that he had just learned. He needed sleep and a good bedding even more, but neither seemed reachable with the current state of his frenzied mind.
“Thank you, Christopher, for all of your help, but I need to be going. Do you mind if I keep this?”
“It is yours,” Christopher agreed, waving a hand toward Tristan. “I have already had them transcribed for my own records. I shall alert you at once when I find out more.”
“Thank you, old friend,” Tristan replied.
He tucked the papers into his portfolio as they said their goodbyes, and left.
As he stepped into the crisp autumn air on the street, Tristan dragged in a deep breath and rubbed his temples.
His father had not died. He had been murdered.
And the man that had done so had wormed his way into his biggest venture yet. He’d never felt so idiotic.
“To my sister’s,” he ordered the carriage driver.
There was much to do. He’d have to speak with Alistair about what he’d learned; see if he could get any more information about Perley from him. There was the Masquerade to prepare for. He needed to speak with his people, ensure that everything was properly set up for the night’s party.
Then there was the dress he wanted Ophelia in for her next visit.
He’d already acquired it, he just needed to send it to her.
He did not want her in men’s attire anymore.
Even if he found it amusing at first, he now despised it.
It bothered him, how many thoughts of Ophelia had taken up the space in his mind recently, but he had no time to contemplate why.
For a moment, Tristan’s sense of urgency faded, and he grew tense in his seat as he thought of their kiss. He had meant for it to take her off balance- yet he was the one that had since been whirling. For as bitter as her words were, he had never expected her to taste so sweet.
Lust short through his veins as his mouth watered; craving more. His manhood stirred with arousal, so fast that he had to close his eyes and adjust himself. He used to hate arguing with Ophelia. Now he was sure he would never be able to do so again without wanting to claim her lips.
For now, Then he heard his driver’s voice, announcing their arrival.
Tristan mentally shoved the thoughts and heady sensations away, and though it took several seconds, he had the overwhelming urge to check on his little sister.
Knowing Theo was safe was the most important thing, and he was certain he wasn’t going to be able to accomplish anything else until he was certain saw for himself that she was all right.
The ride to her house was quick, but he was surprised as his carriage pulled up just as she was getting out of hers.
“Where have you been?” He demanded as he stepped onto the street.
Theo’s brows furrowed as she wrapped her mint green cloak tighter around her shoulders and looked him up and down.
“Well good day to you, too, brother,” she replied.
Tristan closed his eyes, took another deep inhale, and checked his temper. It was not at all her fault that his thoughts were pinging back and forth between danger and his new taboo craving for Ophelia.
“Apologies,” he offered kindly, “I did not mean to speak so harshly. I just- I was on my way over for a little impromptu visit and I was surprised. Please. Forgive me.”
Theo relaxed in front of him, then hooked her arm through his.
“You would not be you if you were not overprotective,” she said with a small smile as they walked up the path to her and Alistair’s London house, “I forgive you.”
She then winked.
“For now.”
Tristan let out a small chuckle as they went inside.
“To answer your question I was with Ophelia. The poor darling has been having a time of it lately,” Theo said as she led him to the parlor.
Tristan stiffened at the mention of the woman who’d been taking over his thoughts.
“Oh?” He asked, “I hope it is nothing too dreadful.”
He was trying to sound as casual as possible, but his sense of urgency heightened even further. It confused him all the more, but he waited with growing impatience as Theo instructed her maid to bring them tea and sandwiches.
“Her father has suffered some sort of coronary event,” Theo finally explained, coming to sit down beside him on the light green velvet couch, “I fear he is fading away.”
Tristan’s heart quivered. How strange it was to receive such news as he was investigating his father’s own death.
“That is awful,” he murmured.
“I fear Ophelia is not taking it well,” Theo said with a sad sigh. “Her life is about to completely change.”
“Indeed,” he muttered, the cogs of his mind turning. “The sorrow from losing a parent is an awful one.” Then something about what Theo said struck him.
“Wait, what do you mean precisely?” He asked. “In that her life is about to completely change?”
“Hmm?” Theo hummed, “Oh, well I mean her intent on being a spinster, of course. Her father, bless his soul is worried for her, so he made her promise to marry. Which of course was a horrid shock to her as her father had always accepted the life she had chosen up until now.”
Tristan’s brows flew up in surprise.
“Ophelia’s getting married? To whom?”
“Oh, she is not sure as of yet,” Theo replied, “However she has asked that I allow her to come with Alistair and I to the last few balls before the winter season as chaperones. We will, of course, do so. but I cannot imagine Ophelia trying to catch a husband. The whole idea is entirely foreign to even my imagination.”
“Indeed,” he muttered. He tried to picture it himself and all he could conjure was the image of Ophelia slapping an overly flirtatious gentleman across the face.
“What is that smile for?” Theo asked.
Tristan withdrew from his thoughts.
“What?” He asked, then realized that he indeed had been smiling. He quickly dropped the smile and shook his head.
“Oh, nothing.”
“Speaking of marriages,” Theo went on, drawing on her own grin as she lounged back into the couch and looked at him. “When are you going to take a wife, dear brother?”
Tristan grimaced at the question. It was not that he was appalled with the idea of marriage as Ophelia was- though he did have some fears of becoming a father.
He’d always imagined that one day he would take a wife.
After the thrill of operating the Masquerade had run its course and his needs were little more tame.
“When I have time for it,” he finally replied when Theo nudged him for an answer.
“And what is keeping you so very busy right now?” Theo asked with a curious smile.
He smirked back and leaned forward until their noses almost touched.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” He teased, then lightly flicked her nose.
Theo tsked her tongue and batted his hand away, laughing.
“You are a pest!” She exclaimed.
“Yet you love me,” he said with a grin.
“Yes,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “I suppose I do. So what are you doing for the rest of today? Will you stay for dinner?”
“I am afraid I cannot,” he replied, standing up, “I have some business to discuss with Alistair then I must take my leave. I have a busy evening ahead of me.”
“Doing what?” Theo asked with a raised brow, “Holding lectures on perfecting a gentleman’s manners?”
“Something of the sort,” he said with a grin, then leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek.
Theo rolled her eyes and waved him off.
“Go. Speak with your brother-in-law. I believe he is in his study today.”
Tristan nodded as he picked up his portfolio and turned to leave.
“Oh, good, you found it!” Theo said.
“What?” He asked, turning back to her.
“Your portfolio,” Theo answered, pointing to the one he had in his hand. “The one you had me search Alistair’s office for. Where was it?”
Theo glanced down at the leather portfolio in his hands. Arousal poured through his veins as he recalled how he and Ophelia had kissed when Theo had left the dining room to go searching for it.
“Right,” he murmured. “I had left it in one of the carriages.”
“Silly man,” she goaded, shaking her head.
“Go. Talk with my husband. I am sure he is eager to hear whatever sort of success story you have to share today. But come and say goodbye to me before you leave, otherwise I will be very cross with you.”