A Gentleman's Curse (Avenging Lords 4)

Justin sucked in his cheeks as he tugged at the black velvet cuffs on his coat. “Then I would hurry. Selina will be here shortly. It might prove awkward having the woman you love in the same room as your wife.”

Lockhart ground his teeth. He was about to curse his cousin to the devil when Miss Darling spoke.

“The woman he once courted, Mr Perigrew,” Claudia corrected. “A man cannot presume to know another man’s thoughts or feelings. Only an arrogant fool might claim otherwise.”

Miss Darling turned on her heel and moved to examine the bottles on the bedside table.

Lockhart glared at his snout-nosed cousin. “Do not dare try to undermine my relationship with my wife,” he said in a tone dark enough to frighten the devil. “She has the intelligence to see through your pathetic games. I’ll not warn you again.” Lockhart sneered. “You should wear padded breeches, cousin. I hear they’re all the rage in France and will cushion the blow when I drive my fist down your throat and send you flying.”

Justin sucked in a breath. It took him a moment to form a reply. “You won’t change his mind,” he whispered. “Alfred is a man of principle. A man who rewards those who prove themselves worthy, not those who disregard the laws of the land.”

Lockhart froze.

His heart thumped against his ribcage though he held his menacing expression. Had Terence or Selina spoken of that night at the inn? Was that why Terence was so adamant Lockhart should leave town? Did he fear what Justin might do? Or had Justin been there on the night of the murder?

“Going on a jaunt across the ocean is hardly considered criminal,” Lockhart countered. “But you can calm your greedy little heart. I’m not here for my father’s money. I’m here to right the wrongs of the past. So tread carefully lest you get caught in the crossfire.”

Justin’s bottom lip quivered. He smiled to mask the obvious sign of his anxiety. “Then I shall heed your advice. I imagine the battle will commence as soon as Selina arrives. Protecting your father has become somewhat of a hobby.”

With that, the fop snatched his riding crop from the chair and marched from the room.

Lockhart considered grabbing the crop from his hand and whipping him until he’d drawn blood.

“There are an awful lot of bottles here considering your father is taking laudanum to numb the pain and help him sleep.” Claudia’s voice reached across the room to pull him out of his murderous mood.

Lockhart dragged himself away from the closed door and came to join the lady who was doing a remarkable job of playing his wife. “Perhaps they don’t know what ails him and are trying different remedies.”

“Pray, who is his doctor? How long has he been suffering like this, and what is the prognosis?”

Guilt took him in a stranglehold this time as he had been too preoccupied with this own problems to consider anything else. “I doubt they would tell me if I asked.”

“Perhaps we should wait and ask Selina.” Claudia took hold of his father’s wrist, examining his pulse before lifting his lids and peering at his pupils.

“Must we?” The lack of clean air in the room made it hard to breathe. Sickness seeped from the walls. The oppressive tension in the house invaded one’s spirits, and he was in danger of being overwhelmed by a sudden sense of despair.

“We need to ask a few questions.” Claudia frowned as she studied him. “It must be hard when people attack you from every quarter.”

A man did not admit to such weaknesses. Not in front of a woman he wanted to impress. “I have a hardy constitution. It will take more than vicious words and veiled insults to bring me down.”

Claudia’s smile spoke of compassion. “Still, I feel compelled to offer comfort.”

“Then I lied. Their comments cut me to the bone.” He put his hand to his heart as if mortally wounded. “I need the love of a good woman, my darling, and you’re the only one I know.”

She tutted. “While I’m here to indulge you to a point, Hudson, you keep moving the boundaries.”

“There are no boundaries between a husband and wife.”

Claudia rolled her eyes. No doubt she was about to remind him they were merely playing roles, but the creak of a floorboard drew her attention to the door.

Selina swept into the room. Her dark eyes narrowed in disapproval. “Simmonds said you were here.” She moved to the chair, tugged off her gloves and dropped them onto the seat.

She had changed since the night he’d left her at the docks in Portsmouth. It was as if someone had blown out the light inside. The worry lines on her brow were a permanent feature. Was Terence not the doting husband she’d hoped? She had only herself to blame. Had she cast aside her doubts and joined him on his voyage things would be different. But then he would not be here now, with Miss Darling playing his loving wife. And that thought affected him more than he could say.

“We waited to see you,” Claudia said as she examined the handwritten label on one blue bottle. “This is a homemade cough suppressant, yet the label reveals nothing of its ingredients.”

Selina shrugged out of her burgundy pelisse and draped it over the chair. “Terence purchases any medicine we need from a place in New Bond Street.”

“What exactly is wrong with my father?” Lockhart demanded. “Justin was somewhat vague.”