Earl of Exile (Lords of Scandal 3)

Daring drew back, his face ashen. “Not yet. I don’t want to upset my wife if it isn’t true. The child looks nothing like me. I…” His voice tapered off.

Jack spread his hands on the table in front of him. “He could be Lord Abernath’s son. She married the man a month after you ended it with her. That tells me they were likely already involved.”

“I agree.” Daring nodded. “And Abernath did claim the boy already, so even if we learn he isn’t Abernath’s child, publicly, we never share. Lord Abernath died last month. The little boy, Harry, is already the new earl.”

The men nodded in understanding. Exile relaxed a bit. Daring was using his head at least. “It’s best for Harry if there’s no scandal about his name.”

Daring cleared his throat. “But I also know there was a third man she was sharing her bed with. The reason I ended the relationship was because I caught them together. I never learned who the man was, but I know it wasn’t Abernath.”

The room went silent. Not a chair scraped, not a glass clinked against the table. Finally Jack swallowed. “That’s what I wanted to say to you first, Daring.” Jack held out his hands in front of him. “The man you caught her with was me.”

Daring stood suddenly, his chair flying back against the wall. Exile stood too, worried he might need to intercede between the two men. The last time he’d engaged in a brawl, his cousin had died. His insides pitched but he held his ground.

Daring leaned his fists on the table. “We’ve been friends for four years and you’re just telling me this now?”

“I didn’t know you then.” Jack remained seated, his hands out. “At the time the affair happened, I had no idea she was involved with anyone else. I thought we were in love. I thought we’d marry.” Jack closed his eyes. “I didn’t know she was engaged. Hell, no one did. For all we know she was engaged to you and Abernath at the same time.” He scrubbed his face. “She cleaned out what little money I had. Emptied my coffers and left me with a mountain of debt.” Then he drew in a long breath. “But that isn’t all of it. I know for certain that she was also involved with Lord Pennington when she was with me. The day after I ended it, I found them walking in the park together and followed them until I saw…” Jack stopped, his head dropping as he pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes.

Daring slumped over, as though that name took all wind from his sails. “Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. Harry looks just like Pennington.”

“He does,” Jack answered. “I noticed it the moment I saw him.” He leaned closer. “And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t put it all together until recently and then I wasn’t sure if it was wise to tell you what I’d learned. We were already friends. Hell, we’d started a business together. You’d moved on with your life and I thought it might hurt you more to know.”

Daring looked down at the table for so long, the men began to shift in their chairs. Finally, he looked up. “The honest truth is catching you in bed with her saved my life.” His fists wrapped on the tabletop. “You should have told me. But I do believe she managed to hurt you worse than she did me. She really cleaned you out?”

Jack nodded. “It’s why I came to you to start the club in the first place.”

Daring scrubbed his face. “We’ve got a much larger problem now. The women who have been dutifully keeping our secret are in danger. You’ve each agreed to keep one safe. You’re going to have to double your efforts.”

Exile drew in a long breath. Diana rose in his thoughts. What had started as a simple task had already begun to feel complicated, his attraction to her the largest of them all. “Circumstances have changed since we first made that agreement. Originally we were just supposed to make sure the ladies didn’t share our secret. Now we’re trying to protect them from a woman who’s unhinged.”

“The Chase women have proved more than loyal and Lady Abernath is insane.” Daring looked around the table. “You’re right, Exile. It’s a difficult task to be certain.”

“I don’t give a bloody bullocks about the task. What’s the story with all of you marrying?” Vice took a long swig of his drink. “Makes a man damn nervous.”

Exile looked down at the man who appeared to be an angel but was devilish to be certain. “We’ll all have to marry eventually.”

“Not you too,” Vice sneered. “Are you thinking about offering for that dark-haired beauty, Diana?”

“No,” he bit out, crossing his arms over his chest. But excitement zinged through his veins just thinking about her. Bloody hell, that did make things complicated.

Diana sat between Minnie and her sister, Grace.

“What do you think they’re discussing?” Emily wrung her hands together. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Jack has been so worried and that makes me anxious for him.”

Diana cleared her throat. Emily had always been the most nervous of the Chase girls. “I appreci

ate your concern, Em. But I think you owe us an explanation before we delve into what’s happening with Jack.” Emily and Jack’s relationship had been filled with bumps.

Ada poked Diana in the back, whispering in her ear, “Be nice.”

Diana let out a long breath. “I am being nice.” Wasn’t anyone going to call Emily out on the fact that she and Jack had eloped with barely a word, leaving them all very worried?

Emily stopped pacing, her face twisting in pain. “I’m sorry for that. When we were at the family party, I got a surprise visit from Lady Abernath.”

The girls all sucked in her breath. Grace clutched Diana’s hand. “Did she try to steal you away?”

Emily shook her head. “Cordelia gets that honor. But she did threaten me. Said that if I didn’t expose Daring, she would tell the world about Jack and his club. She also said…” Emily flushed a bright red.

“What?” Minnie asked, standing to cross to Emily, then wrapping her arms about her. Diana frowned.