“Yes,” she said defiantly. “With no one for company save a cat. Now, do either of you know about anything suspicious happening at The Beggar’s Purse? That is where Garrick is meant to deliver the ransom for Aidan.”
The moment Hart’s brow lifted, Pen cursed herself for her blunder. “Garrick, is it? Awfully familiar, Pen.”
“Miss Sutton’s honor is safe,” Garrick said, his tone frosty. “You can rest assured I would not dream of sullying her.”
“Something ain’t right,” Wolf declared. “But we’ve a gaming hell to run, and we can’t afford to waste more time on a ne’er-do-well lord who has disappeared on his own. Pen, you’ll be coming with us.”
That was rather highhanded of him.
“You cannot tell me what to do, Wolf.”
“Maybe not, but you ain’t staying here,” Hart said grimly.
“Of course not,” she agreed. “However, we ought to accompany his lordship to The Beggar’s Purse this evening. If Aidan is indeed being held against his will, he could be in danger. Lord Lindsey may need our aid.”
And who better to offer protection than the Sutton clan, who were as feared as they were revered in the East End? They were not afraid to fight with their fists or any other weapons available to them.
Wolf shook his head slowly, pinning Garrick with a narrow-eyed glare. “I don’t think you or your troublesome cove of a brother deserve our aid. Nothing but problems from the two of you, leading Pen on a merry chase around London dressed as a nob. Suttons protect our own, unlike the quality.”
Garrick stiffened at her side. “Who are you to judge? You are fortunate I have yet to have you bodily removed from my drawing room after all the threats you and your brother have made against me and the insults you have paid your sister.”
He was…championing her?
Pen turned to him with a burst of surprise, for she had not thought either of her brothers had insulted her.
“We’ve done nothing of the sort,” Hart argued.
He inclined his head. “By suggesting she is untrustworthy, you have.”
She bit her lip to keep from reminding Garrick he had paid her the same insult. Repeatedly. That would most definitely not earn him any favor with Hart and Wolf, and she was very much attempting to keep the situation from devolving into a bout of fisticuffs or…worse.
“They meant to protect me,” she hastened to add before either of her brothers could say something to further inflame the viscount’s ire. “Please, if the three of you would simply calm yourselves, you would see that no harm has befallen me, no insults have been intended, no threats shall be carried out, and we can work together to make certain Aidan is returned safely home.”
In the wake of her outburst, the silence was almost deafening. She waited as three sets of stony male gazes settled on her. Two hazel, one brilliant blue.
Garrick was first to speak. “The three of you are welcome to join me for breakfast. We can continue this discussion over some sustenance.”
His stomach grumbled again, but she doubted Hart and Wolf could hear.
He had invited them to share a meal with him. It was a small olive branch, but she was willing to seize it with both hands. And her brothers were likewise not known to deny any offers of food.
With a wary expression, Wolf nodded.
“Aye,” Hart said, “we’ll eat your belly timber, viscount. And you’ll tell us everything you know.”
Wolf snorted. “Shouldn’t take long.”
“Twice as long as it would take you, Sutton,” Garrick quipped, seemingly unaffected.
And not for the first time, it occurred to Pen that there were far more facets to the handsome viscount than she had previously supposed.