Kade grimaced. His plan to trap Morgan was turning into a farce—albeit one with loaded weapons.
“And how in the name of all that’s holy was I supposed to ken that, Kinloch?” Angus retorted. Then he glared at Kade. “Ye asked for his help and not mine? What the hell were ye thinkin’, lad?”
“He was thinking that he could depend on a rational adult instead of a loony old man,” Kinloch hotly replied.
Angus bristled with fury. “Loony, is it? I’ll show ye—”
“That’s enough,” Kade interrupted. “Angus, please stop waving those old pistols about. One of them could misfire and kill someone.”
“I’m sure nae one would mind if I shot Morgan,” Angus replied, sounding aggrieved. “Even Kinloch couldna complain about that.”
“Of course I could,” Kinloch retorted. “I don’t want that villain bleeding all over my gazebo. Elspeth just had it repainted and furnished.”
Morgan lowered his pistol as he adopted his habitual expression of cynical amusement. Since he was now well outgunned, he would no doubt try to talk his way out of the trap he’d walked into.
“My dear Lord Kinloch,” Morgan said. “This entire situation is simply a misunderstanding. If you give me the chance to explain, I’m sure we can sort everything out.”
“Says the man who was just holding me at gunpoint,” Kade dryly put in.
Morgan put his pistol down on the bench. “Dear chap, I was simply responding to your aggressive behavior. One can’t blame a fellow for defending himself.”
“No respectable person needs to carry a pistol in my house,” Kinloch sternly answered.
“Forgive me for stating the obvious,” Morgan said with a casual shrug, “but everyone seems to be armed. Rather a dangerous state of affairs, if you ask me.”
“Ho, Kinloch,” Angus put in. “I’d still like to ken what ye were doin’ lurkin’ in the bushes like a bloody footpad.”
His lordship bristled. “I should think it obvious. We were trying to trick Morgan into making a confession, which Kendrick was doing nicely until you waded into it.”
Angus threw Kade a disgruntled look. “All right, but why didna ye tell me, lad? I could have helped.”
“You were helping me by keeping Charlie out of the way,” Kade replied. “She didn’t need to be mixed up in this.”
“In fact, I made it clear to Kendrick that I didn’t want my daughter anywhere near this nonsense,” Kinloch said. “Charlie likely would have shot Morgan between the eyes—not that one could blame her. I refuse to have my daughter hauled off to prison for murder, even a justifiable one.”
“My lord, I fear you have this all backward,” Morgan smoothly put in. “I am not the guilty party. That would be your son, I’m sorry to say. I’ve been trying to convince Johnny to return the brooch ever since he told me that he stole it. When he refused, I took it upon myself to search for it, intending to return it to Miss Charlotte. Kendrick took that amiss, obviously becausehewanted to claim the prize. I, however, was simply trying to help poor Johnny.”
Both Angus and Kinloch were now staring at Morgan with identical expressions of disbelief.
“Have you forgotten I was hiding in the blasted bushes?” Kinloch exclaimed. “I heard you threatening to kill Kendrick! And you keep my son out of it, you varlet. You’ve done enough harm to the poor lad. Why, for two shillings I’d shoot you myself.”
Morgan heaved a dramatic sigh. “I have been nothing but a friend to Johnny. Sadly, though, your son is both a thief and a liar, which you surely comprehend by now. He’s also a gambler who owes me a considerable sum of money. That’s why he stole the brooch in the first place. He intended to pawn it to pay off his debts.”
“Lord Kinloch knows exactly what Johnny has done, because I explained the situation to him,” Kade said in a hard voice. “Again, the game is up, Morgan. You’ve no more cards left to play.”
Morgan hesitated, clearly disconcerted. But then he recovered and managed an insouciant shrug.
“As a good friend, all I’ve done is try to help Johnny.”
Angus glared at him. “Yer vermin is what ye are. Ye could have killed the lad, and we’ll see ye locked up in the clink for that.”
The vermin in question mustered a credible laugh. “Good luck with that, you old coot. You have no evidence beyond Johnny’s wild stories, which no one will believe.”
“They’ll believe me,” Kade said. “And Lord Kinloch.”
Morgan actually had the nerve to smile. “Evidence, dear boy. You have none, which my lawyers will be happy to point out.” Then he glanced at Kinloch. “In fact, the evidence that does exist clearly points to your son as the thief. It would be quite the scandal if reports became commonly known that your son and heir is a common thief, not to mention a wastrel and a gambler. It would be a truly sad reflection on your family honor.”
“You dare to threaten me?” Kinloch thundered. “Why you—”
