“Diana,” Graham called after her.
“Where is he?” A familiar voice boomed from the front doorway.
Elias.
“Brother,” Diana cried and ran in front of him. “Please. Don’t make matters worse.”
“Trust me, sister. This will be much better after I have dealt with the bastard.”
Graham appeared in the foyer, holding his hands up. “Elias, please, allow me to explain—”
“Explain?” Elias released Diana and stalked toward Graham. “Explain how you lied and tricked my sister from the start so you could steal from her?”
“What is all this commotion?” Augusta appeared at the top of the stairs, looking between them with alarm.
“Mother, please just go back to your room,” Graham said quickly.
“I will do no such thing.” Augusta descended the staircase and moved to stand by her son. “What has happened?”
“Your son is a liar and thief,” Elias spat. “He took ten thousand pounds from Diana’s dowry to pay gambling debts.”
There was a knock at the front door, and when Mitchell opened it, Lydia entered, followed by Marina and Hannah, with Hudson and Matt close behind.
“I had to tell Elias,” Lydia said quietly to Diana. “You shouldn’t face this matter alone.”
“Why are Hudson and Matt here?” Diana asked, mortified that most of her friends were witnessing the most embarrassing and devastating moment of her life while her heart was broken wide open.
“They were with Elias, and we all couldn’t keep up with him when he tore out of the house,” Hannah said.
Diana watched Elias take a couple steps closer to Graham, nostrils flaring. “I don’t require any assistance in this matter. He’s a lowlife who took advantage of my sister so he could get his hands on her dowry, just as I knew he did all along. You really almost had us all fooled.”
“That’s not what happened,” Matt said, stepping to join Graham’s side.
“You mean to tell me you knew about this?” Elias thundered.
“Graham told me about the situation with Rothwell, yes,” Matt replied calmly. “He was afraid to tell you because he thought youmight react much like this.”
Hudson stepped forward to join Elias. “You should have known that Wilton would align with a liar.”
Diana watched the men square off with each other and she wasn’t certain what to believe. He had still lied, misled, and used her. And for that, she wasn’t certain he could be forgiven, even if Elias let him live.
“Rothwell was threatening you,” Graham said desperately, focusing on Diana. “He said he’d hurt you, to do unspeakable things to you if I didn’t pay—”
“Was that before or after you used my sister to save your own skin?”
“That’s not what happened!” Graham ran both hands through his hair. “The compromise was an accident. I never planned—”
“I am done hearing your lies,” Elias spat.
Matt stepped closer to Elias. “Come on Elias. “I know Graham. And he—”
“You vouched for him,” Hudson rounded on Matt. “You brought him into our circle. And this is what he’s done.”
“The money will be replaced,” Graham said frantically. “A property in Devon closes within a week.”
Diana stepped between the men, done hearing them all bicker about her life. “But you lied to me, Graham. All you had to do was explain the situation to me. I would have believed you.”
“Diana, please,” Graham moved toward her, but Elias shoved him back.
